TRV
Translation
King James Version
And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:
Complete Jewish Bible
After Mahalal’el was born, Kenan lived another 840 years and had sons and daughters.
Berean Standard Bible
And after he had become the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters.
American Standard Version
and Kenan lived after he begat Mahalalel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:
World English Bible Messianic
Kenan lived after he became the father of Mahalalel eight hundred forty years, and became the father of other sons and daughters
Geneva Bible (1599)
And Kenan liued, after he begate Mahalaleel, eight hundreth and fourtie yeeres, and begate sonnes and daughters.
Young's Literal Translation
And Cainan liveth after his begetting Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begetteth sons and daughters.
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In the KJVVerse 119 of 31,102
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Commentary on Genesis 5 verses 6–20
6 ¶ And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos:
7 And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:
8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.
9 And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:
10 And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:
11 And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.
12 And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel:
13 And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:
14 And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.
15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:
16 And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:
17 And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.
18 And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:
19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.
We have here all that the Holy Ghost thought fit to leave upon record concerning five of the patriarchs before the flood, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, and Jared. There is nothing observable concerning any of these particularly, though we have reason to think they were men of eminence, both for prudence and piety, in their day: but in general,
I. Observe how largely and expressly their generations are recorded. This matter, one would think, might have been delivered in fewer words; but it is certain that there is not one idle word in God's books, whatever there is in men's. It is thus plainly set down, 1. To make it easy and intelligible to the meanest capacity. When we are informed how old they were when they begat such a son, and how many years they lived afterwards, a very little skill in arithmetic will enable a man to tell how long they lived in all; yet the Holy Ghost sets down the sum total, for the sake of those that have not even so much skill as this. 2. To show the pleasure God takes in the names of his people. We found Cain's generation numbered in haste (Gen 4:18), but this account of the holy seed is enlarged upon, and given in words at length, and not in figures; we are told how long those lived that lived in God's fear, and when those died that died in his favour; but as for others it is no matter. The memory of the just is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot.
II. Their life is reckoned by days (Gen 5:8): All the days of Seth, and so of the rest, which intimates the shortness of the life of man when it is at the longest, and the quick revolution of our times on earth. If they reckoned by days, surely we must reckon by hours, or rather make that our frequent prayer (Psa 90:12), Teach us to number our days.
III. Concerning each of them, except Enoch, it is said, and he died. It is implied in the numbering of the years of their life that their life, when those years were numbered and finished, came to an end; and yet it is still repeated, and he died, to show that death passed upon all men without exception, and that it is good for us particularly to observe and improve the deaths of others for our own edification. Such a one was a strong healthful man, but he died; such a one was a great and rich man, but he died; such a one was a wise politic man, but he died; such a one was a very good man, perhaps a very useful man, but he died, etc.
IV. That which is especially observable is that they all lived very long; not one of them died till he had seen the revolution of almost eight hundred years, and some of them lived much longer, a great while for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in a house of clay. The present life surely was not to them such a burden as commonly it is now, else they would have been weary of it; nor was the future life so clearly revealed then as it is now under the gospel, else they would have been impatient to remove to it: long life to the pious patriarchs was a blessing and made them blessings. 1. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages of the world. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, that the productions of it were more strengthening, that the air was more healthful, and that the influences of the heavenly bodies were more benign, before the flood, than afterwards. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisiacal - a garden in comparison with its present wilderness-state: and some think that their great knowledge of the creatures, and of their usefulness both for food and medicine, together with their sobriety and temperance, contributed much to it; yet we do not find that those who were intemperate, as many were (Luk 17:27), were as short-lived as intemperate men generally are now. 2. It must chiefly be resolved into the power and providence of God. He prolonged their lives, both for the more speedy replenishing of the earth and for the more effectual preservation of the knowledge of God and religion, then, when there was no written word, but tradition was the channel of its conveyance. All the patriarchs here, except Noah, were born before Adam died; so that from him they might receive a full and satisfactory account of the creation, paradise, the fall, the promise, and those divine precepts which concerned religious worship and a religious life: and, if any mistake arose, they might have recourse to him while he lived, as to an oracle, for the rectifying of it, and after his death to Methuselah, and others, that had conversed with him: so great was the care of Almighty God to preserve in his church the knowledge of his will and the purity of his worship.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 6–20. Public domain.
