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Genesis v.
Notes & Commentary:
Ver. 2. Adam: the common name of mankind, made to the likeness of God. (Haydock)
Ver. 5. He died. Ecclesiasticus xiv. 12, says very justly, the covenant of this world is,
he shall surely die. God prolonged the lives of the patriarchs to a more advanced age, that the world might be sooner
filled. Their constitution was then more excellent, the fruits of the earth more nourishing, &c. But the sole satisfactory
reason for their living almost a thousand years, while we can hardly arrive at 70, is, because so it pleased God, in whose
hands are all our lots. There is a great difference in the number of years assigned by the Hebrew and Vulgate, from that which
the Samaritan copy mentions; and the Septuagint differs from both. Whether the difference be real, or only apparent, we shall
not pretend to determine. The Church has not decided which system of chronology is the most accurate. In the Martyrology,
she adopts that of the Septuagint and places the birth of Christ in [the year of the world] 5199, after Eusebius and Ven.
Bede, though Riccioli calculates the Septuagint at 5634 years. (Haydock) --- Adam died penitent, as we are assured by the
Holy Ghost, Wisdom x. 2.; and tradition affirms the same of Eve, insomuch, that the heresy of the Encratites, who condemned
our first parents to hell, was exploded with horror. (St. Epiphanius; St. Augustine, in hæres.; Tirinus)
Ver. 24. Walked with God. Septuagint, "was pleasing to God," by continual recollection and watchfulness
over himself. Thus he became perfect. --- Was seen no more; or, as St. Paul reads, after the Septuagint, he was
not found. (Hebrews xi. 5.) --- God took him alive to some place unknown, which is commonly supposed to be Paradise,
conformably to Ecclesiasticus xliv. 16, though in Greek we do not read Paradise. Henoch pleased God, and was translated
[into Paradise], that he may give repentance to the nations. To him, that of Wisdom iv. 10, may be applied: He...was
beloved, and living among sinners, he was translated. He will come again, when the charity of many of his children (for
we all spring from him) shall have grown cold; and shall at last suffer death for opposing Antichrist. (Apocalypse xi.) (Haydock)
--- "Though it be not an article of faith, whether Henoch be now in that Paradise, from which Adam and Eve were driven, or
in some other delightful place; yet the holy Scriptures affirm, that God translated him alive, that he might not experience
death," St. Chrysostom, hom. 21, with whom the other fathers agree, cited in the Douay Bible; so that it is a matter of surprise,
how any Protestant can call it in question. He is the other witness, who will come with Elias, before the great day of the
Lord, to perform the same office to the nations, as the latter will to the Jews. (Malachias iv.) God preserves these two alive,
perhaps to give us a striking proof how he could have treated Adam and his posterity, if they had not sinned; and also to
confirm our hopes of immortality, when we shall have paid the debt of nature. (Worthington)
Ver. 29. Noe means consolation, or repose. After he had beheld the most dreadful
catastrophe or disturbance that ever happened in the world, he settled mankind once more in the friendship of God, and merited
a blessing both for himself and for the whole earth. He gave, likewise, comfort to all, by useful inventions in agriculture,
and in the art of making wine. He saw an end of the distractions caused by the wicked sons of Cain, and became the restorer
of a new world: in a word, he was the progenitor of the Messias [Jesus Christ], who is the King of Peace, and our only solid
comfort. (Menochius) (Haydock)
Ver. 31. Old. It is wonderful if Noe had no children before this time; but he might have had many,
whom the Scripture does not mention, either because they were dead before the deluge, or taking evil courses with the daughters
of men, deserved to perish with them. Noe kept the three, who were born after God had foretold the deluge, with the greatest
care, under his own eyes. St. Augustine (City of God xv. 20.) thinks, however, that many of the Patriarchs had no children
till they were pretty far advanced in years. As Sem was born when Noe was 502, and Cham was the youngest, Japheth must have
been the first-born. Compare chap. x. 21, with chap. ix. 24. There is no reason to suppose they were all born the same year.
(Calmet)
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Bible Text and Cross-references:
The genealogy, age, and death of the Patriarchs, from
Adam to Noe. The translation of Henoch.
1 This is the book of the generation of Adam. In the day that God created
man, *he made him to the likeness of God.
2 He created them male and female; and blessed them: and called their
name Adam, in the day when they were created.
3 *And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begot a son to his
own image and likeness, and called his name Seth.
4 And the days of Adam, after he begot Seth, were eight hundred years:
and he begot sons and daughters.
5 And all the time that Adam lived, came to nine hundred and thirty years,
and he died.
6 Seth also lived a hundred and five years, and begot Enos.*
7 And Seth lived after he begot Enos, eight hundred and seven years,
and begot sons and daughters.
8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years, and he
died.
9 And Enos lived ninety years, and begot Cainan.
10 After whose birth he lived eight hundred and fifteen years, and begot
sons and daughters.
11 And the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years, and he died.
12 And Cainan lived seventy years, and begot Malaleel.
13 And Cainan lived after he begot Malaleel, eight hundred forty years,
and begot sons and daughters.
14 And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years, and he
died.
15 And Malaleel lived sixty-five years, and begot Jared.
16 And Malaleel lived after he begot Jared, eight hundred and thirty
years, and begot sons and daughters.
17 And all the days of Malaleel were eight hundred and ninety-five years,
and he died.
18 And Jared lived a hundred and sixty-two years, and begot Henoch.
19 And Jared lived after he begot Henoch, eight hundred years, and begot
sons and daughters.
20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years, and
he died.
21 And Henoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Mathusala.
22 And Henoch walked with God: and lived after he begot Mathusala, three
hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.
23 And all the days of Henoch were three hundred and sixty-five years.
24 And he walked with God, and was seen no more: because God took him.*
25 And Mathusala lived a hundred and eighty-seven years, and begot Lamech.
26 And Mathusala lived after he begot Lamech, seven hundred and eighty-two
years, and begot sons and daughters.
27 And all the days of Mathusala were nine hundred and sixty-nine years,
and he died.
28 And Lamech lived a hundred and eighty-two years, and begot a son.
29 And he called his name *Noe, saying: This same shall comfort us from
the works and labours of our hands on the earth, which the Lord hath cursed.
30 And Lamech lived after he begot Noe, five hundred and ninety-five
years, and begot sons and daughters.
31 And all the days of Lamech came to seven hundred and seventy-seven
years, and he died. And Noe, when he was five hundred years old, begot Sem, Cham, and Japheth.
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*
1: Wisdom ii. 3.[23.?]; Ecclesiasticus xvii. 1.; Genesis ix. 6.
3: 1 Paralipomenon i. 1.
6: Year of the World 235, Year before Christ 3769.
24: Year of the World 987, Year before Christ 3017.
29: Year of the World 1056, Year before Christ 2948.
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