Genesis 5:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When summed, these numbers total 1287 years. Beyond this, if we include 969 years that elapsed before the Flood, as detailed in Genesis 5:26-32 and Genesis 7:6, we arrive at a total of 2256 years from creation to the Flood. According to the chronology in the Greek and Church Slavonic texts of scripture, which correlates with ancient Samaritan records and the works of Josephus, there is a noted discrepancy where the Greek accounts suggest approximately 600 more years than the Hebrew versions. This is because, in the Hebrew Bible, the first six patriarchs appear to be fathers a hundred years earlier than their counterparts in the Greek record. While the precise reasons for this difference may be difficult to articulate, it does not detract from the core teachings of salvation found in Holy Scripture.

The extraordinary lifespans of the patriarchs, who lived long before the Flood and during the period leading up to Abraham, have been met with skepticism by some modern interpreters. Some find it hard to believe that individuals could live to such ages as 900, 800, or even 200 years, suggesting instead that perhaps Moses was speaking of months instead of years when he recorded these ages, following the example of ancient Egyptians. However, Moses’s writings do not support this claim. For example, when recounting the Flood, Moses distinguishes clearly between a year and a month, stating, "In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, … on the seventeenth day of the month, all the fountains of the great deep burst forth" (Genesis 7:11). Additionally, it is evident that the year of the Flood encompassed a full year. The Flood began on the 17th day of the second month in Noah's 600th year and ended on the 27th day of the second month the following year (Genesis 8:13-14). During the period of the Flood, Moses notes a span of 150 days, equating to approximately five months. If the years of the patriarchs were interpreted as months, it would imply that they fathered children at implausibly young ages, illustrated by Arphaxad fathering Salah at the age of 12, rather than the actual age of 135 according to scripture (Genesis 11:12-13). This raises further contradictions, such as Jacob, at 130, lamenting the brevity of his life compared to that of his ancestors (Genesis 47:9). If indeed his forebears lived only a fraction of those years, would such a lament hold any real meaning? This suggests that the patriarchs' extended lifespans serve to highlight God's providence; the longer they lived, the more they contributed to humanity’s growth, richness in experience, and wisdom, essential for guiding the younger generations, facilitating the faithful transmission of divine revelation in a time when scripture had yet to be inscribed. The patriarchs truly embodied a living testimony of God's revelations. Men like Noah, who lived nearly 600 years pre-Flood, could engage in conversations with the likes of Maleel, who conversed with Adam, while Methuselah could share revelations he received from Enos, thus preserving the original purity of divine truths handed down through generations.

In addition to divine providence, the natural conditions of their time contributed to the patriarchs' longevity. The abundance of natural resources, less tainted by the effects of sin, a simpler lifestyle that fostered closer ties to nature, and the relatively unspoiled condition of human bodies allowed for fewer hereditary issues to affect subsequent generations—these factors offered a marked advantage for those ancient times compared to later periods.

Within this record of the pre-Flood patriarchs, each one's birth, their lifespan until the birth of the next generation, and the ultimate phrase "and died" denotes an unchanging truth: while humanity itself does not vanish, life is continually renewed through successive generations. The lineage that nurtured the holy seed, destined for the spiritual renewal of humanity, remained intact, despite the judgment pronounced on Adam that he would return to the dust from which he was formed (Genesis 3:19; Romans 5:14). One notable exception in the lineage is Enoch, who, as noted, "pleased God and was not found, for God had taken him" (Genesis 5:24). This account of Enoch aligns with the Hebrew translation, which emphasizes his close walk with God, indicative of a profound spiritual communion (1 Kings 15:26). Enoch's righteousness drew forth divine favor, perhaps allowing him to experience the same visible manifestations of God that Adam encountered in Paradise. He was taken directly into glory, bypassing death, as affirmed by the Apostle: "By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found because God had taken him" (Hebrews 11:5). Enoch’s ascension prefigures Elijah's later rapture (2 Kings 2:10) and foreshadows the transformation that awaits those believers who will be alive at the second coming of Christ, who will be changed in an instant and made incorruptible (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

The purpose of Enoch's extraordinary departure was to inspire among those living in a world marked by decay and mortality, fortifying their faith in eternal life and the promise of immortality. Additionally, the son of Sirach remarks that Enoch serves as an example of repentance for his contemporaries (Sirach 44:15). His life illustrated the rewards of a repentant spirit and an earnest effort against sin. Enoch, not only through the testament of his life but also through his prophetic ministry, called others to repent. The apostle Jude cites Enoch's prophetic words: "Behold, the Lord comes with His holy myriads, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of their deeds committed in ungodliness" (Jude 1:14-15). This prophecy is echoed in an apocryphal text attributed to Enoch, which mixes truth with fanciful notions about stars and celestial beings. However, the apostolic reference to Enoch's words undoubtedly stems from authentic tradition rather than these misleading texts.