Genesis 5:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Adding these figures totals 1,287 years. Furthermore, when extending beyond this genealogical timeline, an additional 969 years before the Flood gives a cumulative total of 2,256 years, according to the chronology outlined in the Greek and Church Slavonic texts of the Scriptures, verified against the ancient Samaritan records and the writings of Josephus. The Greek timeline estimates about 600 years longer than the Hebrew tradition, wherein the first six patriarchs are recorded as having fathered their children a century earlier than in the Hebrew Bible. The challenge of reconciling this difference does not compromise the clear teachings of the salvation message within the Holy Scriptures.

Some have questioned the long lifespans of the patriarchs prior to the Flood and those leading up to Abraham, suggesting that it is implausible for individuals to live for hundreds of years. They speculate that Moses might have adopted a method akin to the ancient Egyptians by interpreting a year as a month when recounting the ages of the patriarchs. However, this assumption lacks any support in the biblical narrative; in fact, Moses differentiates between years and months when recounting the events surrounding the Flood, stating, "In the six hundredth year of Noah's life,... on the seventeenth day of the month, all the fountains of the great deep were broken up" (Gen. 7:11). It cannot be reasonably proposed that the year could be condensed to three months preceding the flood and eight months thereafter. Moses clearly outlines a full year’s duration for the Flood events. Thus, the Flood began on the 17th day of the second month in Noah's 600th year and concluded on the 27th day of the same month in his 601st year (Genesis 8:13-14). Between the onset and conclusion of the Flood, Moses calculates 150 days, which is five months, and he notes the gradual receding of the waters beginning on the 17th day of the seventh month, followed by further observations in subsequent months. If we were to treat the years of the patriarchs as equivalent to our months, it would imply that certain patriarchs fathered children far too young—like Arphaxad who lived to 500 but supposedly became a father at age 12, or Terah, Abraham's father, who lived for 205 years but had a son when he was six. Another inconsistency arises with Jacob, who at the age of 130 complains before Pharaoh about the brevity of life, stating that his days fall short of those of his ancestors (Gen. 47:9). This claim would lose significance if his ancestors had lived only for months instead of years. Acknowledging the longevity of the patriarchs reveals the special providence of God; the longer the patriarchs existed, the more rapidly humanity multiplied, gaining in life wisdom and discernment, thereby equipping them to guide subsequent generations. This was particularly essential during the primitive state of humanity, ensuring the preservation of divine revelation and holy traditions among those who worship the true God. During an era without written scripture, the patriarchs embodied living testaments to God's revelations. One individual could share divinely revealed truths over centuries. For instance, Noah, who lived about 600 years before the Flood, could engage in conversation with Maleel, who in turn could speak with Adam. Methuselah, who died in the year of the Flood, could relay knowledge he received from Enos, Seth's son. Therefore, both the later revelations from God and the original revelations heard by Adam in Paradise could transition intact into the world post-Flood. Alongside special divine intervention, natural factors contributed to the patriarchs’ longevity: the abundant natural forces, minimally tainted by sin, a lifestyle close to nature, and the primitive condition of the human body—fewer ancestors resulted in less hereditary deterioration—these elements highlight the advantages of early humanity compared to later times.

The historian carefully notes the chronology of pre-Flood patriarchs: the age of each patriarch at the birth of the next, the duration of their lives until their children's births, and solemnly concludes each account with "and died." This is the unyielding decree. Humanity does not vanish; life is continually renewed through new generations. The lineage that holds the holy seed for the spiritual renewal of all humanity remains resilient. Yet the pronouncement made to Adam—that he would return to dust—was to apply to individuals, though they "had not sinned in the likeness of Adam's transgression" (Rom. 5:14). There was one exception in the patriarchal lineage—Enoch. Of him it is written, "And Enoch walked with God, and he was not found, for God had taken him" (Gen. 5:24). This expresses that Enoch lived in close spiritual fellowship with God, approaching Him through faith and love, and earning His special favor, which may have included divine manifestations reminiscent of Adam's experiences in Paradise. "And he was not found" signifies his departure from earthly life, "for God had taken him." The Apostle adds, "By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found because God had taken him" (Heb. 11:5), transitioning to a state of glory without taste of death or illness. This miraculous event serves to inspire faith in eternal life amid the widespread presence of mortality and decay. Additionally, the son of Sirach notes, "Enoch was taken as an example of repentance for his contemporaries" (Sir. 44:15), indicating that those around him were encouraged by Enoch's life of repentance and his prophetic calling. Enoch exemplified and preached repentance, with his prophetic words captured by Jude: "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds" (Jude 1:14-15). A similar prophecy attributed to Enoch exists in an apocryphal text, laden with erroneous ideas and fanciful speculations. However, it is clear that Jude conveyed Enoch's genuine prophetic sayings through oral tradition, not derived from that text, which intertwines truth with falsehood.