The Meaning of Genesis 5:12 Explained

Genesis 5:12

KJV: And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel:

YLT: And Cainan liveth seventy years, and begetteth Mahalaleel.

Darby: And Cainan lived seventy years, and begot Mahalaleel.

ASV: And Kenan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalalel:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Cainan  lived  seventy  years,  and begat  Mahalaleel: 

What does Genesis 5:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 5:1-24 - Posterity Of Adam
In contrast to Cain's line in the previous chapter, we have Seth's in this. Note the curious similarity in the names, as though the Cainites professed all that the Sethites held, but lacked the reality and power. There have always been these two families in the world, tares and wheat, goats and sheep. This is an old-world cemetery; we walk among old monuments with time-worn inscriptions. Though the Sethites were God-fearers, they were tinged with Adam's sin. He was made in God's image, but they in His. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh." We need what is described in Colossians 3:10 and Ephesians 4:23. The birth of Methuselah seems to have had a profound influence on his father. After that he walked with God. Faith will enable us to do the same, because it makes the unseen visible and God real. Go God's way: keep God's pace: talk to Him aloud and constantly, as the great Companion. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 5

1  Recapitulation of the creation of man
3  The genealogy, age, and death of the patriarchs from Adam to Noah
22  Enoch's godliness and translation into Heaven
25  The family line of Methuselah to Noah and his sons

What do the individual words in Genesis 5:12 mean?

And lived Cainan seventy years and he begat - Mahalalel
וַֽיְחִ֥י קֵינָ֖ן שִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־ מַֽהֲלַלְאֵֽל

וַֽיְחִ֥י  And  lived 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
קֵינָ֖ן  Cainan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֵינָן  
Sense: son of Enosh and father of Mahalaleel.
שִׁבְעִ֣ים  seventy 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: שִׁבְעִים  
Sense: seventy.
שָׁנָ֑ה  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
וַיּ֖וֹלֶד  and  he  begat 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מַֽהֲלַלְאֵֽל  Mahalalel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַהֲלַלְאֵל  
Sense: son of Cainan and the 4th in descent from Adam in the line of Seth.

What are the major concepts related to Genesis 5:12?

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