Genesis · Chapter 5

V. 1, 2. Where we have a brief rehearsal of what was before at large related concerning the creation of man. This is what we have need frequently to hear of, and carefully to acquaint ourselves with. Observe here. 1. That God created man. Man is not his own maker, therefore he must not be his own master; but the author of his being must be the director of his motions, and the center of them. 2. That there was a day in which God created man, he was not from eternity, but of yesterday; he was not the first-born, but the junior of the creation. 3. That God made him in his own likeness, righteous and holy, and therefore undoubtedly happy; man’s nature resembled the divine nature more than that of any of the creatures of this lower world. 4. That God created them male and female, Genesis 5:2, for their mutual comfort, as well as for the preservation and increase of their kind. Adam and Eve were both made immediately by the hand of God, both made in God’s likeness; and therefore between the sexes there is not that great difference and inequality which some imagine.

5. That God blessed them. It is usual for parents to bless their children, so God the common Father blessed his; but earthly parents can only beg a blessing, it is God’s prerogative to command it. It refers chiefly to the blessing of increase, not excluding other blessings.

Verse 1. The book of the generations] rps sepher, in Hebrew, which we generally translate book, signifies a register, an account, any kind of writing, even a letter, such as the bill of divorce. Here It means the account or register of the generations of Adam or his descendants to the five hundredth year of the life of Noah.

In the likeness of God made he him] This account is again introduced to keep man in remembrance of the heights of glory whence he bad fallen; and to prove to him that the miseries and death consequent on his present state were produced by his transgression, and did not flow from his original state. For, as he was created in the image of God, he was created free from natural and moral evil. As the deaths of the patriarchs are now to be mentioned, it was necessary to introduce them by this observation, in order to justify the ways of God to man.

Verse 1. The book of the generations of Adam — That is, a list or catalogue of his posterity, not of all, but only of the holy seed, from whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came; of the names, ages, and deaths of those that were the successors of the first Adam in preserving the promise, and the ancestors of the second, at whose coming the promise was accomplished.

Verse 1. The book of generations; the princely line of holy patriarchs, from whom the Messiah descended.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 2. He called their name Adam-He gave this name both to the man and the woman. Being at first one by nature, and afterwards one by marriage; it was fit they should both have the same name, in token of their union.

Verse 2. He called their name Adam — He gave this name both to the man and the woman. Being at first one by nature, and afterward one by marriage, it was fit they should both have the same name in token of their union.

2. Cain, (begotten.) 2. Seth, (appointed.)

3. Henoch, (initiating, or initiated.) 3. Enos, (weak man.)

4. Irad, (city dweller.) 4. Cainan, (possession.)

5. Mehujael, (smitten of God.) 5. Mahalaleel, (praise of God.)

6. Methusael, (man of God.) 6. Jared, (condescension.)

7. Lamech, (the strong.) 7. Henoch, (initiated.) Adah, (ornament;) Zillah, (song;) 8. Methuselah, (man of the dart, Naamah, (loveliness.) or man of growth.)

V. 3. Seth was born in the 130th year of Adam’s life, and probably the murder of Abel was not long before. Many other sons and daughters were born to Adam besides Cain and Abel before this; but no notice is taken of them, because an honourable mention must be made of his name only, in whose loins Christ and the church were. But that which is most observable here concerning Seth, is, that Adam begat him

in his own likeness after his image-Adam was made in the image of God; but when he was fallen and corrupted, he begat a son in his own image, sinful and defiled, frail and mortal, and miserable like himself; not only a man like himself, consisting of body and soul; but a sinner like himself, guilty and obnoxious, degenerate and corrupt. He was conceived and born in sin, Psalm 51:5. This was Adam’s own likeness, the reverse of that Divine likeness in which Adam was made; but having lost it himself he could not convey it to his seed.

Verse 3. And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, &c.] The Scripture chronology especially in the ages of some of the antediluvian and postdiluvian patriarchs, has exceedingly puzzled chronologists, critics, and divines. The printed Hebrew text, the Samaritan, the Septuagint, and Josephus, are all different, and have their respective vouchers and defenders. The following tables of the genealogies of the patriarchs before and after the flood, according to the Hebrew, Samaritan, and Septuagint, will at once exhibit the discordances.

* The Septuagint account of the ages of the antediluvian and postdiluvian patriarchs in the above tables, is taken from the VATICAN copy, but if we follow the ALEXANDRIAN MS., we shall have in the first period the whole sum of 2262 instead of 2242; and in the second period, 1072 instead of 1172. On this subject the different MSS. of the Septuagint abound with various readings. For much satisfactory information on this subject I must refer to A New Analysis of Chronology, by the Rev. William Hales, D.D., 3 vols. 4to., London, 1809.

And begat a son in his own likeness, after his image] Words nearly the same with those Genesis 1:26: Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. What this image and likeness of God were, we have already seen, and we may rest assured that the same image and likeness are not meant here. The body of Adam was created provisionally immortal, i.e. while he continued obedient he could not die; but his obedience was voluntary, and his state a probationary one. The soul of Adam was created in the moral image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness. He had now sinned, and consequently had lost his moral resemblance to his Maker; he had also become mortal through his breach of the law. His image and likeness were therefore widely different at this time from what they were before; and his begetting children in this image and likeness plainly implies that they were imperfect like himself, mortal like himself, sinful and corrupt like himself. For it is impossible that he, being impure, fallen from the Divine image, could beget a pure and holy offspring, unless we could suppose it possible that a bitter fountain could send forth sweet waters, or that a cause could produce effects totally dissimilar from itself. What is said here of Seth might have been said of all the other children of Adam, as they were all begotten after his fall; but the sacred writer has thought proper to mark it only in this instance.

