Genesis 10:28

And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,

1. Joktan had 3 additional sons. Their names were Obal, Abimael and Sheba.

Genesis 10:27

And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,

1. Joktan had three additional sons, named Hadoram, Uzal and Diklah.

Genesis 10:26

And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazar-maveth, and Jerah,

1. Joktan, Shem's 2nd great grandson, had many sons. Four of them were Almodad, Sheleph, Hazar-maveth, and Jerah.

Genesis 10:25

And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.

1. Eber, a great grandson of Shem, had two sons: Peleg and Joktan.
2. The earth was divided during Peleg's lifetime.
3. The earth being divided may refer to the process by which the oceans and continents changed from what is described in Genesis 1:9 to what exists today. It could also refer to the division of the earth into countries and nations. There doesn't appear to be much additional information on the subject in the bible.

Genesis 10:24

And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.

1. Through his son, Arphaxad, Shem had a grandson named Salah and a great grandson named Eber.

Genesis 10:23

And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.

1. Shem had at least 4 grandsons through his son Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether and Mash.
2. There are lots of good ideas here for those seeking unusual names for their newborn.

Genesis 10:22

The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.

1. Shem had at least 5 children (presumably sons): Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud and Aram.
2. I wonder if the Aramaic language is connected with Shem's son, Aram.

Genesis 10:21

Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.

1. Shem had children.
2. Eber was a descendant of Shem.
3. Shem was a brother of Japheth.
4. Japheth apparently had a son or grandson by the same name.

Genesis 10:20

These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.

1. That concludes the list of Ham descendants as they eventually were divided into families, languages, regions and nations. This seems to confirm that the names given in the previous verses were not necessarily the names of immediate offspring, but rather the eventual groups that resulted after an unnamed number of generations.

Genesis 10:19

And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.

1. The extent or borders of the Canaanite lands are given. Apparently, not all locations for these cities can be identified, but it came to be pretty much synonymous with current Israel.

Genesis 10:18

And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.

1. The Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites descended from Canaan.
2. Canaan may have had sons named Arvad, Zemar and Hamath.
3. Eventually, Canaan's posterity spread far and wide.
4. As families grow they begin to spread out and lose touch with each other. This is not just a modern phenomenon, but occurred anciently.

Genesis 10:17

And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,

1. The Hivites, Arkites and Sinites also descended from Canaan. Perhaps, that means Canaan had three more sons, Hiv, Ark and Sin, but that's only a guess. Whatever their names were they may have been sons, grandsons, etc.

Genesis 10:16

And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,

1. The Jebusites, Amorites and Girgasites were also descendants of Canaan. The actual names of Canaan's sons, I am guessing, were Jebu, Amor, and Girg or Girga.

Genesis 10:15

And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,

1. Canaan, a son of Ham, had at least two sons. His firstborn was Sidon, followed by Heth.

Genesis 10:14

And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim.

1. Mizraim had 3 additional sons - Pathrusim, Casluhim and Caphtorim.
2. Philistim was the offspring or a descendant of Casluhim.

Genesis 10:13

And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,

1. Mizraim, a son of Ham, had 4 sons. Their names or the names of their posterity were Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim and Naphtuhim.

Genesis 10:12

And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.

1. Asshur also built the great city of Resen, located between Nineveh and Calah.
2. Being a great developer may get you a minor reference in history books.
3. Note: None of the cities mentioned in this and the previous verse survived to the present day, although ruins have been discovered for a couple of them.

Genesis 10:11

Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,

1. Asshur left the land developed by Nimrod and was instrumental in building Nineveh, Rehoboth and Calah.

Genesis 10:10

And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

1. Nimrod apparently founded the cities of Babel (Babylon), Erech, Accad and Calneh, all in the land of Shinar.
2. Nimrod was a leader and an organizer and had many followers.

Genesis 10:9

He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.

1. Nimrod was a great and legendary hunter.
2. Nimrod was apparently a righteous man.
3. There is nothing inherently wrong with hunting.

Genesis 10:8

And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.

1. Noah had another great grandson through Ham and his son Cush named Nimrod.
2. Nimrod began to develop into a mighty man.
3. Exceptional personalities may not always show up in genealogical lists of names.

Genesis 10:7

And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.

1. Noah's great grandsons through Ham and his son Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah and Sabtecha.
2. Noah's great great grandsons through Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.

Genesis 10:6

And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.

1. Ham had 4 sons: Cush, Mizraim, Phut and Canaan.

Genesis 10:5

By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.

1. The "isles of the Gentiles" were apparently populated by either the sons of Javan, or all the posterity of Japheth - it isn't very clear.
2. These people were regarded as Gentiles. Obviously, they weren't descendants of Shem, so they were not semitic.
3. Although the origin of the naming of the island of Java is unclear, I can't help believing that it may have been among the islands populated by the sons of Javan. Just speculation, though.

Genesis 10:4

And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.

1. Noah's great grandsons through Japheth's son, Javan, were: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.

Genesis 10:3

And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.

1. Noah's great grandsons through Gomer, son of Japheth, were Ashkenaz, Riphath and Togarmah.
2. It is good to keep track of one's posterity.

