“This is the list of the descendents of Adam. When God created humankind, he made him in the likeness of God. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them humankind when they were created.”
The priestly tradition tries to tie up things nicely with a long genealogy of about 1,000 years from Adam to Noah. This genealogy repeats the theme of Genesis, chapter 1. God created humans in the image of God, male and female.
“When Adam had lived one hundred thirty years, he became the father of a son in his likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth. The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years. He had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years. Then he died.”
The offspring of Seth and not Cain were to lead to Noah. Most of these patriarchs began having children in old age and continued on. This is the list of the first born males, but in each case they all “had other sons and daughters,” even Adam. Adam died at age 937. Seth, who was born when Adam was 130, counts and Cain and Abel do not, although Cain was the oldest.
“When Seth had lived one hundred five years, he became the father of Enosh. Seth lived after the birth of Enosh eight hundred seven years, and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Seth were nine hundred twelve years. Then he died.”
Seth died at age 912. Enosh was born when Seth was 105. The only explanation of why these people lived hundreds of years is that they were using a different calendar, if any at all.
“When Enosh had lived ninety years, he became the father of Kenan. Enosh lived after the birth of Kenan eight hundred fifteen years, and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enosh were nine hundred five years. Then he died.”
Enosh died at age 905. Kenan was born when Enosh was 90.
“When Kenan had lived seventy years, he became the father of Mahalalel. Kenan lived after the birth of Mahalalel eight hundred forty years, and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Kenan were nine hundred ten years. Then he died.”
Kenan died at age 910. Mahalalel was born when Kenan was 70.
“When Mahalalel had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Jared. Mahalalel lived after the birth of Jared eight hundred thirty years, and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years. Then he died.”
Mahalalel died at age 895. Jared was born when Mahalalel was 65.
“When Jared had lived one hundred sixty-two years he became the father of Enoch. Jared lived after the birth of Enoch eight hundred years, and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty-two years. Then he died.”
Jared died at age 762. Enoch was born when Jared was 162.
“When Enoch had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after the birth of Methuselah three hundred years, and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God. Then he was no more because God took him.”
This Enoch lived to age 365, a big drop off in age here. Methuselah was born when Enoch was 65. Enoch was Cain’s son in chapter four above. Maybe we have a tie in with Cain’s genealogy. However, this Enoch has this strange remark that God took him, not that he died. He was considered the seventh generation, the lucky number. In fact, there is a Book of Enoch, from around 200 BCE, that some considered canonical.
“When Methuselah had lived one hundred eighty-seven years, he became the father of Lamech. Methuselah lived after the birth of Lamech seven hundred eighty-two years, and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years. Then he died.”
Methuselah lived to age 969. Lamech was born when Methuselah was 187. This name is close to Cain’s great-great grandson. The other anomaly is that he is the oldest when he bears his first child, 187, and lives the longest, 937, even more than Adam. Thus it became a saying that an old man was as ‘old as Methuselah.’
“When Lamech had lived one hundred eighty-two years, he became the father of a son. He named him Noah, saying, ‘Out of the ground that Yahweh has cursed this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the toil of our hands.’ Lamech lived after the birth of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years. Then he died.”
Lamech lived to age 777 (lucky numbers). Noah was born when Lamech was 182. Once again there is a tie in with Cain with the same name. Is this the same Lamech who was descended from Cain? However, Noah is somehow special.
“After Noah was five hundred years old, Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.”
Noah was 500 when he had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Obviously Noah had a long puberty. Instead of one son, all three are mentioned. Noah was the 10th in this line from Adam. The Babylonians also had ten heroes before their flood experience. Most of them seemed to reach puberty and bear children around 100. There are about 10 generations, so if the first born had children, this genealogy took about 1067 years to go from Adam to Noah. This is how a literal interpretation could lead to Dispensationalism, like that of John Nelson Darby (1800-1882). His basic idea was that the earth is six thousand years old, which then led to the confusion with Darwinism.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 