Genesis 5:12

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel:

Complete Jewish Bible:

Kenan lived seventy years and fathered Mahalal’el.

Berean Standard Bible:

When Kenan was 70 years old, he became the father of Mahalalel.

American Standard Version:

And Kenan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalalel:

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And Cainan^{H7018} lived^{H2421} seventy^{H7657} years^{H8141}, and begat^{H3205} Mahalaleel^{H4111}:

Cross-References (KJV):

Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:

BibleHub.com BibleRef.com

Commentary for Genesis 5:12

Genesis 5:12 is a part of the genealogy from Adam through Noah, which serves as a bridge between the creation narrative and the story of the Flood. This verse specifically mentions Cainan, a descendant of Adam through Seth, who is part of the line that would eventually lead to Noah. At the age of 70, Cainan fathered Mahalaleel, continuing the lineage that the text emphasizes as being significant in God's redemptive plan for humanity.

The themes present in this verse include the patriarchal lineage, the importance of progeny in the cultural context of the time, and the passage of time marked by the lifespans of individuals. The historical context is rooted in the ancient Near Eastern interest in genealogies to establish legitimacy and heritage. The long lifespans mentioned in this chapter (Cainan himself is said to live a total of 910 years according to the following verses) reflect a common ancient belief in the extraordinary longevity of the earliest humans, which is a feature unique to the antediluvian (pre-Flood) period in biblical narrative.

In a broader theological context, this verse contributes to the biblical emphasis on God's sovereignty over time and history, as well as the continuity of the human family and the anticipation of the fulfillment of God's promises through the line of Seth, which contrasts with the line of Cain, whose story is marked by sin and exile (as seen earlier in Genesis 4). The genealogy serves to link the original creation with the renewal of creation after the Flood, setting the stage for the covenants God would make with Noah and his descendants.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H7018
   There are 6 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: קֵינָן
   Transliteration: Qêynân
   Pronunciation: kay-nawn'
   Description: from the same as קֵן; fixed; Kenan, an antediluvian; Cainan, Kenan.
   
2. 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.
   
3. Strong's Number: H7657
   There are 90 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שִׁבְעִים
   Transliteration: shibʻîym
   Pronunciation: shib-eem'
   Description: multiple of שֶׁבַע; seventy; seventy, threescore and ten ([phrase] -teen).
   
4. 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).
   
5. 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).
   
6. Strong's Number: H4111
   There are 7 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מַהֲלַלְאֵל
   Transliteration: Mahălalʼêl
   Pronunciation: mah-hal-al-ale'
   Description: from מַהֲלָל and אֵל; praise of God; Mahalalel, the name of an antediluvian patriarch and of an Israelite; Mahalaleel.