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BedeAD 735
Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron)
Adam lived for one hundred and thirty years, and he begot a son in his own likeness and image, and he named him Seth. Adam indeed was created in the likeness and image of God, because he was made immortal in both soul and body. However, after he corrupted the image and likeness of God in himself by sinning, he begot a son in his own likeness and image, that is, mortal, corruptible, capable of reason, bound by the guilt of his transgression, and to be freed only by the grace of his Creator. It should be noted that where our Codices, translated from the Hebrew source, say Adam lived for one hundred and thirty years and begot Seth, the ancient translation has, instead of one hundred and thirty, two hundred and thirty; where our Codices continue, "And the days of Adam after he begot Seth were eight hundred years, and he begot sons and daughters," that one has seven hundred instead of eight hundred. And where it concludes, "And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died," it places the same total, and such a distinction of numbers is preserved in all generations up to the flood between the two editions, so that before the birth of a son each one in the Septuagint is said to have had one hundred years more, and after the birth one hundred years less than in the Hebrew truth. But in the conclusion, both editions place an equal number; except only in the sixth generation; where in both Codices, Jared is found to have begotten Enoch at one hundred and sixty-two years, and after his birth to have lived eight hundred years: and in the ninth, where, according to the Hebrew truth, Lamech begot Noah when he was one hundred and eighty years old, and after he was born, he is found to have survived for five hundred and ninety-five years. However, in the Septuagint, the years before Noah was born are found to be one hundred and eighty-eight, and after he was born, five hundred sixty-five; thus it happens that Lamech is found to have lived twenty-four years longer in Hebrew than in the Septuagint Codices: by which difference of interpretations, it is made that the lifetime of Methuselah seems to extend fourteen years beyond the flood, and so the years before the flood according to the Hebrews are one thousand five hundred and fifty-six; according to the Septuagint, which the chronographers follow, two thousand two hundred and forty-two: although the most learned Augustine professes that even in the Septuagint translation, Methuselah is found in fewer but more accurate Codices to have died six years before the flood: who, when he most diligently investigated the cause of the aforementioned discord in interpretations, and did not wish to derogate from the faith of the Septuagint translators, whom the apostles and evangelists are proven to have followed in many places; and he himself believed they used more a prophetic gift than the office of interpretation in translating the Scriptures; he concluded in this way, saying: "Therefore it is more credible for someone to say that when these first began to be copied from the library of Ptolemy; at that time, something like this could have happened in one Codex, but first copied from there, from which it spread more widely, where indeed the error of the scribe could have happened. However, it is not absurd to suspect this in that question about the life of Methuselah." And after some: "I would not doubt at all that it is rightly done, he says, when something different is found in both Codices, since both cannot be according to the faith of the transactions, that the truth be believed rather to the language from which it is translated into another by interpreters." Therefore, according to Hebrew truth, Adam lived one hundred and thirty years and begot Seth. Seth lived one hundred and five years and begot Enos. Enos lived ninety years and begot Cainan. Cainan lived eighty years and begot Mahalalel. Mahalalel lived sixty-five years and begot Jared. Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years and begot Enoch.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Genesis 5:13 offers a concise biographical entry for Cainan, a pivotal figure in the antediluvian genealogy of Adam's descendants through Seth. This verse, embedded within the meticulously recorded "Book of the Generations of Adam," highlights the remarkable longevity characteristic of pre-Flood humanity and underscores the ongoing fulfillment of God's creation mandate to multiply. It serves as a testament to divine faithfulness in preserving the human lineage, a crucial thread in the grand tapestry of redemptive history.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The primary literary device at play in Genesis 5:13, and indeed throughout the entire chapter, is Genealogy or Chronology. This meticulous listing of generations, complete with ages at fatherhood and subsequent years of life, serves to establish a historical framework for humanity from creation to the Flood. It provides a sense of continuity and historical progression, emphasizing the unfolding of God's plan through successive generations. Another significant device is Repetition, particularly the formulaic structure ("lived X years and begat Y, and lived Z years after he begat Y, and begat sons and daughters, and he died"). This rhythmic repetition creates a solemn, almost liturgical tone, underscoring the relentless march of time and the universal reality of life, procreation, and death. The mention of extraordinary lifespans also carries a form of Hyperbole or Symbolism in its impact, even if presented as literal historical fact within the narrative. These immense ages highlight a lost era, a world profoundly different from the post-Flood reality, and perhaps symbolize a greater vitality or closer connection to the original created order before sin's full degenerative effects were manifest.