Genesis
Chapter 5

1

¹ This is the record of the descendants of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God;

2

he created them male and female. When they were created, he blessed them and named them "man."

3

Adam was one hundred and thirty years old when he begot a son in his likeness, after his image; and he named him Seth.

4

Adam lived eight hundred years after the birth of Seth, and he had other sons and daughters.

5

The whole lifetime of Adam was nine hundred and thirty years; then he died.

6

When Seth was one hundred and five years old, he became the father of Enosh.

7

Seth lived eight hundred and seven years after the birth of Enosh, and he had other sons and daughters.

8

The whole lifetime of Seth was nine hundred and twelve years; then he died.

9

When Enosh was ninety years old, he became the father of Kenan.

10

Enosh lived eight hundred and fifteen years after the birth of Kenan, and he had other sons and daughters.

11

The whole lifetime of Enosh was nine hundred and five years; then he died.

12

When Kenan was seventy years old, he became the father of Mahalalel.

13

Kenan lived eight hundred and forty years after the birth of Mahalalel, and he had other sons and daughters.

14

The whole lifetime of Kenan was nine hundred and ten years; then he died.

15

When Mahalalel was sixty-five years old, he became the father of Jared.

16

Mahalalel lived eight hundred and thirty years after the birth of Jared, and he had other sons and daughters.

17

The whole lifetime of Mahalalel was eight hundred and ninety-five years; then he died.

18

When Jared was one hundred and sixty-two years old, he became the father of Enoch.

19

Jared lived eight hundred years after the birth of Enoch, and he had other sons and daughters.

20

The whole lifetime of Jared was nine hundred and sixty-two years; then he died.

21

When Enoch was sixty-five years old, he became the father of Methuselah.

22

Enoch lived three hundred years after the birth of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters.

23

The whole lifetime of Enoch was three hundred and sixty-five years.

24

² Then Enoch walked with God, and he was no longer here, for God took him.

25

When Methuselah was one hundred and eighty-seven years old, he became the father of Lamech.

26

Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years after the birth of Lamech, and he had other sons and daughters.

27

The whole lifetime of Methuselah was nine hundred and sixty-nine years; then he died.

28

When Lamech was one hundred and eighty-two years old, he begot a son

29

³ and named him Noah, saying, "Out of the very ground that the LORD has put under a curse, this one shall bring us relief from our work and the toil of our hands."

30

Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years after the birth of Noah, and he had other sons and daughters.

31

The whole lifetime of Lamech was seven hundred and seventy-seven years; then he died.

32

When Noah was five hundred years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Table of Contents Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Footnotes

¹ [1-32] Although this chapter, with its highly schematic form, belongs to the relatively late "Priestly document," it is based on very ancient traditions. Together with Genesis 11:10-26, its primary purpose is to bridge the genealogical gap between Adam and Abraham. Adam's line is traced through Seth, but several names in the series are the same as, or similar to, certain names in Cain's line (Genesis 4:17-19). The long lifespans attributed to these ten antediluvian patriarchs have a symbolic rather than a historical value. Babylonian tradition also recorded ten kings with fantastically high ages who reigned successively before the flood.

² [24] In place of the usual formula, Then he died, the change to Enoch walked with God clearly implies that he did not die, but like Elijah (2 Kings 2:11, 12) was taken alive to God's abode.

³ [29] There is a similarity in sound between the Hebrew word noah, "Noah," and the verbal phrase yenahamenu, "he will bring us relief"; this latter refers both to the curse put on the soil because of the fall of man (Genesis 3:17-19) and to Noah's success in agriculture, especially in raising grapes for wine (Genesis 9:20-21).

New American Bible Copyright © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

---

USCCB Home Page New American Bible Home Page




__________________________________

New American Bible
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3000