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

Genesis 11:16

EOB (Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible):

When Eber was thirty-four years old, he became the father of Peleg.

EOB Footnote:

The LXX states that Eber lived 134 years before fathering Sala, while the MT reads 34 years. After fathering Sala, the LXX gives Eber’s remaining years as 370 (some manuscripts read 270), whereas the MT reads 430 years. These differences reflect the well-known chronological divergence between the LXX and MT in the Genesis 11 genealogy, where the LXX consistently adds 100 years to the age at fathering for several patriarchs. No DSS manuscript preserves this verse.

Other Translations:

KJV (King James Version):

And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg:

WEB (World English Bible):

Eber lived thirty-four years, and became the father of Peleg.

Benton LXX (Vaticanus):

And Sala lived thirty years, and begot Heber.

Douai-Rheims (Vulgate):

And Heber lived thirty-four years, and begot Phaleg.

Apostoliki Diakonia (LXX):

When Eber had lived thirty-four years, he became the father of Peleg.

YLT (Young Literal Translation )(MT):

And Eber lives thirty-four years and begets Peleg.

BBE (Bible in Basic English):

And when Eber was thirty-four years old he became the father of Peleg.

EOB COMMENTARY:

EOB Commentary:

Eber and the Lineage of Promise

Genesis 11:16 records that Eber lived thirty-four years and begot Peleg, continuing the genealogical thread from Shem to Abraham. While this verse appears as a simple chronological marker, the figure of Eber carries profound significance within the Orthodox understanding of sacred history.

Patristic Significance: The Church Fathers recognized Eber as the eponymous ancestor from whom the designation “Hebrew” derives. Saint Jerome and other patristic commentators noted this etymological connection, seeing in Eber a preservation of the faithful line through which God’s promises would be transmitted. Saint Ephrem the Syrian observed that the name Eber means “one who crosses over” or “one from beyond,” prefiguring the pilgrim character of Abraham and ultimately of all who journey toward the heavenly Jerusalem.

Christological Dimensions: The genealogy passing through Eber finds its ultimate fulfillment in the Gospel of Luke, where the evangelist traces Christ’s lineage back through this very patriarch (Luke 3:35). The Orthodox Church understands these genealogies not as mere historical records but as testimonies to the Incarnation’s preparation throughout human history. Each generation preserved the line through which the Theotokos would come, and through her, the God-Man Himself.

The Tower of Babel and Pentecost: Eber’s son Peleg, whose name means “division,” was born in the generation when the earth was divided at Babel. The Orthodox liturgical tradition, particularly in the services of Pentecost, draws a direct connection between the confusion of tongues at Babel and their reunification through the Holy Spirit. The kontakion of Pentecost proclaims that when the Most High descended and confused the tongues, He divided the nations, but when He distributed the tongues of fire, He called all to unity. Eber’s genealogical position at this pivotal moment reminds us that even amid humanity’s scattering, God preserved a lineage of blessing.

Spiritual Application: The Orthodox spiritual tradition sees in these genealogies a testimony to God’s patient providence. Generation after generation, the faithful line continued despite human sinfulness and cosmic upheaval. This patience of God, spanning centuries and millennia, reveals the depth of divine love that would ultimately manifest in the Incarnation. For the Orthodox believer, contemplating these genealogies cultivates the virtue of hope, recognizing that God works through ordinary human generations to accomplish extraordinary salvation.

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