EOB: Official Site of the Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible (Old and New Testament)

Genesis 11:14

EOB (Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible):

When Shelah was thirty years old, he became the father of Eber.

EOB Footnote:

The LXX includes an additional generation not found in the MT: Cainan, who lived 130 years before fathering Shelah, then lived 330 more years after fathering Shelah, and had other sons and daughters. The MT lacks this Cainan generation entirely, moving directly from Arpachshad to Shelah. Additionally, the MT gives Shelah’s age at fathering Eber as 30 years, while the LXX gives 130 years. The MT states Shelah lived 403 years after fathering Eber, while the LXX states 330 years.

Other Translations:

KJV (King James Version):

And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber:

WEB (World English Bible):

Salah lived thirty years, and became the father of Eber.

Benton LXX (Vaticanus):

Genesis 11:14 in the Brenton translation of the Septuagint is not available.

Douai-Rheims (Vulgate):

And Sale lived thirty years, and begot Heber.

Apostoliki Diakonia (LXX):

And Shelah lived thirty years, and begot Eber.

YLT (Young Literal Translation )(MT):

When Shelah lived thirty years, he fathered Eber.

BBE (Bible in Basic English):

After he was thirty years old, Shelach became the father of Eber:

EOB COMMENTARY:

EOB Commentary:

Genesis 11:14 Commentary

And Shelah lived thirty years and begot Eber.

This verse continues the genealogy from Shem to Abraham, marking an important link in the chain of sacred history. While appearing as a simple genealogical notation, the mention of Eber carries significant theological weight in the Orthodox tradition.

The Name and Its Significance: Eber (Hebrew: Ever) is traditionally understood as the ancestor from whom the designation “Hebrew” derives. The Septuagint renders this name as Eber, and the connection to the identity of the chosen people is preserved throughout patristic commentary. Saint Jerome and other Fathers noted that the very name of God’s people traces back to this patriarch, establishing a continuous line of identity from the post-flood world to Abraham and ultimately to Christ.

Christological Reading: The Orthodox Church reads all genealogies in Genesis as pointing toward the Incarnation. Each generation preserved the messianic line through which the Word would take flesh. The genealogy in Luke 3 explicitly includes Eber in the ancestry of Christ, demonstrating that this seemingly minor verse participates in the great mystery of salvation history. Every name in this chain represents divine providence working through human generations to prepare for the fullness of time.

Patristic Interpretation: Saint Augustine observed that these genealogies demonstrate God’s faithfulness across generations, never abandoning His promise despite human sinfulness. The precision of years mentioned shows that sacred history operates within real time, preparing for the historical reality of the Incarnation. Theophilus of Antioch used these genealogies to establish biblical chronology against pagan claims of greater antiquity.

Liturgical Connection: During the Great Fast, the Church reads through Genesis, including these genealogies, reminding the faithful that salvation is not abstract but worked out through concrete human lives across generations. The genealogies chanted during the Royal Hours before Nativity and Theophany echo this same pattern, connecting the Old Testament ancestors to Christ.

Spiritual Application: For Orthodox spirituality, these verses remind us that faithfulness often appears mundane. Shelah lived, begot children, and died, yet his life was essential to God’s plan. Similarly, our ordinary lives of faith, when lived in communion with God, participate in His eternal purposes. The monastics and ascetics have always taught that hidden faithfulness matters profoundly in the economy of salvation.

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