Genesis 5

17 Dec 2025 - Theology

Genesis 5 - Adam to Noah Geneology

• Adam - 930 years
• Seth - 912 years
• Enos - 905 years
• Cainan - 910 years
• Mahalaleel - 895 years
• Jared - 962 years
• Enoch - 365 years
• Methuselah - 969 years
• Lamech - 777 years
• Noah - 950 years (Genesis 9:29)

It is impossible to perfectly translate Hebrew into English, but I have written the likely meanings below, and put alternate meanings in parenthesis. My references for definitions are at the end of the post.

• Adam = Man (humanity or mankind the species)
• Seth = Appointed (or put, i.e substituted)
• Enos = Man (a mortal)
• Cainan = to lament (to mourn or sorrow)
• Mahalaleel = The Praised God (or The Blessed God)
• Jared = to descend (to come down)
• Enoch = to initiate (to dedicate or to train up)
• Methuselah = an adult (as of full length or an extent of time, i.e death) & branch (bring, put forth or send forth)
• Lamech = man to or towards low (for humiliation)
• Noah = rest (or comfort)

Many commentators have noticed that if you put these names togther, a phrase will appear.

Mankind is appointed mortal to sorrow, The Praised God to descend, to initiate that His death will bring man towards low rest.

Here we see the story of Jesus just from a geneology in Genesis 5, written around 2000 years before He came down to earth. God was not surprised by our sin, and we did not somehow ‘force his hand’ to have to send His Son to save us, but rather it was part of His plan from before the creation of the world, according to the good pleasure of His will.

Ephesians 1:3-6 - “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

References

1. The Hebrew - Greek Key Study Bible (KJV Version)
2. Adam = adam
3. Seth = Sheth, from shith
4. Enos = Enosh, from the same as enosh
5. Cainan = Qenan, from the same as qen, contracted from qanan
6. Mahalaleel = Mahalalel, from mahalal & el
7. Jared = Yered, from yarad
8. Enoch = Chanok, from chanak
9. Methuselah = Methushelach, from math, from the same as mathay & shelach, from shalach
10. Lamech = Lemek or Lamech
11. Noah = Noach