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Genesis 5:9

EOB (Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible):

When Enosh was ninety years old, he had a son named Kenan.

EOB Footnote:

The LXX gives Enosh’s age at the birth of Kenan as 190 years, while the MT reads 90 years. This difference of 100 years is consistent with the systematic variation in pre-flood patriarchal ages between these textual traditions. No DSS manuscript witness exists for this verse.

Other Translations:

KJV (King James Version):

And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan.

WEB (World English Bible):

Seth lived one hundred five years, then became the father of Enosh.

Benton LXX (Vaticanus):

And Enos lived an hundred and ninety years, and begat Cainan.

Douai-Rheims (Vulgate):

And Enos lived ninety years, and begot Cainan.

Apostoliki Diakonia (LXX):

And Enosh lived ninety years and begot Cainan.

YLT (Young Literal Translation )(MT):

Enosh lived ninety years and begot Kenan.

BBE (Bible in Basic English):

Enosh was ninety years old when he became the father of Kenan.

EOB COMMENTARY:

EOB Commentary:

Genesis 5:9 Commentary

And Enos lived ninety years and begat Cainan.

This verse continues the genealogical record of the righteous line of Seth, tracing the ancestry that would ultimately lead to Noah and, in the fullness of time, to Christ Himself. While appearing as a simple genealogical notation, this verse participates in the broader theological significance of the Sethite genealogy.

Christological Significance: The genealogy of Genesis 5 finds its ultimate fulfillment in the Gospel of Luke, where the Evangelist traces the lineage of our Lord Jesus Christ back through this very line. In Luke 3:37-38, we find Cainan (Kainan) listed as the son of Enos, directly connecting this Old Testament passage to the Incarnation. The Church Fathers understood these genealogies not merely as historical records but as the unfolding of God’s providential plan for salvation. Each generation preserved the promise given to Adam and Eve regarding the seed who would crush the serpent’s head.

Patristic Interpretation: Saint Augustine, in his City of God, reflects on the longevity of the antediluvian patriarchs as indicative of God’s patience and the gradual unfolding of sacred history. The extended lifespans allowed for the preservation and transmission of divine knowledge from Adam through successive generations. Enos, whose name means “man” or “mortal,” reminds us of human frailty even amid remarkable longevity, pointing toward our need for the Savior.

Liturgical Connection: The genealogies of Genesis are commemorated in the Orthodox Church during the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers, celebrated two Sundays before the Nativity of Christ. On this day, the Church honors all the righteous ancestors according to the flesh of our Lord, including Enos and Cainan. The hymnography of this feast celebrates how God prepared humanity through generations of faithful ones for the coming of the Messiah.

Spiritual Reflection: The pattern of begetting in these genealogies reminds Orthodox Christians of the sacred nature of family life and the transmission of faith from generation to generation. Just as Enos passed on both physical life and spiritual inheritance to Cainan, so too are Orthodox parents called to nurture their children in the faith, becoming links in the chain of salvation history that connects us to the patriarchs and ultimately to Christ.

The seemingly mundane details of years and begetting thus reveal the patient working of divine providence through human history, preparing the way for the Theotokos and her Divine Son.

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