Verse 3. Seth was born in the one hundred and thirtieth year of Adam’s life, and probably the murder of Abel was not long before. Many other sons and daughters were born to Adam besides Cain and Abel, before this; but no notice is taken of them, because an honourable mention must be made of his name only, in whose loins Christ and the church were: but that which is most observable here concerning Seth, is, that Adam begat him in his own likeness, after his image. Adam was made in the image of God; but when he was fallen and corrupted, he begat a son in his own image, sinful and defiled, frail and mortal, and miserable like himself; not only a man like himself, consisting of body and soul; but a sinner like himself, guilty and obnoxious, degenerate and corrupt. This was Adam’s own likeness, the reverse of that divine likeness in which he was made, and which, having lost it himself, he could not convey to his seed.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

Ver. 4. And begat sons and daughters; but not being primogenitors of the promised Heir, the register of their names is kept in heaven.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 5. In the day Adam ate forbidden fruit, he became mortal, he began to die; his whole life after was but a forfeited condemned life, nay it was a wasting dying life; he was not only like a criminal sentenced, but as one already crucified, that dies slowly and by degrees.

Verse 5. All the days of Adam were nine hundred and thirty years — The long lives of men in ancient times, here recorded, are also mentioned by heathen authors. And it was wisely so ordered, both for the greater increase of mankind, and the more speedy replenishing of the earth in the first ages of the world, and for the more effectual preservation and propagation of true religion and other useful knowledge, which, before the invention of letters, could only be conveyed by the channel of tradition.

Ver. 5. Adam—lived 930 years. Sanchoniatho, the Phœnician historian, calls Adam, Cronus; and though he gives but eight fathers before the deluge, he confirms the testimony of Moses respecting their longevity. Heathen testimonies are numerous to the same effect, and are undisputed by the post-diluvian fathers. From these, Varro, whom the Romans call learned, affirms, that the first men lived a thousand years. Seneca, in his allegory of life, founded his idea of a bridge which had a thousand arches, on the same tradition. The antediluvians were free from all hereditary diseases. They subsisted very much on the fruits of the earth, and simple beverage. They did not breathe the heterogeneous airs of large cities, nor impair their health by sedentary occupations and habits; on the contrary, they used exercises adapted to their gigantic strength and stature. In a word, their lives were prolonged by the special care of heaven to populate and adorn the primitive earth.

5. Nine hundred and thirty years — Widespread heathen traditions preserve the memory of the antediluvian longevity. Persian annals relate that the first Persian kings reigned from five hundred to one thousand years. The Arcadians had traditions that their first kings lived three hundred years. Berosus, the Chaldean historian, states that there were ten antediluvian patriarchs, and preserves the tradition of their great longevity. Josephus states (Antiq., 1. 3, 9) that “all who have written antiquities, both among the Greeks and barbarians,” are witnesses of this fact; and he mentions, among others, Manetho, Hieronymus the Egyptian, Berosus the Chaldean, Hesiod the Greek poet, and Hecataeus and Hellanicus, the earliest Greek historians. The works that he mentions exist now only in fragments, so that most of his statements cannot be verified; but it is not likely that he would thus have appealed to these authorities when extant unless they had corroborated the Scripture narrative.

V. 6-19. 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 those particularly, tho’ we have reason to think they were men of eminency, both for prudence and piety: But in general, observe how largely and expressly their generations are recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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. 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 much longer; a great while for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in an 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 it. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, the air more healthful, and the influences of the heavenly bodies more benign before the flood than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisaical; a garden in comparison with its present state: and some think, that their knowledge of the creatures and their usefulness both, for their 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, Luke 17:27, as short-lived as temperate men generally are now. It must therefore 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 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.

Verses 6-19. 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 noticed concerning any of those particularly, though we have reason to think they were men of eminence, both for prudence and piety; but, in general, their generations are largely and expressly recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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.” 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 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. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, and the air more healthful, before the flood, than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisiacal; a garden in comparison with its present state. Their living so long, however, must chiefly be resolved into the power and providence of God. All the patriarchs here, except Noah, were born before Adam died, so that from him they might receive a full 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.

6. Enos — This word signifies man, and may denote that the race begins anew from Seth. For the meaning of the other names in the list, see above, page 110.

V. 6-19. 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 those particularly, tho’ we have reason to think they were men of eminency, both for prudence and piety: But in general, observe how largely and expressly their generations are recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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. 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 much longer; a great while for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in an 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 it. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, the air more healthful, and the influences of the heavenly bodies more benign before the flood than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisaical; a garden in comparison with its present state: and some think, that their knowledge of the creatures and their usefulness both, for their 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, Luke 17:27, as short-lived as temperate men generally are now. It must therefore 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 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.

Verses 6-19. 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 noticed concerning any of those particularly, though we have reason to think they were men of eminence, both for prudence and piety; but, in general, their generations are largely and expressly recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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.” 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 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. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, and the air more healthful, before the flood, than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisiacal; a garden in comparison with its present state. Their living so long, however, must chiefly be resolved into the power and providence of God. All the patriarchs here, except Noah, were born before Adam died, so that from him they might receive a full 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.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 6-19. 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 those particularly, tho’ we have reason to think they were men of eminency, both for prudence and piety: But in general, observe how largely and expressly their generations are recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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. 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 much longer; a great while for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in an 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 it. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, the air more healthful, and the influences of the heavenly bodies more benign before the flood than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisaical; a garden in comparison with its present state: and some think, that their knowledge of the creatures and their usefulness both, for their 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, Luke 17:27, as short-lived as temperate men generally are now. It must therefore 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 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.

Verses 6-19. 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 noticed concerning any of those particularly, though we have reason to think they were men of eminence, both for prudence and piety; but, in general, their generations are largely and expressly recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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.” 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 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. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, and the air more healthful, before the flood, than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisiacal; a garden in comparison with its present state. Their living so long, however, must chiefly be resolved into the power and providence of God. All the patriarchs here, except Noah, were born before Adam died, so that from him they might receive a full 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.