Genesis 10:2

The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

1. Japheth had 7 sons following the flood. They were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

Genesis 10:1

Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

1. The record now turns to the male descendants of Shem, Ham and Japheth.
2. I wonder if there is any significance to the order of Noah's sons listed here. It is the same order they are listed in Genesis 5:32 and Genesis 6:10.

Genesis 9:29

And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.

1. Noah lived for 950 years.

Genesis 9:28

And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.

1. Noah lived for 350 years after the flood.
2. Noah may have survived to or nearly to the time Abram (Abraham) was born. Most scholars, however, hesitate to rely solely upon the genealogical information in the Old Testament for accurate dating.

Genesis 9:27

God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

1. Like the previous verse, this appears to be a prophecy concerning the future of Noah's posterity.
2. The posterity of Japheth will be numerous.
3. Japheth shall dwell in the tents of Shem, suggesting a close relationship of some kind between their posterity, some type of sheltering or supporting of Japheth's descendants by the descendants of Shem - that is, actual or spiritual Israel.
4. The descendants of Canaan shall be servants to the posterity of Japheth.
5. God may bless groups of people to grow numerous. In a broader sense God may exercise or neglect to exercise power or influence over factors affecting population growth.

Genesis 9:26

And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

1. Noah said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Shem."
2. Shem was apparently a worshipper of the LORD God.
3. If the LORD God was blessed, who blessed Him, and why did Noah say this?
4. Canaan was to be Shem's servant. To me, this actually reads as if Noah said that Canaan would be the LORD God's servant, but in context with the following verse it appears it is the way I have stated it.
5. Actually, there was and is nothing about being occupied as a servant that prevents a person from being a servant of God, especially to someone like Shem. So, I wonder if this isn't one of those curses that is a blessing in disguise. Many people in looking back over their lives recognize that what appeared to be a curse at the time was actually a great blessing to them.
6. In context with the following verse it seems fairly certain that Noah was prophecying concerning the future of his posterity.
7. The descendants of Shem would worship the LORD God (I don't believe this necessarily means always or perfectly).
8. The descendants of Canaan would be servants to the posterity of Shem. (There are all sorts of interpretations of this, but I don't see anything here supporting further conjecture.)

Genesis 9:25

And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

1. Noah pronounced a curse upon Canaan, one of Ham's four sons.
2. Canaan would be a servant to the servants of his brethren.
3. There appears to be no biblical explanation as to the reason why Canaan rather than Ham was targeted with this curse.
4. Noah, as a prophet, apparently had the right and power to pronounce a curse upon Canaan.

Genesis 9:24

And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.

1. After waking Noah knew what Ham had done to him (which is more, I think, than we know from this account - has Paul Harvey done a "rest of the story" segment on this?).
2. How did Noah know what Ham had done? Was there evidence of some sort, or did the Lord tell him?
3. I think it's interesting that there's no mention of Noah feeling any accountability for what happened, which further suggests there is more to this story. Certainly if it were just a matter of Noah collapsing drunk and naked in his tent with the tent flap open so anyone could see, and it was just Ham's luck that he was the first to come by, then it seems to me it was Noah's problem, not Ham's. I doubt if that's the correct story. Many people have tried to figure this out. There's a lot of speculation. I'm just going to leave it alone.
4. If this story leaves out important details so as to cause confusion and misinterpretations, what guarantee do we have that this sort of thing does not occur in other parts of the Bible? Each student of the Bible, it seems to me, must come to grips with this issue. Fortunately, most Biblical teachings are repeated many times, so comparison can help resolve some confusing issues. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have other scriptural texts from the past, plus writings of living prophets, to which I can refer for a possible explanation, but those who believe the Bible to be the one and only source of revelation must deal with it as it stands here.

Genesis 9:23

And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.

1. Shem and Japheth cleverly covered their father, Noah, without seeing him naked.
2. Shem and Japheth were either afraid or just didn't want to see their father naked.
3. In either case I wonder why it wasn't Ham and one of the others who did this. After all, Ham had already seen Noah. Why not minimize the risk of another seeing him?
4. Why didn't the brothers just wait for Noah to awaken and cover himself?
5. One's uncovered body is apparently not something for others to see, with the exception of one's spouse, as taught in the Adam and Eve story.

Genesis 9:22

And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.

1. Ham saw his father lying naked in his tent, and he told his two brothers about it.
2. Ham had a son named Canaan.
3. How did Ham see his father? Was Noah's tent door open, or was Ham in Noah's tent for some reason? Where was Noah's wife? Why hadn't she covered her husband when he passed out? Was she dead by this time? Did she sleep in a separate tent?

Genesis 9:21

And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.

1. Noah's efforts to grow a vineyard were successful.
2. Noah made wine from grapes he grew.
3. Noah's wine fermented. This was not just new, unfermented wine.
4. Noah drank enough to become intoxicated on at least one occasion.
5. On this one occasion he lay drunk and uncovered in his tent.
6. Noah still lived in a tent quite a while after leaving the ark. It was most likely more than a year after planting his vineyard before he would have been able to harvest grapes and make wine.

