King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters.
Complete Jewish Bible:
After S’rug was born, Re‘u lived another 207 years and had sons and daughters.
Berean Standard Bible:
And after he had become the father of Serug, Reu lived 207 years and had other sons and daughters.
American Standard Version:
and Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And Reu{H7466} lived{H2421} after{H310} he begat{H3205} Serug{H8286} two hundred{H3967}{H8141} and seven{H7651} years{H8141}, and begat{H3205} sons{H1121} and daughters{H1323}.
Cross-References (KJV):
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Commentary for Genesis 11:21
Genesis 11:21 is part of the Genealogy of Shem, which is a section in the Book of Genesis that lists the descendants of Shem, one of the sons of Noah. This genealogy serves to connect the post-Flood world with the story of Abraham, who is a key figure in the biblical narrative and the patriarch of the Israelites.
**Themes:**
1. **Divine Blessing and Fertility:** The long lifespans and numerous offspring of the patriarchs, such as Reu, reflect the divine blessing of fertility given to humanity in Genesis 1:28, "Be fruitful and multiply."
2. **Historical Continuity:** The genealogy provides a historical link between the earliest biblical events (Creation, Flood) and the later narratives centered around the patriarchs.
3. **Human Longevity:** The verse mentions Reu living 207 years after the birth of his son Serug, which is consistent with the biblical theme of long lifespans before the Flood and for several generations afterward.
**Historical Context:**
- **Post-Flood Era:** This verse is set in the period after the Great Flood, which, according to the biblical timeline, would have occurred several centuries earlier.
- **Pre-Patriarchal Age:** The time of Reu and his descendants is before the call of Abraham (Abram), which marks the beginning of the patriarchal age and the establishment of a covenant between God and the Israelites.
- **Antediluvian Tradition:** The long lifespans reported in these genealogies are reminiscent of the antediluvian (pre-Flood) patriarchs, who lived for several centuries each, according to Genesis 5.
In summary, Genesis 11:21 is a genealogical record that emphasizes the themes of divine blessing through progeny and the passage of time in the biblical narrative, bridging the gap between the primordial history of the world and the more focused history of the Israelite people. It reflects the historical context of a world that is repopulating after the Flood and moving towards the establishment of the nation of Israel through Abraham.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H7466
There are 5 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רְעוּ
Transliteration: Rᵉʻûw
Pronunciation: reh-oo'
Description: for רְעִי in the sense of רֵעַ; friend; Reu, a postdiluvian patriarch; Reu. - Strong's Number: H2421
There are 235 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חָיָה
Transliteration: châyâh
Pronunciation: khaw-yaw'
Description: a primitive root (compare חָוָה, חָיָה); to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive; keep (leave, make) alive, [idiom] certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, ([idiom] God) save (alive, life, lives), [idiom] surely, be whole. - Strong's Number: H310
There are 766 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אַחַר
Transliteration: ʼachar
Pronunciation: akh-ar'
Description: from אָחַר; properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses); after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, [phrase] out (over) live, [phrase] persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth), when, with. - Strong's Number: H3205
There are 403 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָלַד
Transliteration: yâlad
Pronunciation: yaw-lad'
Description: a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage; bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman). - Strong's Number: H8286
There are 5 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׂרוּג
Transliteration: Sᵉrûwg
Pronunciation: ser-oog'
Description: from שָׂרַג; tendril; Serug, a postdiluvian patriarch; Serug. - Strong's Number: H3967
There are 512 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מֵאָה
Transliteration: mêʼâh
Pronunciation: may-aw'
Description: or מֵאיָה; properly, a primitive numeral; a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction; hundred((-fold), -th), [phrase] sixscore. - Strong's Number: H8141
There are 647 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁנֶה
Transliteration: shâneh
Pronunciation: shaw-neh'
Description: (in plural or (feminine) שָׁנָה; from שָׁנָה; a year (as a revolution of time); [phrase] whole age, [idiom] long, [phrase] old, year([idiom] -ly). - Strong's Number: H7651
There are 345 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שֶׁבַע
Transliteration: shebaʻ
Pronunciation: sheh'-bah
Description: or (masculine) (שִׁבְעָה); from שָׁבַע; a primitive cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number; ([phrase] by) seven(-fold),-s, (-teen, -teenth), -th, times). Compare שִׁבְעָנָה. - Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. - Strong's Number: H1323
There are 499 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בַּת
Transliteration: bath
Pronunciation: bath
Description: from בָּנָה (as feminine of בֵּן); a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively); apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter, [idiom] first, [idiom] old, [phrase] owl, town, village.