8. Jabal, (wanderer;) Jubal, (player;) 9. Lamech, (the strong.) Tubal-cain, (lance-forger.) 10. Noah, (rest.)

The names which are identical probably have different meanings in the two lists. Henoch the son of Cain is so named (Genesis 4:17) from the initiation of city life, his birth co-existing with the foundation of the first city; Henoch the Sethite is “initiated” in the ways of God. Lamech the Cainite is a “strong” warrior, Lamech the Sethite is “strong” in faith, as we see from his prophecy (verse 29) at the birth of Noah. Methusael may mean “man of might,” as “cedars of El” is equivalent to lofty cedars. A glance down these lists of names will show the strong contrast in character. The Sethitic names breathe godly faith, fears, and aspirations; they tell of a primitive religion; while the Cainitic names tell of primitive art and industry, of warlike prowess, of luxury, and the lust of the eye. Yet two of the Cainitic names show that God was not yet forgotten in that family, and “Methuselah” shows that the Sethites had their heroes of war as well as of faith. But see on verse 27 for another etymology of this name; it may be prophetic of the deluge. The antediluvian piety comes to its “bright consummate flower” in Henoch, the seventh of the Sethites, the man “initiated” into secret sacred communion with God; while the fierce passions, the warlike violence — a lust of that long age — culminate in Lamech, the seventh of the Cainites. No ages and dates are given in the Cainitic line; the general features of the family are described for a few generations and there the record closes.

Two objections have been urged against the contents of this chapter: 1) That the age of the antediluvian patriarchs is too great, and 2) that the time from the creation to the deluge is too short. These ten antediluvian patriarchs reach an age which stretches over ten times the present period of human life, a longevity declared by many objectors to be incredible. But man was not created subject to death. The vigour of the paradisaical state, wherein man had free access to the tree of life, although impaired by sin, was yet in some degree transmitted to the first generations. While the primeval men were simple in their tastes and habits, the increase of luxury and the transmission and multiplication of the weaknesses which are the results of sin, through successive generations, gradually shortened human life. God’s wise purposes can be seen in this longevity. While literature did not yet exist the individual observation and experience of centuries supplied the place of historic learning, and oral communication transmitted and preserved great historic facts as well as it can be done now by books or monuments. The great longevity of the primeval man is the almost universal tradition of antiquity. See note on verse 5. While the science of physiology can authoritatively pronounce upon the probabilities of life with regard to a constitution enervated and impaired by many successive ages of sin, it can know nothing of the vigour of man fresh from the creative hand, or drawing his life directly from those who were endowed with eternal youth.

The second objection is drawn from the supposed proofs of human antiquity in heathen history and in geological science. But in regard to both classes of objections it is for the present enough to say, that it will be ample time to reply to them when eminent antiquaries on the one hand, and eminent scientists on the other, agree among themselves as to the real state of the facts. Scripture exegesis is not to be changed or modified by any questionable hypothesis. The immense antiquity which has been claimed for the early Egyptian dynasties rests upon a single author, Manetho, whose work exists only in fragments, the genuineness of many of which is yet under discussion, and which, if genuine and authentic, can thus far be only hypothetically interpreted. Moreover, eminent Egyptologists claim that Manetho’s statements are contradicted by the monuments. Bunsen and Lepsius differ by many thousand years while reasoning from the same data, and Rouge states that Manetho’s text has been so tampered with, and the monumental series is so incomplete, as to render all chronological deductions from them uncertain. Concerning the geological evidences of man’s antiquity see the Excursus at the end of chap. 2.

The numbers, and consequently the chronology, of this chapter, as given in the Samaritan and Septuagint, differ much from those of the Hebrew. The Septuagint makes six of the patriarchs older at the birth of the first son mentioned — the first five, a hundred years older — and the ninth, Lamech, six years older. This, it will be seen, adds six hundred and six years to the chronology given in the Hebrew text. It also makes Lamech’s age twenty-four years less. On the other hand, the Samaritan makes three of the patriarchs much younger at the birth of the first-mentioned son, (thus diminishing the chronology by two hundred and forty-nine years,) and, besides, diminishes the age of Jared, Methuselah, and Lamech. Thus the Hebrew text gives one thousand six hundred and fifty-six years from the Creation to the Deluge, while the Samaritan gives one thousand three hundred and seven, and the Septuagint two thousand two hundred and forty-two. Careful examination and comparison will show that the balance of probability is decidedly in favour of the Hebrew text. The Septuagint shows the marks of a systematic and designed variation.

The following table gives the figures of the Hebrew, Samaritan, and Septuagint in parallel columns. The numbers in parentheses are the readings of the Codex Alexandrinus of the Septuagint.

1. This is the book — rps, translated book, is not necessarily an extended treatise; it is simply a writing complete in itself, long or short. The “bill of divorcement” (Deuteronomy 24:1, 3) is rps. In this passage the word is applied to an ancient genealogical register, perhaps of the age of Noah, which the inspired author incorporates in his work. In the likeness of God — Repeated from chapter 1:26, setting forth, in a single phrase, man’s original nature and character.

2. Called their name Adam — Adam, µda, is the Hebrew word for man, and the reference is to Genesis 1:26, Let us make µda. Adam means man of the soil: our word man, (Sanscrit, manuscha, Latin, reeds, Saxon, gemynd,) signifies thinking being. Man and woman were one at creation; their name was Adam.

8. In his own likeness, after his image — Not God’s image and likeness, in which man had been created. The contrast is designed and striking. God’s image and likeness could not be transmitted in their purity through the fallen Adam. Seth — See Genesis 4:25. Seth only is here named of Adam’s sons, because he was the one divinely appointed to take Abel’s place as the heir of the great primeval promise. This is not a history of the antediluvian world, but of the gradually unfolding plan of salvation. They only are chronicled who transmitted God’s torch from age to age.

V. 6-19. 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 those particularly, tho’ we have reason to think they were men of eminency, both for prudence and piety: But in general, observe how largely and expressly their generations are recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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. 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 much longer; a great while for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in an 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 it. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, the air more healthful, and the influences of the heavenly bodies more benign before the flood than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisaical; a garden in comparison with its present state: and some think, that their knowledge of the creatures and their usefulness both, for their 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, Luke 17:27, as short-lived as temperate men generally are now. It must therefore 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 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.

Verses 6-19. 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 noticed concerning any of those particularly, though we have reason to think they were men of eminence, both for prudence and piety; but, in general, their generations are largely and expressly recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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.” 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 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. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, and the air more healthful, before the flood, than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisiacal; a garden in comparison with its present state. Their living so long, however, must chiefly be resolved into the power and providence of God. All the patriarchs here, except Noah, were born before Adam died, so that from him they might receive a full 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.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 6-19. 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 those particularly, tho’ we have reason to think they were men of eminency, both for prudence and piety: But in general, observe how largely and expressly their generations are recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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. 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 much longer; a great while for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in an 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 it. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, the air more healthful, and the influences of the heavenly bodies more benign before the flood than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisaical; a garden in comparison with its present state: and some think, that their knowledge of the creatures and their usefulness both, for their 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, Luke 17:27, as short-lived as temperate men generally are now. It must therefore 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 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.

