King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.
Complete Jewish Bible:
In all, Shet lived 912 years; then he died.
Berean Standard Bible:
So Seth lived a total of 912 years, and then he died.
American Standard Version:
and all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And all the days{H3117} of Seth{H8352} were nine{H8672} hundred{H3967}{H8141} and twelve{H6240}{H8147} years{H8141}: and he died{H4191}.
Cross-References (KJV):
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Commentary for Genesis 5:8
**Themes:**
1. **Longevity of Life:** Genesis 5:8 reflects the theme of extraordinary human lifespans found throughout the early chapters of Genesis. Seth, the son of Adam and Eve, lived for 912 years, which is consistent with the long lives of the patriarchs listed in the chapter. This longevity is often interpreted as a sign of an earlier period of human history closer to the perfection of Eden, before the effects of sin and the Fall took a greater toll on the human condition.
2. **Mortality:** The verse concludes with the statement "and he died," a refrain that punctuates the genealogy of each patriarch in Genesis 5. This emphasizes the reality of human mortality, a consequence of the Fall (Genesis 3). Despite their long lives, these early biblical figures were not immune to death, reinforcing the scriptural message that death is a universal human experience.
3. **Divine Sovereignty:** The mention of Seth's lifespan and death also underscores the theme of God's sovereignty over human life and history. The precise number of years suggests a divinely ordained limit to each person's life.
**Historical Context:**
Genesis 5 serves as a bridge between the primeval history of Genesis 1-4, which includes the creation, Fall, and the story of Cain and Abel, and the flood narrative in Genesis 6-9. The genealogy extends from Adam to Noah, with Seth being the third figure in the lineage. This chapter is part of the Priestly source in the documentary hypothesis, which is characterized by its structured genealogies and concern with chronology.
The ancient Near Eastern context of Genesis suggests that the numbers and ages should not always be taken literally. They may serve a literary or theological purpose, such as conveying the themes mentioned above. The numbers could also reflect a symbolic system or may have been inflated through oral tradition.
In summary, Genesis 5:8, within its broader chapter context, thematically emphasizes the ancient world's long lifespans, the inevitability of death, and God's control over human life. Historically, it is part of a priestly genealogy that connects the earliest biblical events with the story of Noah, using numerical data that likely carries symbolic significance beyond a purely literal interpretation.
*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: H3117
There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יוֹם
Transliteration: yôwm
Pronunciation: yome
Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger. - Strong's Number: H8352
There are 9 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שֵׁת
Transliteration: Shêth
Pronunciation: shayth
Description: from שִׁית; put, i.e. substituted; Sheth, third son of Adam; Seth, Sheth. - Strong's Number: H8672
There are 57 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: תֵּשַׁע
Transliteration: têshaʻ
Pronunciation: tay'-shah
Description: or (masculine) תִּשְׁעָה; perhaps from שָׁעָה through the idea of a turn to the next or full number ten; nine or (ordinal) ninth; nine ([phrase] -teen, [phrase] -teenth, -th). - 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: H6240
There are 292 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָשָׂר
Transliteration: ʻâsâr
Pronunciation: aw-sawr'
Description: for עֶשֶׂר; ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen; also (ordinal) -teenth; (eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-, six-, thir-) teen(-th), [phrase] eleven(-th), [phrase] sixscore thousand, [phrase] twelve(-th). - Strong's Number: H8147
There are 647 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁנַיִם
Transliteration: shᵉnayim
Pronunciation: shen-ah'-yim
Description: dual of שֵׁנִי; feminine שְׁתַּיִם; two; also (as ordinal) twofold; both, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelfth, [phrase] twelve, [phrase] twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two. - Strong's Number: H4191
There are 694 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מוּת
Transliteration: mûwth
Pronunciation: mooth
Description: a primitive root; to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill; [idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) wise.