TRV
Translation
King James Version
And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:
Complete Jewish Bible
After Enosh was born, Shet lived another 807 years and had sons and daughters.
Berean Standard Bible
And after he had become the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters.
American Standard Version
and Seth lived after he begat Enosh eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:
World English Bible Messianic
Seth lived after he became the father of Enosh eight hundred seven years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And Sheth liued, after he begate Enosh, eight hundreth and seuen yeeres, and begate sonnes and daughters.
Young's Literal Translation
And Seth liveth after his begetting Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begetteth sons and daughters.
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In the KJVVerse 113 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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Augustine of HippoAD 430
City of God 15.8
Now notice that when the inspired writer sets forth the length of the lives of the men he mentions, the narrative always ends with the formula "and he begot sons and daughters, and all the time that so and so lived were so many years, and he died." Considering that these sons and daughters are not named and remembering how long people lived in that first period of our history, can anyone refuse to believe that so great a multitude of men was born as to have been able, in groups, to build a great number of cities?
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 5:7 is a foundational verse within the "book of the generations of Adam," meticulously detailing Seth's post-Enos lifespan of 807 years and his continued procreation of sons and daughters. This entry is crucial for establishing the chronological backbone of early human history, underscoring the divine mandate for humanity to multiply, and highlighting the preservation of a specific, righteous lineage essential for the unfolding of God's redemptive plan amidst a world increasingly marked by sin.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Genesis 5:7, like the entire chapter, is characterized by a precise Genealogical Formula. This repetitive structure provides a consistent framework for each entry, emphasizing the passage of time, the cycle of life and death, and the continuity of the human lineage. The Repetition of the phrase "and begat sons and daughters" across the chapter serves to highlight the ongoing fulfillment of God's creation mandate for humanity to multiply and fill the earth. This consistent procreation, despite the presence of sin and death, underscores God's enduring blessing and the resilience of the human race. The meticulous listing of ages and descendants also functions as a form of Emphasis, drawing attention to the extraordinary longevity of the pre-Flood patriarchs and the systematic preservation of the lineage that would lead to Noah and ultimately to the Messiah.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 5:7 is not merely a historical record but a profound theological statement on God's unwavering commitment to His redemptive plan despite humanity's fallen state. It underscores the theme of divine faithfulness in preserving a chosen lineage through whom His purposes would unfold. The extraordinary longevity and continued procreation, even after the introduction of sin and death, highlight God's grace in allowing humanity to flourish and multiply, ensuring the continuation of the "seed" promised in the protoevangelium. This verse, therefore, serves as a vital link in the unfolding narrative of salvation history, meticulously tracing the genealogical pathway that would ultimately lead to the promised Deliverer.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 5:7 invites us to reflect on the profound significance of our own lives within the grand sweep of God's redemptive history. Just as Seth's life contributed to a lineage that ultimately led to Christ, our lives, too, are part of a larger divine narrative. This verse challenges us to consider the spiritual legacy we are building and passing on to future generations, emphasizing the importance of faithfulness, obedience, and raising up those who will "call upon the name of the Lord." It reminds us that God's purposes are vast and extend far beyond our individual lifespans, offering immense encouragement that His plans will ultimately prevail, even through millennia of human brokenness and the relentless march of time. We are called to live with an eternal perspective, recognizing that our daily choices contribute to a heritage that can impact generations and advance God's kingdom.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why are the lifespans in Genesis 5 so long?
Answer: The extraordinary lifespans recorded in Genesis 5 are generally understood as literal historical accounts. Theologically, they served several purposes: they allowed for rapid population growth in the early stages of human history, facilitated the direct transmission of oral traditions and divine revelation across fewer generations (e.g., Adam could have directly taught Lamech, Noah's father), and may reflect unique environmental or atmospheric conditions of the pre-Flood world. These long lives underscore a period of profound divine blessing before the significant shortening of human lifespans after the Flood, as indicated in Genesis 6:3.
What is the significance of the repeated phrase "begat sons and daughters"?
Answer: This recurring phrase throughout Genesis 5 is highly significant. Firstly, it emphasizes the fulfillment of God's original creation command to humanity to be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. Secondly, it highlights the continuous expansion of the human race, which was essential for populating the earth. Thirdly, and most importantly for the redemptive narrative, it signifies the continuation of the specific lineage through which God's promises would be preserved and eventually fulfilled, leading to the Messiah. It ensures that the focus is not solely on the named heir but on the broader family unit that contributed to the growth and spread of humanity.
Is this genealogy meant to be literal history or symbolic?
Answer: The highly structured, detailed, and consistent nature of the genealogies in Genesis 5 (and throughout Genesis) strongly suggests they are intended as literal historical records. They provide a foundational timeline for biblical history, connecting Adam directly to Noah and, by extension, to the rest of humanity. While some theological interpretations may draw symbolic meaning from the names or numbers, the primary intent appears to be the presentation of a factual, chronological lineage, forming the backbone of God's unfolding plan. This literal understanding is supported by New Testament genealogies, such as the one found in Luke 3:23-38, which trace Jesus' ancestry directly back through these figures.
Why is Seth's line emphasized over Cain's in Genesis?
Answer: Seth's line is emphasized in Genesis because it represents the "godly" or "righteous" lineage, distinct from Cain's line, which quickly descended into violence, godlessness, and moral decay, as seen in Genesis 4:17-24. Seth was born as a "replacement" for Abel, and it is specifically through his line that men began to call upon the name of the Lord. This distinction is crucial for the unfolding of redemptive history, as it is through Seth's descendants that the spiritual heritage of humanity is preserved, leading directly to Noah and ultimately to the promised Messiah. God meticulously preserves this line as the conduit for His covenant promises.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Genesis 5:7, though seemingly a simple genealogical entry, is profoundly Christ-centered in its implications. By meticulously tracing the lineage through Seth, it establishes a vital link in the genealogical chain that culminates in Jesus Christ, the ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. Seth himself was given as a "replacement" for Abel, signifying God's sovereign provision for a righteous "seed" even amidst the devastation of sin and death. His line, unlike Cain's, was the one through which the protoevangelium's promise of the "seed of the woman" (Genesis 3:15) would be preserved and advanced. The very existence and proliferation of Seth's descendants, as highlighted in this verse, are a testament to God's patient and sovereign work in preparing the way for the coming of His Son. Centuries later, the Gospel of Luke explicitly connects Jesus to this very lineage, tracing His ancestry directly back through Seth to Adam (Luke 3:23-38), thereby affirming the historical and theological significance of this ancient record in the grand narrative of salvation. Thus, Genesis 5:7 points forward to the Messiah, demonstrating God's faithful preservation of the line through whom the world's Redeemer would ultimately enter human history.