Verses 6-19. 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 noticed concerning any of those particularly, though we have reason to think they were men of eminence, both for prudence and piety; but, in general, their generations are largely and expressly recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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.” 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 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. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, and the air more healthful, before the flood, than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisiacal; a garden in comparison with its present state. Their living so long, however, must chiefly be resolved into the power and providence of God. All the patriarchs here, except Noah, were born before Adam died, so that from him they might receive a full 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.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 6-19. 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 those particularly, tho’ we have reason to think they were men of eminency, both for prudence and piety: But in general, observe how largely and expressly their generations are recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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. 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 much longer; a great while for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in an 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 it. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, the air more healthful, and the influences of the heavenly bodies more benign before the flood than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisaical; a garden in comparison with its present state: and some think, that their knowledge of the creatures and their usefulness both, for their 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, Luke 17:27, as short-lived as temperate men generally are now. It must therefore 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 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.

Verses 6-19. 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 noticed concerning any of those particularly, though we have reason to think they were men of eminence, both for prudence and piety; but, in general, their generations are largely and expressly recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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.” 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 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. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, and the air more healthful, before the flood, than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisiacal; a garden in comparison with its present state. Their living so long, however, must chiefly be resolved into the power and providence of God. All the patriarchs here, except Noah, were born before Adam died, so that from him they might receive a full 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.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 6-19. 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 those particularly, tho’ we have reason to think they were men of eminency, both for prudence and piety: But in general, observe how largely and expressly their generations are recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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. 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 much longer; a great while for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in an 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 it. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, the air more healthful, and the influences of the heavenly bodies more benign before the flood than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisaical; a garden in comparison with its present state: and some think, that their knowledge of the creatures and their usefulness both, for their 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, Luke 17:27, as short-lived as temperate men generally are now. It must therefore 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 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.

Verses 6-19. 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 noticed concerning any of those particularly, though we have reason to think they were men of eminence, both for prudence and piety; but, in general, their generations are largely and expressly recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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.” 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 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. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, and the air more healthful, before the flood, than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisiacal; a garden in comparison with its present state. Their living so long, however, must chiefly be resolved into the power and providence of God. All the patriarchs here, except Noah, were born before Adam died, so that from him they might receive a full 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.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 6-19. 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 those particularly, tho’ we have reason to think they were men of eminency, both for prudence and piety: But in general, observe how largely and expressly their generations are recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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. 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 much longer; a great while for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in an 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 it. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, the air more healthful, and the influences of the heavenly bodies more benign before the flood than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisaical; a garden in comparison with its present state: and some think, that their knowledge of the creatures and their usefulness both, for their 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, Luke 17:27, as short-lived as temperate men generally are now. It must therefore 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 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.

Verses 6-19. 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 noticed concerning any of those particularly, though we have reason to think they were men of eminence, both for prudence and piety; but, in general, their generations are largely and expressly recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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.” 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 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. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, and the air more healthful, before the flood, than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisiacal; a garden in comparison with its present state. Their living so long, however, must chiefly be resolved into the power and providence of God. All the patriarchs here, except Noah, were born before Adam died, so that from him they might receive a full 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.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 6-19. 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 those particularly, tho’ we have reason to think they were men of eminency, both for prudence and piety: But in general, observe how largely and expressly their generations are recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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. 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 much longer; a great while for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in an 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 it. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, the air more healthful, and the influences of the heavenly bodies more benign before the flood than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisaical; a garden in comparison with its present state: and some think, that their knowledge of the creatures and their usefulness both, for their 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, Luke 17:27, as short-lived as temperate men generally are now. It must therefore 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 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.

Verses 6-19. 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 noticed concerning any of those particularly, though we have reason to think they were men of eminence, both for prudence and piety; but, in general, their generations are largely and expressly recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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.” 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 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. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, and the air more healthful, before the flood, than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisiacal; a garden in comparison with its present state. Their living so long, however, must chiefly be resolved into the power and providence of God. All the patriarchs here, except Noah, were born before Adam died, so that from him they might receive a full 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.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 6-19. 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 those particularly, tho’ we have reason to think they were men of eminency, both for prudence and piety: But in general, observe how largely and expressly their generations are recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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. 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 much longer; a great while for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in an 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 it. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, the air more healthful, and the influences of the heavenly bodies more benign before the flood than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisaical; a garden in comparison with its present state: and some think, that their knowledge of the creatures and their usefulness both, for their 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, Luke 17:27, as short-lived as temperate men generally are now. It must therefore 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 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.

Verses 6-19. 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 noticed concerning any of those particularly, though we have reason to think they were men of eminence, both for prudence and piety; but, in general, their generations are largely and expressly recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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.” 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 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. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, and the air more healthful, before the flood, than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisiacal; a garden in comparison with its present state. Their living so long, however, must chiefly be resolved into the power and providence of God. All the patriarchs here, except Noah, were born before Adam died, so that from him they might receive a full 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.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 6-19. 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 those particularly, tho’ we have reason to think they were men of eminency, both for prudence and piety: But in general, observe how largely and expressly their generations are recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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. 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 much longer; a great while for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in an 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 it. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, the air more healthful, and the influences of the heavenly bodies more benign before the flood than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisaical; a garden in comparison with its present state: and some think, that their knowledge of the creatures and their usefulness both, for their 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, Luke 17:27, as short-lived as temperate men generally are now. It must therefore 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 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.

