Genesis 5:21

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

¶ And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:

Complete Jewish Bible:

Hanokh lived sixty-five years and fathered Metushelach.

Berean Standard Bible:

When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah.

American Standard Version:

And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And Enoch^{H2585} lived^{H2421} sixty^{H8346} and five^{H2568} years^{H8141}, and begat^{H3205} Methuselah^{H4968}:

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Genesis 5:21

Genesis 5:21 is part of a genealogy that traces the lineage from Adam through Noah, emphasizing the longevity of human life before the Flood. The verse specifically mentions Enoch, who at the age of 65, fathered Methuselah. This genealogy serves to connect the creation of humanity with the subsequent biblical narrative, including the story of Noah and the Flood.

**Themes:**
1. **Divine Blessing of Longevity:** The long lifespans of the patriarchs, including Enoch, underscore the idea that humanity was originally blessed with vitality and long life, which was gradually lost over time.
2. **Faithfulness and Righteousness:** Enoch is noted for his exceptional faith and righteousness (as seen in other passages like Hebrews 11:5), suggesting that his godly life was pleasing to God and may have contributed to his relatively early translation to heaven without experiencing death (Genesis 5:24).
3. **Transmission of the Divine Image:** The genealogy reiterates the importance of humanity's creation in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) and the continuity of this divine image through successive generations.

**Historical Context:**
- **Antediluvian Period:** This verse is set in the period before the Great Flood, which is characterized by increasing wickedness on earth (Genesis 6:5). Despite the moral decline, Enoch stands out as a man of faith.
- **Mesopotamian Influence:** The names in the genealogy, including Enoch and Methuselah, reflect a possible Mesopotamian background, suggesting cultural and linguistic connections with the surrounding Near Eastern societies of the time.
- **Theological Significance:** The genealogy serves a theological purpose, demonstrating the faithfulness of God across generations and setting the stage for the covenantal relationship God will establish with Noah and his descendants.

Enoch's son, Methuselah, would go on to become the longest-lived person mentioned in the Bible, dying at the age of 969 years, just before the Flood. This has led to speculation and interpretive traditions regarding the significance of his life span and its relationship to the timing of the Flood.

*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: H2585
   There are 15 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חֲנוֹךְ
   Transliteration: Chănôwk
   Pronunciation: khan-oke'
   Description: from חָנַךְ; initiated; Chanok, an antediluvian patriach; Enoch.
   
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: H8346
   There are 56 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שִׁשִּׁים
   Transliteration: shishshîym
   Pronunciation: shish-sheem'
   Description: multiple of שֵׁשׁ; sixty; sixty, three score.
   
4. Strong's Number: H2568
   There are 273 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חָמֵשׁ
   Transliteration: châmêsh
   Pronunciation: khaw-maysh'
   Description: masculine חֲמִשָּׁה; a primitive numeral; five; fif(-teen), fifth, five ([idiom] apiece).
   
5. 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).
   
6. 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).
   
7. Strong's Number: H4968
   There are 6 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מְתוּשֶׁלַח
   Transliteration: Mᵉthûwshelach
   Pronunciation: meth-oo-sheh'-lakh
   Description: from מַת and שֶׁלַח; man of a dart; Methushelach, an antediluvian patriarch; Methuselah.