Genesis 5:30 kjv

And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:

Genesis 5:30 nkjv

After he begot Noah, Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years, and had sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:30 niv

After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:30 esv

Lamech lived after he fathered Noah 595 years and had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:30 nlt

After the birth of Noah, Lamech lived another 595 years, and he had other sons and daughters.

Genesis 5 verses

Genesis 5 30 Meaning

Genesis 5:30 details the remaining lifespan of Lamech, after the birth of his son Methuselah, specifying that he lived an additional five hundred and ninety-five years and also fathered other sons and daughters. This verse, embedded within the meticulously kept "Book of the Generations of Adam" (Gen 5:1), serves to precisely chart the pre-Flood lineage from Adam to Noah, underscoring the remarkable longevity of humanity in that era while highlighting the fulfillment of the divine mandate to multiply upon the earth.

Genesis 5 30 Context

Genesis 5:30 is part of the genealogical record of the "toledot" (generations) of Adam, tracing the line through his son Seth to Noah. The entire chapter focuses on the linear progression of this righteous lineage, in contrast to the morally divergent line of Cain introduced in chapter 4. Each entry in Genesis 5 follows a similar, repetitive formula: the age at which a patriarch begot a significant son, the years he lived after that birth, the mention of "other sons and daughters," and his total lifespan, ending with "and he died." This pattern establishes a sequential timeline leading directly to Noah, highlighting the longevity of the pre-Flood era as well as the significant time for humanity to proliferate. Lamech himself is portrayed here as a typical patriarch of the Sethite line, distinguishing him from the Lamech of Cain's line (Gen 4), who is characterized by polygamy and violence. This verse places Lamech's remaining life after the birth of Methuselah, setting the stage for the narrative of Noah and the impending judgment of the Flood.

Genesis 5 30 Word analysis

• After: This temporal marker emphasizes the sequence of events, signifying the period of Lamech's life that unfolded following the specific and pivotal event of Methuselah's birth. It establishes chronological continuity.
• he begot: From the Hebrew יָלַד (yalad), meaning "to give birth, to bear, to beget." This term is foundational to biblical genealogies, signifying fatherhood and the transmission of lineage. In the patriarchal narrative, begetting implies responsibility for continuation of family and ultimately, the promised line.
• Methuselah: The son of Lamech and grandfather of Noah. His name, possibly meaning "his death brings judgment" or "man of the dart/spear," holds profound theological significance. He is known as the longest-lived man in the Bible, and traditional chronology links his death directly with the onset of the Great Flood, thereby implicitly connecting Lamech's longevity through his son to the timing of God's judgment.
• Lamech: Hebrew לֶמֶךְ (Lemech). Here, he is Methuselah's father and Noah's father. This Lamech is of the Sethite lineage (the line of promise leading to the Messiah), differentiating him from the Lamech in Cain's line (Gen 4:19-24), who is portrayed negatively with boasting of vengeance and polygamy.
• lived: From the Hebrew וַיְחִי (vayechiy), meaning "and he lived." This verb consistently points to continued physical existence and duration of life. In Genesis 5, the repetition of "lived" with extraordinarily high numbers underscores the unique longevity of the pre-Flood patriarchs.
• five hundred and ninety-five years: A very precise, extraordinarily large number by modern standards, yet typical for the pre-Flood patriarchs described in Genesis 5. Such precision points to a careful record and serves to highlight the vast difference in human lifespans between the antediluvian era and post-Flood periods (e.g., Psa 90:10). This long duration enabled potentially greater population growth and allowed for long spans for traditions and knowledge to be passed down through fewer generations (Adam overlaps with Lamech's early life).
• and had other: This phrase denotes additional progeny beyond the one named son (Methuselah) who carries the specific genealogical line. It signifies ongoing procreation beyond the sole heir listed.
• sons and daughters: Hebrew בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת (banim u'banot). Generic terms for male and female offspring. The inclusion of this phrase in the genealogical records is crucial. It clarifies that while only a single heir (usually the eldest or the designated one carrying the Messianic line) is named in these selective genealogies, the patriarchs had many children, contributing to the rapid expansion of the human population on earth, as commanded in Gen 1:28.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• After he begot Methuselah, Lamech lived...: This phrase explicitly ties the subsequent life activities of Lamech to a major milestone in his life, the birth of his designated son. It underscores the narrative's focus on patrilineal descent and the critical role of each father in producing the next link in the chain leading to Noah, and ultimately, the Christ.
• lived five hundred and ninety-five years: This specific chronological detail emphasizes the immense length of human lives before the Flood. This exceptional longevity is a unique characteristic of this period, distinguishing it sharply from later human history, and it plays a significant role in understanding the conditions leading up to the Flood narrative, including the rapid population increase and the accumulation of human wickedness over many centuries.
• and had other sons and daughters: This crucial addition highlights that the genealogical list is selective. While it traces the direct Messianic lineage, it concurrently affirms that the patriarchs fulfilled the divine command to be fruitful and multiply, leading to a burgeoning population. This burgeoning population ultimately sets the stage for the corruption of mankind that leads to God's judgment and the global Flood recounted in Genesis 6 and 7.

Genesis 5 30 Bonus section

• The profound longevity recorded in Genesis 5 might have facilitated the rapid oral transmission of divine truths from earlier generations directly down to Lamech and his contemporaries. For instance, Adam himself lived long enough to overlap with Lamech's early life, meaning God's initial creation accounts and covenant details could be directly conveyed.
• The life spans of the patriarchs in Genesis 5 are crucial for calculating biblical chronologies. The longevity mentioned here forms a continuous chronological chain, setting the timing for subsequent pivotal events like the Flood. Methuselah, specifically, provides a temporal link, as the Flood is often understood to have commenced in the very year of his death.
• The meticulous detailing of specific ages and offspring in Genesis 5, including this verse, contributes to the narrative's verifiability and historicity from a biblical perspective, reinforcing the idea of a tangible, linear progression of humanity and God's interaction with it from creation onwards.

Genesis 5 30 Commentary

Genesis 5:30 concisely documents Lamech's life after the birth of his pivotal son, Methuselah, whose name is said to presage the Great Flood. The verse meticulously records the extraordinary five hundred and ninety-five years Lamech lived following Methuselah's birth, underscoring the remarkably long lifespans prevalent in the antediluvian world. This precision of years speaks to the deliberate and accurate nature of these ancient records, emphasizing God's careful orchestration of history. The accompanying detail "and had other sons and daughters" serves as a vital reminder that these biblical genealogies, while selective in highlighting the Messianic line, do not suggest isolated family units. Rather, they point to a prolific and expanding human population fulfilling the command to "be fruitful and multiply" (Gen 1:28). This proliferation is significant as it sets the context for the later description of global corruption and violence in Genesis 6, which directly leads to the divine judgment of the Flood. Thus, Lamech's lengthy life and numerous offspring contributed to the very conditions that necessitated the flood, demonstrating God's patient endurance while evil multiplied before the judgment came.