Verses 6-19. 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 noticed concerning any of those particularly, though we have reason to think they were men of eminence, both for prudence and piety; but, in general, their generations are largely and expressly recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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.” 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 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. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, and the air more healthful, before the flood, than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisiacal; a garden in comparison with its present state. Their living so long, however, must chiefly be resolved into the power and providence of God. All the patriarchs here, except Noah, were born before Adam died, so that from him they might receive a full 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.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 6-19. 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 those particularly, tho’ we have reason to think they were men of eminency, both for prudence and piety: But in general, observe how largely and expressly their generations are recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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. 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 much longer; a great while for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in an 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 it. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, the air more healthful, and the influences of the heavenly bodies more benign before the flood than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisaical; a garden in comparison with its present state: and some think, that their knowledge of the creatures and their usefulness both, for their 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, Luke 17:27, as short-lived as temperate men generally are now. It must therefore 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 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.

Verses 6-19. 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 noticed concerning any of those particularly, though we have reason to think they were men of eminence, both for prudence and piety; but, in general, their generations are largely and expressly recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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.” 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 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. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, and the air more healthful, before the flood, than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisiacal; a garden in comparison with its present state. Their living so long, however, must chiefly be resolved into the power and providence of God. All the patriarchs here, except Noah, were born before Adam died, so that from him they might receive a full 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.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 6-19. 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 those particularly, tho’ we have reason to think they were men of eminency, both for prudence and piety: But in general, observe how largely and expressly their generations are recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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. 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 much longer; a great while for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in an 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 it. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, the air more healthful, and the influences of the heavenly bodies more benign before the flood than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisaical; a garden in comparison with its present state: and some think, that their knowledge of the creatures and their usefulness both, for their 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, Luke 17:27, as short-lived as temperate men generally are now. It must therefore 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 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.

Verses 6-19. 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 noticed concerning any of those particularly, though we have reason to think they were men of eminence, both for prudence and piety; but, in general, their generations are largely and expressly recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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.” 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 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. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, and the air more healthful, before the flood, than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisiacal; a garden in comparison with its present state. Their living so long, however, must chiefly be resolved into the power and providence of God. All the patriarchs here, except Noah, were born before Adam died, so that from him they might receive a full 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.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 6-19. 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 those particularly, tho’ we have reason to think they were men of eminency, both for prudence and piety: But in general, observe how largely and expressly their generations are recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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. 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 much longer; a great while for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in an 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 it. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, the air more healthful, and the influences of the heavenly bodies more benign before the flood than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisaical; a garden in comparison with its present state: and some think, that their knowledge of the creatures and their usefulness both, for their 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, Luke 17:27, as short-lived as temperate men generally are now. It must therefore 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 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.

Verses 6-19. 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 noticed concerning any of those particularly, though we have reason to think they were men of eminence, both for prudence and piety; but, in general, their generations are largely and expressly recorded. We are told how long they lived that lived in God’s fear, and when they 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.” 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 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. Some natural causes may be assigned for their long life in those first ages. It is very probable that the earth was more fruitful, the products of it more strengthening, and the air more healthful, before the flood, than they were after. Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then paradisiacal; a garden in comparison with its present state. Their living so long, however, must chiefly be resolved into the power and providence of God. All the patriarchs here, except Noah, were born before Adam died, so that from him they might receive a full 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.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 22. And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah-To walk with God, is to set God always before us, and to act as those that are always under his eye. It is to live a life of communion with God, both in ordinances and providences; it is to make God’s word our rule, and his glory our end, in all our actions; it is to make it our constant care and endeavour in every thing to please God, and in nothing to offend him; it is to comply with his will, to concur with his designs, and to be workers together with him. He walked with God after he begat Methuselah, which intimates, that he did not begin to be eminent for piety ‘till about that time.

Verse 22. And Enoch walked with God—three hundred years] There are several things worthy of our most particular notice in this account:

1. The name of this patriarch; Enoch, from Ënj chanack, which signifies to instruct, to initiate, to dedicate. From his subsequent conduct we are authorized to believe he was early instructed in the things of God, initiated into the worship of his Maker, and dedicated to his service. By these means, under the influence of the Divine Spirit, which will ever attend pious parental instructions, his mind got that sacred bias which led him to act a part so distinguished through the course of a long life.

2. His religious conduct. He walked with God; Ëlhty yithhallech, he set himself to walk, he was fixedly purposed and determined to live to God. Those who are acquainted with the original will at once see that it has this force. A verb in the conjugation called hithpael signifies a reciprocal act, that which a man does upon himself: here we may consider Enoch receiving a pious education, and the Divine influence through it; in consequence of which he determines to be a worker with God, and therefore takes up the resolution to walk with his Maker, that he might not receive the grace of God in vain.

3. The circumstances in which he was placed. He was a patriarch; the king, the priest, and the prophet of a numerous family, to whom he was to administer justice, among whom he was to perform all the rites and ceremonies of religion, and teach, both by precept and example, the way of truth and righteousness. Add to this, he was a married man, he had a numerous family of his own, independently of the collateral branches over which he was obliged, as patriarch, to preside; he walked three hundred years with God, and begat sons and daughters; therefore marriage is no hinderance even to the perfection of piety; much less inconsistent with it, as some have injudiciously taught.

4. The astonishing height of piety to which he had arrived; being cleansed from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit, and having perfected holiness in the fear of God, we find not only his soul but his body purified, so that, without being obliged to visit the empire of death, he was capable of immediate translation to the paradise of God. There are few cases of this kind on record; but probably there might be more, many more, were the followers of God more faithful to the grace they receive.

5. Enoch attained this state of religious and spiritual excellence in a time when, comparatively speaking, there were few helps, and no written revelation. Here then we cannot but see and admire how mighty the grace of God is, and what wonders it works in the behalf of those who are faithful, who set themselves to walk with God. It is not the want of grace nor of the means of grace that is the cause of the decay of this primitive piety, but the want of faithfulness in those who have the light, and yet will not walk as children of the light.

6. If the grace of God could work such a mighty change in those primitive times, when life and immortality were not brought to light by the Gospel, what may we not expect in these times, in which the Son of God tabernacles among men, in which God gives the Holy Spirit to them who ask him, in which all things are possible to him who believes? No man can prove that Enoch had greater spiritual advantages than any of the other patriarchs, though it seems pretty evident that he made a better use of those that were common to all than any of the rest did; and it would be absurd to say that he had greater spiritual helps and advantages than Christians can now expect, for he lived under a dispensation much less perfect than that of the LAW, and yet the law itself was only the shadow of the glorious substance of Gospel blessings and Gospel privileges.

