Bible Study Genesis 5
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Genesis 5 · WEB

The Genealogy from Adam to Noah

Listen — WEB narration 0:00 / 0:00 Narration: World English Bible (David Williams), public domain — AudioTreasure.

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This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, he made him in God's likeness.
2He created them male and female, and blessed them, and called their name "Adam," in the day when they were created.
3Adam lived one hundred thirty years, and became the father of a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.
4The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of other sons and daughters.
5All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died.
6Seth lived one hundred five years, then became the father of Enosh.
7Seth lived after he became the father of Enosh eight hundred seven years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.
8All the days of Seth were nine hundred twelve years, then he died.
9Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan.
10Enosh lived after he became the father of Kenan eight hundred fifteen years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.
11All the days of Enosh were nine hundred five years, then he died.
12Kenan lived seventy years, then became the father of Mahalalel.
13Kenan lived after he became the father of Mahalalel eight hundred forty years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.
14All the days of Kenan were nine hundred ten years, then he died.
15Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, then became the father of Jared.
16Mahalalel lived after he became the father of Jared eight hundred thirty years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.
17All the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years, then he died.
18Jared lived one hundred sixty-two years, then became the father of Enoch.
19Jared lived after he became the father of Enoch eight hundred years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.
20All the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty-two years, then he died.
21Enoch lived sixty-five years, then became the father of Methuselah.
22After Methuselah's birth, Enoch walked with God for three hundred years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.
23All the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years.
24Enoch walked with God, and he was not found, for God took him.
25Methuselah lived one hundred eighty-seven years, then became the father of Lamech.
26Methuselah lived after he became the father of Lamech seven hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.
27All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years, then he died.
28Lamech lived one hundred eighty-two years, then became the father of a son.
29He named him Noah, saying, "This one will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, caused by the ground which Yahweh has cursed."
30Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.
31All the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years, then he died.
32Noah was five hundred years old, then Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
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Summary

Genesis 5 traces the genealogy from Adam to Noah through ten generations, covering an enormous span of time. The repeated phrase "and he died" underscores the reality of the curse announced in chapter 3. Enoch stands out as an exception — he walked with God and was taken without dying. The chapter ends with Noah, whose father Lamech prophesies that he will bring comfort from the curse, setting the stage for the flood narrative.

Themes

  • The reality of death as the consequence of the Fall ("and he died")
  • The persistence of the image of God in humanity even after the Fall
  • Enoch as a model of intimate relationship with God
  • Hope threading through history — even in a list of deaths
  • God's sovereign purpose moving through generations toward redemption

Key verses

  • Gen 5:1 — “In the day that God created man, he made him in God's likeness.”
  • Gen 5:24 — “Enoch walked with God, and he was not found, for God took him.”
  • Gen 5:29 — “He named him Noah, saying, 'This one will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, caused by the ground which Yahweh has cursed.'”

Context & background

Ancient genealogies served not merely as family records but as theological statements about continuity, identity, and divine purpose. The extremely long lifespans in this chapter (reaching nearly 1,000 years) have generated much discussion; ancient Near Eastern king lists also record extraordinarily long reigns. Enoch's 365-year lifespan — notably the number of days in a solar year — and his translation without death has fascinated interpreters for millennia. His "walking with God" is one of the highest commendations in Scripture, repeated only of Noah. Methuselah's death in the year of the flood (by the numbers in the text) has often been noted.

Cross-references

  • 1 Corinthians 15:22 — in Adam all die, in Christ all are made alive
  • Hebrews 11:5 — Enoch was taken by faith, and pleased God
  • Jude 14-15 — quotes Enoch's prophecy about divine judgment
  • Luke 3:36-38 — includes this genealogy in the lineage of Jesus
  • Romans 5:12-14 — death reigned from Adam, as the repeated "and he died" affirms

Check your reading

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  1. Observe

    What phrase is repeated after nearly every person in this genealogy, and what makes Enoch the notable exception?

  2. Observe

    What did Noah's father Lamech say when he named his son, and what does it reveal about how people felt about the curse on the ground?

  3. Interpret

    Genesis 5 opens by reaffirming that God created man "in God's likeness" (v. 1). Why is this theologically important at the start of a genealogy dominated by death?

  4. Interpret

    Enoch "walked with God" for 300 years and was taken without dying (vv. 22-24). What does "walking with God" imply about the nature of his relationship with God?

  5. Apply

    The phrase "and he died" appears eight times in this chapter. What is the author's intent in this repetition, and what should it prompt in the reader?

  6. Apply

    Enoch walked with God for 300 years — nearly his entire adult life. What does this suggest about the kind of relationship with God that results in the commendation "he pleased God" (Hebrews 11:5)?

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