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 5:13, as a fragment of the antediluvian genealogy, serves as a profound theological statement about God's steadfastness and the trajectory of human history. It reveals a God who, despite humanity's fall into sin, meticulously preserves a chosen lineage, ensuring the continuity of the human race and the eventual fulfillment of His redemptive promises. This seemingly dry list of names and numbers is, in fact, a testament to divine faithfulness, demonstrating that even in a world increasingly marked by wickedness, God's plan for humanity's salvation was being carefully advanced through specific individuals and their descendants. The longevity of these patriarchs, while a historical fact within the narrative, also implicitly points to a grace that sustained life in a way not seen after the Flood, delaying the full consequences of sin while the divine plan matured.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 5:13, though brief, invites us to look beyond the numbers and names to perceive the profound hand of God at work. It reminds us that every life, no matter how seemingly insignificant or briefly mentioned, holds a place in God's overarching narrative. Cainan's existence, like ours, is not random but purposeful, contributing to the unfolding of divine history. This verse encourages us to consider our own place within the grand story of God's redemptive work. How are we, as individuals and as communities, contributing to the continuation of God's purposes in our generation? What legacy of faith, obedience, and fruitfulness are we building? It challenges us to live lives that honor God, knowing that our "begatting" — whether literal children or spiritual fruit — is part of a larger, eternal plan.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why are these genealogies so prominent and detailed in Genesis?
Answer: These genealogies serve several crucial purposes within the biblical narrative. They establish the historical reality and continuity of humanity from creation, demonstrating a traceable lineage. They confirm the ongoing fulfillment of God's initial command to be fruitful and multiply, showing the expansion of the human population. Most importantly, they meticulously preserve and highlight the messianic line through which the promised Savior would eventually come, linking Adam's descendants, through Seth, to Abraham, David, and ultimately to Christ. This detailed record underscores God's faithfulness in preparing the way for redemption.
What is the significance of the exceptionally long lifespans of Cainan and others in this chapter?
Answer: The extraordinary lifespans of pre-Flood patriarchs like Cainan (910 years) suggest a significantly different pre-Flood environment, possibly more conducive to life, and perhaps a greater resilience in human physiology before the full degenerative effects of the Fall and the subsequent global cataclysm of the Flood. The dramatic reduction in lifespans post-Flood (e.g., Noah's descendants) points to a profound shift in the world and God's interaction with humanity, perhaps reflecting a new covenantal arrangement or a more pronounced consequence of sin. These long lives also allowed for greater oral transmission of history and knowledge across generations.
Does the meaning of Cainan's name, "smith," have any theological significance here?
Answer: While the name "Cainan" (Hebrew Qeynan) is indeed thought to relate to "smith" or "fixed abode," its specific theological significance in this particular verse is not explicitly stated in the text. However, the naming of his son, Mahalaleel ("Praise of God"), within this same Sethite lineage, does carry clear spiritual weight. This contrast highlights a potential spiritual emphasis or desire for worship that distinguished the line of Seth from the more physically oriented and often violent line of Cain, who also had an ancestor named Cainan (see Genesis 4:17). The focus in Genesis 5 is primarily on the continuity of the righteous line, rather than the individual meaning of each name.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Genesis 5:13, as a vital link in the patriarchal genealogy of Seth, finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment by tracing the very lineage through which the Messiah would ultimately enter human history. This seemingly mundane record of births and lifespans is, in essence, a divine roadmap, meticulously charting the path for the "seed" promised in Eden, who would crush the serpent's head and reverse the curse of sin (as prophesied in Genesis 3:15). The Gospel of Luke explicitly connects this ancient line directly to Jesus, tracing His ancestry back through Seth to Adam, thereby affirming Jesus as the culmination of God's redemptive plan and the ultimate fulfillment of His design for humanity (see Luke 3:37-38). Cainan's existence, along with all the patriarchs in this chapter, points forward to the one who would redeem humanity, conquer death, and restore the broken relationship with God, establishing a new and eternal covenant. He is the true "son" who builds God's eternal family.