7. It is said that Enoch not only walked with God, setting him always before his eyes, beginning, continuing, and ending every work to his glory, but also that he pleased God, and had the testimony that he did please God, Hebrews 11:5. Hence we learn that it was then possible to live so as not to offend God, consequently so as not to commit sin against him; and to have the continual evidence or testimony that all that a man did and purposed was pleasing in the sight of Him who searches the heart, and by whom devices are weighed: and if it was possible then, it is surely, through the same grace, possible now; for God, and Christ, and faith, are still the same.

Verse 22. Enoch walked with God — A Scriptural phrase for eminent piety. He set God always before him, and acted as one that considered he was always under his eye. He lived a life of communion and intercourse with God in his ordinances and providences. He made God’s will his rule, and God’s glory his end, in all his actions. He made it his constant care to please God in every thing, and to offend him in nothing, and was a worker together with him. Reader, go thou, and do likewise. He walked with God after he begat Methuselah — Which seems to intimate that he did not begin to be eminent for piety till about that time. And he begat sons and daughters — A state of matrimony, and the cares and duties incumbent on the master of a family, are not inconsistent with the strictest holiness, or with the office of a prophet, or preacher of righteousness. For, according to Jude 1:14, 15, such was Enoch.

22. And Enoch walked with God — µyhlah ta Ëwnj Ëlhtyw Not before God, as a messenger, or a workman beneath his eye: nor after him, as a servant; but with him, as a friend. A remarkable expression, occurring but twice in Scripture: in the text as applied to Enoch, and in Genesis 6:9, to Noah. In Malachi 2:6, it is, in our translation, applied to the faithful priest, but the Hebrew verb in this passage is in Kal, not reaching the high spiritual idea of the text. The verb as applied to Enoch and Noah is in Hithpael implying a voluntary and delightful walk. The passages which speak of walking before God (Genesis 24:40, etc.,) and walking after him do not rise to the high conception of this text. The article is here, for the first time, used with Elohim, the one only God. The LXX translates Kai euhresthsen ‘Enwc tw Qew, and Enoch pleased God, which version Paul uses in Hebrews 11:5: “He had this testimony, that he pleased God.” Intimate and confidential communication, such as exists between the nearest friends, is suggested by this peculiar language. This single example of eminent piety stands forth sublimely solitary in the antediluvian waste. While the patriarchs from Seth to Enoch, and from Enoch to Lamech, are but a series of Hebrew names, we see Enoch’s face as it shines in his godly walk, and hear him, as a prophet, testify against the sin of his age, and proclaim a coming judgment. Jude 1:14, 15. The Jews have manifold traditions concerning Enoch, most of which are gathered in the apocryphal Book of Enoch, written, probably, in the last century B.C. There is a heathen tradition of the same wonderful history in the Phrygian legend of Annacus, a pious king, who lived and prophesied three hundred years, predicting the deluge of Deucalion.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 24. He was not, for God took him-That is, as it is explained, Hebrews 11:5, he was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him. But why did God take him so soon? Surely because the world, which was now grown corrupt, was not worthy of him. Because his work was done, and done the sooner for his minding it so closely.

He was not, for God took him-He was not any longer in this world: it was not the period of his being, but of his being here. He was not found; so the apostle explains it from the seventy; not found by his friends, who sought him, as the sons of the prophets sought Elijah, 2 Kings 2:17. God took him body and soul to himself in the heavenly paradise, by the ministry of angels, as afterwards he took Elijah. He was changed, as those saints shall be that will be found alive at Christ’s second coming.

Verse 24. He was not — Any longer on earth or among men; for God took him — Out of this sinful and miserable world to himself. He was translated, as it is explained, Hebrews 11:5, that he should not see death, and was not found by his friends who sought him, as the sons of the prophets sought Elijah, 2 Kings 2:17, because God had translated him, had taken him body and soul to himself, as he afterward took that prophet. He was changed, as those saints shall be that are found alive at Christ’s second coming. But why did God take him so soon? Surely because the world, which was now grown corrupt, was unworthy of him, and because his work was done, and done the sooner, by his attending to it, and prosecuting it so diligently. But it is probable, also, that by his translation, as well as by that of Elijah, God intended to give mankind, generally become infidels with regard to a future state, a demonstration of the reality of such a state, and of the felicity of it, with respect to the righteous. For if there were no witness of his translation, as there was of that of Elijah, the circumstance that his body was not found, added to his eminent piety, might convince, at least such as were considerate, that he was taken to a better world.

Ver. 24. Enoch—was not, for God took him. He was translated into paradise, as all the rabbins say; “for no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that came down from heaven,” John 3:13; and by his ascension he hath called future generations to repentance. Ecclus. 44:16.

24. The testimony to the exalted piety of Enoch is emphatically repeated; and where we might expect to read again the solemn phrase, “and he died,” we find instead the mysterious words and he was not; for God took him. The expression, and he was not, has frequent parallels in the Hebrew Scriptures, denoting any sudden and mysterious departure. Thus, Jacob says of his lost sons, (Genesis 42:13, 36,) “Joseph is not, and Simeon is not.” The LXX translates, “And he was not found,” quoted in Hebrews 11:5. He was suddenly withdrawn from sight, for God took him. If the expression, “and he was not,” does not teach annihilation, much less, as Murphy remarks, does the phrase, “and he died.” Enoch’s life, by its brevity, strongly contrasts with that of the other patriarchs. His earthly existence was a year of years, symbolic thus of an ideal human life in its perfect cycle. Thus, perhaps, would man have lived and been “taken” had he never fallen. The apocryphal Book of Wisdom says happily of him, (chap. 4:13, 14,) “He being made perfect in a short time fulfilled a long time.” The Targums show that the story of Enoch was regarded by the Jews as a revelation of human immortality. It was also proof of the great doctrine afterwards intimated by the translation of Elijah, and fully revealed by the transfiguration and resurrection of Christ, that the human body will share in the bliss and glory of immortality.

