Genesis 5:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God.

NIV: This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God.

NASB: This is the book of the generations of Adam. On the day when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.

CSB: This is the document containing the family records of Adam. On the day that God created man, he made him in the likeness of God;

NLT: This is the written account of the descendants of Adam. When God created human beings, he made them to be like himself.

KJV: This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

NKJV: This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.

Chapter 5 is the beginning of a new section in the book of Genesis. It begins with a brief restating of God's creation of humanity and then provides a specific genealogy of the descendants of Adam through Seth and the succeeding generations to Noah.

Verse 1 describes this section as a book. In the era of the original writing, this most likely meant a clay tablet. This passage describes itself as "the book of the generations of Adam." The Hebrew word here is ā'dām, used both for the proper name of the first man, as well as the generic term for those who came after him. The same word used for man or mankind is also translated as Adam when referring to this first man. This, then, is a book of the generations of "man."

This verse restates the claim of Genesis 1:27 that God created Adam, mankind, in His own likeness. This does not mean that God has some physical form, or that Adam physically resembled God. John 4:24 tells us that God is a spirit. It does mean, however, that God created mankind to stand "in His image." As His representatives on earth, we rule and subdue His creation. It also carries the idea that humankind is essentially different from all the animals God made. We share with Him the experience of truth, beauty, meaning, will, and reason. Finally, the truth that all humans are made in the likeness of God means that all humans have enormous value and are worthy of great respect (James 3:9).

Genesis 5:1-32 is a bridge of genealogy connecting the time of Adam and his son Seth to the time of Noah. This brings the Bible's historical record to the era of the flood. It provides a small, but helpful set of details: early humans lived a long time, had many children, and all died as a result of ubiquitous human sin. Enoch is the exception that proves the rule, commended for walking with God and seemingly taken away before his physical death. Despite the presence of early God-worshippers such as Adam and Seth, man will quickly descend into extraordinary wickedness, as seen in chapter 6. The coming of Noah at the end of this chapter prepares us for God's response to the sins of humankind.

Chapter 5 uses a simple genealogy of Adam's descendants through Seth to link the earliest humans with the time of Noah and the flood. In the generations after the garden, human beings live extraordinarily long lives, have great numbers of children, and continue to be in relationship with God though separated from Him physically and spiritually. The description of Enoch being ''taken'' by God is the exception that proves the rule: No matter how long a person lives, sin always leads to death.

Genesis 4 ends with the birth of Seth's son Enosh, and a statement that people had begun to call on the Lord's name. Chapter 5 details the generations from Adam through Seth to Noah, connecting the time of Adam and Seth with the time of Noah and his sons as described in chapter 6. This sets the stage for God's judgment of mankind's pervasive sin in the flood.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.