Genesis 5 – Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Genesis 5:1-32

1 This is the written account of Adam’s family line.

When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them ‘Mankind’ when they were created.

3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth. 4 After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 5 Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.

6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh. 7 After he became the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters. 8 Altogether, Seth lived a total of 912 years, and then he died.

9 When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan. 10 After he became the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters. 11 Altogether, Enosh lived a total of 905 years, and then he died.

12 When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel. 13 After he became the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters. 14 Altogether, Kenan lived a total of 910 years, and then he died.

15 When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared. 16 After he became the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters. 17 Altogether, Mahalalel lived a total of 895 years, and then he died.

18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. 19 After he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 20 Altogether, Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then he died.

21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. 24 Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. 26 After he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27 Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died.

28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. 29 He named him Noah and said, ‘He will comfort us in the labour and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.’ 30 After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. 31 Altogether, Lamech lived a total of 777 years, and then he died.

32 After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.

A. Find Out:

1. How long did Adam live? v.5
2. Trace the length of life for each named man: Seth v.8 / Enosh v.11 / Kenan v.14 / Mahalalel v.16 / Jared v.20 / Enoch v.23 / Methuselah v.27 / Lamech v.31
3. What differentiated Enoch? v.22
4. Why did he only live to 365? v.24

B. Think:

1. What do you notice about lifespans of the four generations after Adam?
2. What factor perhaps contributed to the change in trend in the next three generations?
3. What did Noah’s arrival tell us about how men felt about the earth?

C. Comment:

At first sight an uninspiring chapter filled with ages, but remember, ALL Scripture is inspired and profitable for teaching etc. (2 Tim 3:16) First we observe that men in these earliest days of the earth seemed to live to great ages. Second, we note that those ages seem to get shorter the further they get from Adam. That perhaps indicates something of the perfection of Adam (apart from his sin) as the man made by God’s hands and not through childbirth, and the effect of increasing sin in men reducing their life spans.

This thought is reinforced when we come to a period when one man, Enoch, has a real relationship with God (v.22), with the result that his father lived almost to Adam’s age and his son exceeds Adam’s age (v.20). Enoch himself doesn’t appear to have died but God took him directly to heaven (v.24). The picture is of a close intimate walk with God which so blessed the Lord that He transferred Enoch to His home! What a nugget of truth in the midst of the ages. Here in these early generations was a man who really stood out. May we do so also!

D. Application?

1. Can I be said to be a person who “walks with God”?
2. Does my life affect the lives of others around me?
3. Pray and ask the Lord to lead you in a closer walk with Him.