V. 25. Methuselah signifies, He dies, there is a sending forth, viz. of the deluge, which came the very year that Methuselah died. If his name was so intended, it was a fair warning to a careless world long before the judgment came. However, this is observable, that the longest liver that ever was, carried death in his name, that he might be minded of its coming surely, tho’ it came slowly. He lived nine hundred sixty and nine years, the longest we read of that ever any man lived on earth, and yet he died: the longest liver must die at last. Neither youth nor age will discharge from that war, for that is the end of all men: none can challenge life by long prescription, nor make that a plea against the arrests of death. ‘Tis commonly supposed, that Methuselah died a little before the flood; the Jewish writers say, seven days before, referring to Genesis 7:10, and that he was taken away from the evil to come.

Verses 25-27. Methuselah signifies, He dies, there is a sending forth, namely, of the deluge, which came the very year that Methuselah died. If his name was so intended, it was a fair warning to a careless world long before the judgment came. However, this is observable, that the longest liver that ever was, carried death in his name, that he might keep in mind its coming surely, though it came slowly. He lived nine hundred sixty and nine years — The longest that ever any man lived on earth, and yet he died — The longest liver must die at last. Neither youth nor age will discharge from that war, for that is the end of all men: none can challenge life by long prescription, nor make that a plea against the arrests of death. It is commonly supposed, that Methuselah died a little before the flood; the Jewish writers say, seven days before, referring to Genesis 7:10, and that he was taken away from the evil to come.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

Verses 25-27. Methuselah signifies, He dies, there is a sending forth, namely, of the deluge, which came the very year that Methuselah died. If his name was so intended, it was a fair warning to a careless world long before the judgment came. However, this is observable, that the longest liver that ever was, carried death in his name, that he might keep in mind its coming surely, though it came slowly. He lived nine hundred sixty and nine years — The longest that ever any man lived on earth, and yet he died — The longest liver must die at last. Neither youth nor age will discharge from that war, for that is the end of all men: none can challenge life by long prescription, nor make that a plea against the arrests of death. It is commonly supposed, that Methuselah died a little before the flood; the Jewish writers say, seven days before, referring to Genesis 7:10, and that he was taken away from the evil to come.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

Verse 27. The days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years] This is the longest life mentioned in Scripture, and probably the longest ever lived; but we have not authority to say positively that it was the longest. Before the flood, and before artificial refinements were much known and cultivated, the life of man was greatly protracted, and yet of him who lived within thirty-one years of a thousand it is said he died; and the longest life is but as a moment when it is past. Though life is uncertain, precarious, and full of natural evils, yet it is a blessing in all its periods if devoted to the glory of God and the interest of the soul; for while it lasts we may more and more acquaint ourselves with God and be at peace, and thereby good shall come unto us; Job 22:21.

Verses 25-27. Methuselah signifies, He dies, there is a sending forth, namely, of the deluge, which came the very year that Methuselah died. If his name was so intended, it was a fair warning to a careless world long before the judgment came. However, this is observable, that the longest liver that ever was, carried death in his name, that he might keep in mind its coming surely, though it came slowly. He lived nine hundred sixty and nine years — The longest that ever any man lived on earth, and yet he died — The longest liver must die at last. Neither youth nor age will discharge from that war, for that is the end of all men: none can challenge life by long prescription, nor make that a plea against the arrests of death. It is commonly supposed, that Methuselah died a little before the flood; the Jewish writers say, seven days before, referring to Genesis 7:10, and that he was taken away from the evil to come.

Ver. 27. Methuselah: that is, he sent his death, or the arrows of his death. The name might therefore be a title conferred upon him by posterity, on account of the special favour of heaven in taking him away the year, or little more, before the flood. Our infidels can find no unbelievers in the longevity of these sires; why then should there be any now.

27. Methuselah — The etymology of this word is uncertain. Gesenius gives it man of the dart; it may also mean, he dieth, and sendeth forth, (that is, the deluge,) a prophetic name, given by his father, Enoch, when prophesying of God’s judgments, indicating that the deluge would take place at his death. He died in the year of the flood, having reached the greatest age recorded, nine hundred and sixty-nine years.

Ver. 28. Lamech. Not the Lamech in Cain’s line, but a more worthy patriarch in the progeny of Seth.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 29. This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed-Very probably there were some prophecies that went before of him, as a person that should be wonderfully serviceable to his generation.

Verse 29. This same shall comfort us] This is an allusion, as some think, to the name a Noah, which they derive from נחם nacham, to comfort; but it is much more likely that it comes from jn nach or jwn nuach, to rest, to settle, &c. And what is more comfortable than rest after toil and labour? These words seem to have been spoken prophetically concerning Noah, who built the ark for the preservation of the human race, and who seems to have been a typical person; for when he offered his sacrifice after the drying up of the waters, it is said that God smelled a savour of REST, and said he would not curse the ground any more for man’s sake, Genesis 8:21; and from that time the earth seems to have had upon an average the same degree of fertility; and the life of man, in a few generations after, was settled in the mean at threescore years and ten. See Genesis 9:3.

Verse 29. He called his name Noah — Which signifies rest; saying — No doubt by a spirit of prophecy; This same shall comfort us concerning our toil, &c. — That is, the hard labour and manifold troubles to which they were sentenced. This he did, 1st, By the invention of instruments of husbandry, whereby tillage was made more easy: 2d, By removing a part of the curse inflicted on the earth: and especially, 3d, By preserving a remnant of mankind from that deluge which Enoch had foretold, and which he foresaw would come, and by repeopling the empty earth with a new generation of men.

Ver. 29. And called his name Noah; that is, comfort or rest; a name prophetic of his reparations of the world destroyed by water. He outlived the wicked race—he established agriculture—he gave the world an example of religion, obtaining at the altar the special tokens of divine favour in the renewal of the covenant, and the blessing of God upon the earth. Thus he became the Deucalion or second father of the world.

29. Noah — This name signifies rest or comfort. The godly hope and prophetic aspiration of the Sethite, Lamech, as expressed in this name, contrast strongly with the fierce and defiant song of the warrior and polygamist of the same name, who was descended from Cain. Lamech groans under the curse of severe bodily toil, the consequence of sin. In this son he expects deliverance, and, therefore, names him Rest. Rest and deliverance came to man through Noah, but in a way that Lamech had not thought. Exactly what Lamech expected is not clear; perhaps, like Eve, he looked upon his firstborn son as the great promised Deliverer.

