Genesis 5: Generations From Adam to Noah
A line of generations marches from Adam toward Noah, each life ending in death, yet one man walks with God.
Genesis 5 (WEB)
1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, he made him in God’s likeness.
2 He created them male and female, and blessed them. On the day they were created, he named them “Adam”.
3 Adam lived one hundred thirty years, and became the father of a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.
4 The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of other sons and daughters.
5 All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died.
6 Seth lived one hundred five years, then became the father of Enosh.
7 Seth lived after he became the father of Enosh eight hundred seven years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.
8 All the days of Seth were nine hundred twelve years, then he died.
9 Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan.
10 Enosh lived after he became the father of Kenan, eight hundred fifteen years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.
11 All the days of Enosh were nine hundred five years, then he died.
12 Kenan lived seventy years, then became the father of Mahalalel.
13 Kenan lived after he became the father of Mahalalel eight hundred forty years, and became the father of other sons and daughters
14 and all the days of Kenan were nine hundred ten years, then he died.
15 Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, then became the father of Jared.
16 Mahalalel lived after he became the father of Jared eight hundred thirty years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.
17 All the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years, then he died.
18 Jared lived one hundred sixty-two years, then became the father of Enoch.
19 Jared lived after he became the father of Enoch eight hundred years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.
20 All the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty-two years, then he died.
21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, then became the father of Methuselah.
22 After Methuselah’s birth, Enoch walked with God for three hundred years, and became the father of more sons and daughters.
23 All the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years.
24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not found, for God took him.
25 Methuselah lived one hundred eighty-seven years, then became the father of Lamech.
26 Methuselah lived after he became the father of Lamech seven hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.
27 All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years, then he died.
28 Lamech lived one hundred eighty-two years, then became the father of a son.
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.”
30 Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and became the father of other sons and daughters.
31 All the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years, then he died.
32 Noah was five hundred years old, then Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 5 (KJV)
1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;
2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:
4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:
5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.
6 And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos:
7 And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:
8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.
9 And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:
10 And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:
11 And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.
12 And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel:
13 And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:
14 And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.
15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:
16 And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:
17 And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.
18 And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:
19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.
21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:
22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:
24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
25 And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech:
26 And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:
27 And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.
28 And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:
29 And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.
30 And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:
31 And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.
32 And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 5 (ASV)
1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;
2 male and female created he them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
3 And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:
4 and the days of Adam after he begat Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters.
5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.
6 And Seth lived a hundred and five years, and begat Enosh:
7 and Seth lived after he begat Enosh eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:
8 and all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.
9 And Enosh lived ninety years, and begat Kenan:
10 and Enosh lived after he begat Kenan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:
11 and all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years: and he died.
12 And Kenan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalalel:
13 and Kenan lived after he begat Mahalalel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:
14 and all the days of Kenan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.
15 And Mahalalel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:
16 and Mahalalel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:
17 and all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.
18 And Jared lived a hundred sixty and two years, and begat Enoch:
19 and Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
20 and all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.
21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:
22 and Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
23 and all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:
24 and Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
25 And Methuselah lived a hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech:
26 and Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:
27 and all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.
28 And Lamech lived a hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:
29 and he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, which cometh because of the ground which Jehovah hath cursed.
30 And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:
31 And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.
32 And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Summary
This chapter records the book of the generations of Adam, tracing his line through Seth and onward across ten generations to Noah. It recalls that God made humanity in his likeness, male and female. Then a steady refrain follows each name: he lived, he became the father of sons and daughters, and then he died. The repeated 'then he died' underscores the reach of the curse and the certainty of death announced in Eden. Yet two figures stand out: Enoch, who walked with God and was taken so that he did not see death, and Noah, whose father Lamech hopes he will bring comfort amid the toil of a cursed ground. The genealogy ends poised at Noah and his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Main Characters
- Adam — The first man, made in God's likeness, whose line is recorded and who lived nine hundred thirty years before he died.
- Enoch — The man who walked with God and was taken by God rather than dying as the others did.
- Methuselah — The longest-lived in the genealogy, father of Lamech, who lived nine hundred sixty-nine years.
- Lamech — Noah's father, who names his son hoping for comfort from the toil of the cursed ground.
- Noah — The descendant in whom the line culminates, father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Key Verse
Genesis 5:24 (WEB)
Enoch walked with God, and he was not found, for God took him.
Lessons Learned
- Death is the sobering reality that follows humanity's fall, repeated in every generation.
- God remembers and records his people; each life and lineage matters to him.
- It is possible to walk closely with God in the midst of an ordinary, mortal life.
- God keeps his purposes moving forward through generations, preserving a line of hope.
- Humanity bears God's likeness even after the fall. The chapter opens by recalling that God 'made him in God's likeness' (Genesis 5:1, WEB). The image of God endures through the generations, grounding the worth of every life recorded here.
- Death is the universal consequence of sin. After each long life the text repeats, 'then he died' (Genesis 5:5, WEB). The refrain confirms God's word in Eden and reminds us of our mortality.
- A faithful walk with God is possible in any age. 'Enoch walked with God, and he was not found, for God took him' (Genesis 5:24, WEB). Even amid a dying world, one can live in close fellowship with God.
- God notices and records individual lives. This careful genealogy, 'the book of the generations of Adam' (Genesis 5:1, WEB), shows that names and lives are not lost to God but remembered.
- God carries his purposes across generations. The line moves steadily toward Noah, who 'became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth' (Genesis 5:32, WEB). God works through families and time to advance his plan.
- Longing for relief from the curse points beyond ourselves. Lamech names his son Noah, hoping, 'This one will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, caused by the ground which Yahweh has cursed' (Genesis 5:29, WEB). The ache for redemption runs through the whole line.
- What phrase is repeated at the end of nearly every life in this chapter, and what truth does that repetition press home?
- How is the description of Enoch different from everyone else in the genealogy?
- Why might it matter that this chapter begins by recalling that humanity was made 'in God's likeness'?
- What hope does Lamech express in naming his son Noah, and how does it connect to the curse of chapter 3?
- What might it look like for you, in your daily routines, to 'walk with God' as Enoch did?
- The recurring phrase is 'then he died' (Genesis 5:5, WEB), repeated after nearly every name. It presses home that death now reigns over humanity, fulfilling the warning of Genesis 3:19 (WEB) that we return to dust.
- Enoch is described not with 'then he died' but as one who 'walked with God, and he was not found, for God took him' (Genesis 5:24, WEB). His ending is fellowship and being taken by God rather than the death common to all the others.
- Recalling that humanity was made 'in God's likeness' (Genesis 5:1, WEB) frames the whole genealogy: despite death and the fall, these are image-bearers of God. It dignifies the list and reminds readers that God's original purpose is not abandoned.
- Lamech hopes Noah will 'comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, caused by the ground which Yahweh has cursed' (Genesis 5:29, WEB). This connects directly to the cursed ground of Genesis 3:17 (WEB) and expresses longing for relief from sin's effects.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite voluntary sharing. Use Enoch's example (Genesis 5:24, WEB) to discuss concrete habits of walking with God, such as prayer, obedience, and ongoing awareness of his presence in ordinary days.