Genesis 5 15

Genesis 5:15 kjv

And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:

Genesis 5:15 nkjv

Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and begot Jared.

Genesis 5:15 niv

When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared.

Genesis 5:15 esv

When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he fathered Jared.

Genesis 5:15 nlt

When Mahalalel was 65 years old, he became the father of Jared.

Genesis 5 15 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Lk 3:37...the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan...Genealogy of Jesus mentions Mahalalel
1 Chr 1:2Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared...Old Testament genealogy confirms lineage
Gen 1:28God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number..."Fulfillment of creation mandate to multiply
Gen 9:1God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth."Reinforces the divine command for procreation
Gen 35:11God said to him, “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number..."Continues God's blessing for growth and lineage
Gen 3:15I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.Foreshadowing the preserving of the redemptive line
Gen 4:25Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”Establishment of the righteous lineage through Seth
Gen 4:26Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.Furthering the line that worshipped the Lord
Gen 5:3When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image, and he named him Seth.Continuation of human lineage post-Fall
Gen 5:21When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah.Similar pattern in subsequent generations
Gen 5:32After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.Example of later fatherhood in Gen 5
Gen 6:3Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”Indication of changing lifespans post-Fall
Ps 90:10Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow...Contrast with greatly reduced lifespans in later eras
Job 14:1“Mortals, born of woman, are of few days and full of trouble."Emphasizes the brevity of life for fallen humanity
Rom 9:7nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”Illustrates the divine election within a lineage
Gal 3:16The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.The ultimate culmination of the genealogical line in Christ
Isa 43:1But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”God's faithfulness to His chosen lineage
Jer 33:17“For this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel.'"Divine assurance for a continuous royal line
Num 26:2“Take a census of the whole Israelite community by families—all those twenty years old or more who are able to serve in the army of Israel.”Emphasis on tribal and familial records and importance of lineage.
Neh 7:5My God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the other people to be enrolled by genealogy. I found the genealogical record of those who had come back in the first return.Demonstrates the enduring significance of keeping genealogical records.
Gen 5:2He named them Humankind when they were created.Connection to the common origin of humanity, continued through this line.
Judg 6:32So that day Gideon was called Jerub-Baal, meaning “Let Baal contend against him,” because he pulled down Baal’s altar.Example of Hebrew names carrying symbolic meaning or message

Genesis 5 verses

Genesis 5 15 Meaning

Genesis 5:15 records a pivotal moment in the lineage from Adam through Seth, specifically stating that Mahalalel lived to be sixty-five years old and then became the father of Jared. This verse functions as a key component in the carefully structured "Book of the Generations of Adam," documenting the progression of humanity and the preservation of the divine line after the Fall, leading eventually to Noah and the promised Seed.

Genesis 5 15 Context

Genesis chapter 5, often called the "Book of the Generations of Adam" (Gen 5:1), provides a linear, historical genealogy from Adam through his son Seth to Noah. This structure is highly formulaic, repeating phrases such as "lived...and begat...," "and lived after he begat...," and "and begat sons and daughters," concluding with "and he died." This repetitive pattern underscores two crucial realities: the divine blessing of procreation, commanded at creation, and the stark reality of death introduced by the Fall (Gen 2:17, 3:19).

Mahalalel is the fourth in this specific lineage after Adam, Seth, and Kenan. His place in this list shows the progression of generations in the pre-Flood world, characterized by exceptionally long lifespans compared to post-Flood human existence. This detailed record is not merely a historical account but serves a theological purpose: demonstrating God's faithful preservation of a human line through which the promise of redemption (Gen 3:15) would ultimately be fulfilled. It presents a factual, historical chain of humanity in contrast to mythological accounts prevalent in ancient cultures, firmly rooting human origins and history in God's creative and redemptive work.

Genesis 5 15 Word analysis

  • And (וַיְחִי, vay'chi, connecting verb to the previous verse): Signifies continuity in the narrative, linking Mahalalel's life and begetting to the preceding generation of Kenan. It's a standard waw-consecutive, moving the story forward.
  • Mahalalel (מַהֲלַלְאֵל, Mahalal'el): Hebrew name, typically interpreted as "Praise of God" or "Praise of El." This name is significant, coming from a line described as beginning to "call on the name of the Lord" (Gen 4:26), suggesting a lineage devoted to praising the true God amidst a world growing in corruption. The emphasis on "praise" could foreshadow future generations or reflect the spiritual disposition within this line.
  • lived (וַיְחִי, vay'chi): Standard Hebrew verb for "he lived." It marks the commencement of the specific age when he fulfilled his generational role. It highlights a living, breathing person as part of a continuing line.
  • sixty and five years (שִׁשִּׁים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה, shishim vechamesh shanah): Specific numerical age (65). This precision in age highlights the meticulous nature of the Genesis genealogical record, providing a clear chronology for dating the events and people of the pre-Flood world. These numbers were significant in ancient records and convey historical credibility.
  • and begat (וַיּוֹלֶד, vay'yoled): Hebrew verb "he caused to be born" or "he fathered/sired." This emphasizes procreation, a divine command (Gen 1:28), and the continuation of the human line, essential for the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. This is a foundational act in the Genesis narrative.
  • Jared (יֶרֶד, Yered): Hebrew name, often interpreted as "descent" or "he descends." Some scholarly interpretations suggest a connection to "Jordanians" or the idea of a descending line of people. Its meaning has been a point of interest for various interpretations, potentially referring to the coming of judgment or a significant spiritual "descent" or degradation that led to the event of Gen 6:4, where the "sons of God descended." However, within the direct genealogical context, it primarily signifies the next in the sequence.

Genesis 5 15 Bonus section

The consistent ages given in Genesis 5 before the birth of the first son are remarkable, often aligning with the 100-year mark when summed with the "after he begat" years to reach specific total lifespans. The detail regarding the age of fatherhood emphasizes the miraculous aspect of procreation and God's design for human family units to multiply and steward the earth, a mandate given from creation. The names in this lineage are often studied for their collective thematic or prophetic meaning when translated sequentially, though interpretations vary. For example, some traditions see a hidden message of judgment and grace within the names from Adam to Noah, but Jared's name ("descent") within that sequence marks a significant point preceding Enoch, who walked with God and was taken (Gen 5:24). This highlights that while this genealogy documents physical lineage, it implicitly carries profound spiritual significance.

Genesis 5 15 Commentary

Genesis 5:15 is a concise yet theologically rich verse, embedded within a unique and foundational chapter of Scripture. It adheres to the consistent formula of the Adamic genealogy, highlighting the immediate consequence of the Fall (the reality of death after long life) and God's persistent faithfulness in preserving humanity through a direct, measurable line. Mahalalel, whose name signifies "Praise of God," lives a long life by modern standards but an age that still culminates in death, reinforcing the universal consequence of sin. His fathering of Jared at age sixty-five is a divine mechanism for maintaining the flow of life and ensuring the continuity of the redemptive lineage from Adam to Noah. This structured record assures the reader of a verifiable human history and sets the stage for the progressive unfolding of God's covenant promises, ultimately pointing toward the promised Messiah who would reverse the effects of the Fall. It serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty over generations and His plan for human proliferation despite human sin.