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

THE SETHITE GENEALOGY FROM ADAM TO NOAH, 1-32.

Having now recorded the main features in the development of the race of Cain, and having also informed us of the birth of Seth and his appointment to pious Abel’s place, the sacred writer proceeds in the present chapter to record a more detailed and complete genealogy of this child of hope and of prophecy. Names, dates, and ages are carefully given, for this is the record of a chosen seed, through which, in an age long subsequent, the evangelist will trace the human lineage of man’s adorable Redeemer. Comp. Luke 3:36-38. Cain’s race had no such future, but all perished by the flood. They were, therefore, more rapidly passed over by the sacred historian, as calling for no such details as the permanent historic line of the godly race.

There are strong resemblances and contrasts between the Sethitic and Cainitic lines. There is an obvious similarity and sometimes identity of names. The names Enoch, or Henoch, and Lamech occur in both; Adam and Enos both signify man; and the resemblance between Cain and Cainan, Irad and Jared, Methuselah and Methusael, and Mehujael and Mahalaleel is striking. But there is a marked contrast when we consider the signification of the names. The etymology of some of them is obscure, but we give the two lines in contrast, with the most probable meanings attached to the names:

Cainitic line, chap. 4. Sethitic line, chap. 5.

1. Adam, (man of the earth.) 1. Adam, (man of the earth.)

V. 32. And Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth-These Noah begat (the eldest of these) when he was six hundred years old. It should seem that Japheth was the eldest, Genesis 10:21, but Shem is put first, because on him the covenant was entailed, as appears by Genesis 9:26, where God is called the Lord God of Shem. To him ‘tis probable the birthright was given, and from him ‘tis certain both Christ the head, and the church the body, were to descend; therefore he is called Shem, which signifies a name, because in his posterity the name of God should always remain, ‘till He should come out of his loins, whose name is above every name; so that in putting Shem first, Christ was in effect put first, who in all things must have the pre-eminence. For the glory of God’s justice, and for warning to a wicked world, before the history of the ruin of the old world we have a full account of its degeneracy, its apostacy from God, and rebellion against him. The destroying of it was an act not of absolute sovereignty, but of necessary justice for the maintaining of the honour of God’s government.

Verse 32. Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.] From Genesis 10:21; 1 Chronicles 1:5, &c., we learn that Japheth was the eldest son of Noah, but Shem is mentioned first, because it was from him, in a direct line, that the Messiah came. Ham was certainly the youngest of Noah’s sons, and from what we read, Genesis 9:22, the worst of them; and how he comes to be mentioned out of his natural order is not easy to be accounted for. When the Scriptures design to mark precedency, though the subject be a younger son or brother, he is always mentioned first; so Jacob is named before Esau, his elder brother, and Ephraim before Manasses. See Genesis 28:5; 48:20.

AMONG many important things presented to our view in this chapter, several of which have been already noticed, we may observe that, of all the antediluvian patriarchs, Enoch, who was probably the best man, was the shortest time upon earth; his years were exactly as the days in a solar revolution, viz., three hundred and sixty-five; and like the sun he fulfilled a glorious course, shining more and more unto the perfect day, and was taken, when in his meridian splendour, to shine like the sun in the kingdom of his Father for ever.

From computation it appears, 1. That Adam lived to see Lamech, the ninth generation, in the fifty-sixth year of whose life he died; and as he was the first who lived, and the first that sinned, so he was the first who tasted death in a natural way. Abel’s was not a natural but a violent death. 2. That Enoch was taken away next after Adam, seven patriarchs remaining witness of his translation. 3. That all the nine first patriarchs were taken away before the flood came, which happened in the six hundredth year of Noah’s life. 4. That Methuselah lived till the very year in which the flood came, of which his name is supposed to have been prophetical wtm methu, “he dieth,” and jlv shalach, “he sendeth out;” as if God had designed to teach men that as soon as Methuselah died the flood should be sent forth to drown an ungodly world. If this were then so understood, even the name of this patriarch contained in it a gracious warning. See the genealogical plate after “Genesis 11:32”.

GENESIS

Verse 32. And Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth — It should seem that Japheth was the eldest, (Genesis 10:21,) but Shem is put first, because on him the covenant was entailed, as appears by Genesis 9:26, where God is called the Lord God of Shem. To him, it is probable, the birthright was given, and from him it is certain both Christ the head, and the church the body, were to descend; therefore he is called Shem, which signifies a name, because in his posterity the name of God should always remain, till He should come out of his loins, whose name is above every name; so that in putting Shem first, Christ was in effect put first, who in all things must have the pre-eminence.

32. Noah was five hundred years old — It is not meant that Noah had no children born to him for five centuries. Only those sons are mentioned with whom the narrative is specially concerned. Each patriarch had sons and daughters whose descendants multiplied through these centuries, but their names are lost to history. The order of age in Noah’s family is a matter of discussion. Shem is mentioned first, but it may be because he was the heir in the line of promise. Japheth, in Genesis 10:21, seems to be called the elder, but the meaning may be, “Shem, the elder brother of Japheth,” that is, older than Ham, though not older than Japheth. Ham is called the youngest in Genesis 9:24, yet the Hebrew may also be rendered younger. See Gesen. Hebrews Gram., § 119. From Genesis 11:10, it seems that Shem was a hundred years old two years after the flood, that is, in Noah’s six hundred and third year. He must, then, have been born in Noah’s five hundred and third year, and, as Ham was younger than he, it follows that Japheth only could have been born in Noah’s five hundredth year. Yet some understand that in Genesis 10:21, Shem is declared to be “elder” than Japheth, but this view cannot be harmonized with Genesis 11:10. Japheth is not called the eldest of the three in Genesis 10:21, but is conclusively shown to be so by the above comparison of passages. The Arabic writers represent Japheth as the eldest. Shem means name, fame; Ham means burnt, and Japheth means enlargement. Shem, the heir of Messianic hopes, the man of name, is placed first because Christ and salvation are ever first in revelation.