Genesis 9:20

And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:

1. Noah began to farm.
2. Noah started a vineyard.
3. Noah was still quite vigorous for a man over 500 years old.

Genesis 9:19

These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.

1. All people on the earth are descendants of Japheth, Shem or Ham.
2. If so, from which sons did each of the races descend? Was one of the sons black or oriental, etc. in appearance? Did these racial characteristics develop later?

Genesis 9:18

And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.

1. Once again, Noah had three sons on the ark with him - Shem, Ham and Japheth.
2. Ham had a son named Canaan.

Genesis 9:17

And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

1. God told Noah that the rainbow was the token of the covenant between Him and all creatures upon the earth.
2. God tells prophets about covenants He makes with the people of the earth.

Genesis 9:16

And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

1. God made it crystal clear that He would always remember His covenant with all creatures on the earth whenever He looks at a rainbow.
2. God promised to keep a continual watch on the earth's weather, noticing the rainbows. Presumably, He is still doing so today.

Genesis 9:15

And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

1. Seeing the rainbow reminds the Lord of His covenant with us to no more destroy all living creatures on the earth with a flood.
2. The tokens of covenants are useful reminders of our obligations.

Genesis 9:14

And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:

1. The token of God's covenant to no longer destroy the earth by flood is the rainbow that appears in clouds.

Genesis 9:13

I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

1. The Lord's token of His covenant to never again destroy the earth by flood is the rainbow.
2. This suggests that rainbows may not have occurred prior to this time, but I have no proof nor explanation for this.

Genesis 9:12

And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:

1. When God makes a covenant with mankind He may provide a token (sign or symbol) of it as well.
2. God included a token with this covenant.
3. This covenant applied to all subsequent generations of all living creatures that were then on the earth.

Genesis 9:11

And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.

1. The Lord promised to never again destroy mankind and animals with a flood.

Genesis 9:10

And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.

1. The covenant the Lord made with Noah and his posterity also extended to all the animals on the earth.
2. I'm wondering if the Lord would bother making a covenant with the animals if they could not understand His promise.

Genesis 9:9

And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;

1. The Lord made a covenant with Noah and his descendants (in other words, everyone on the earth).

Genesis 9:8

And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,

1. God spoke not only to Noah but also to Noah's sons.

Genesis 9:7

And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.

1. The Lord reiterated His commandment to Noah and the rest of his family who were married to have many children.

Genesis 9:6

Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

1. The punishment for murder, according to God, should be death at the hands of other men.
2. Man was made to look like God, suggesting man is of great importance to God.
3. At least part of the reason for capital punishment is that man was made in the image of God and is of great importance to Him.
4. Those who advocate abolishing capital punishment for murder appear to be in opposition to the God who created them and the earth on which they live.

Genesis 9:5

And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.

1. The Lord seems to have moved on from diet to capital punishment, based upon the following verse, but if so I don't understand the reference to beasts unless He is referring to situations where a beast kills a person. At any rate, it seems likely there's been something lost in either the recording or the translation.

Genesis 9:4

But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.

1. The Lord places dietary restrictions on mankind.
2. Noah and his posterity were not to eat meat with the blood still in it.
3. Blood is essential to the life of animals.

Genesis 9:3

Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

1. The Lord provided all animals and plants to man for food.
2. During the days of Noah God did not restrict mankind from eating meat nor require them to be vegetarians.
3. Judging from what we saw on television during the Beijing Olmpics, the Chinese take this commandment, not necessarily knowingly, that all moving animals are okay to eat, quite literally. So, the word of the Lord to Noah appears to be absolutely true.

Genesis 9:2

And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.

1. The Lord told Noah and his sons that all the animals would fear and dread them from that point onward.
2. Noah and his descendants were given stewardship over the animals on this planet.
3. The Lord gives human beings responsibilities.

Genesis 9:1

And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

1. God blessed Noah, his sons (and their wives), and told them to have many children.
2. Married couples should have children, if possible, thereby replenishing the earth.

Genesis 8:22

While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

1. The earth has a limited lifespan.
2. As long as the earth exists the various cycles such as the 4 seasons, day and night, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, will continue to exist here. This is somewhat comforting considering the wild weather we've seen in recent years - at least, I think it's comforting.

Genesis 8:21

And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

1. Recognizing Noah's burnt offerings, the Lord decided He would no longer curse the ground for man's sake, nor would He again kill every living thing as He did via the flood.
2. People feel like doing evil things from the time they are young.
3. I suppose its possible the Lord actually smelled the burnt offering, but I'm more inclined to consider it imagery for the following reasons: 1) The Lord, who is Christ, was only a spirit at this point and didn't have a physical nose with which to smell. Can a spirit smell burning meat? 2) The Lord would have to have been fairly close by to smell the burnt offering, like in the same neighborhood. Is the Lord in the habit of wandering around upon the earth? Perhaps, but that contradicts the notion that He resides in heaven, unless that's also on earth.
4. If the Lord said these words in His heart, how is it someone wrote them down, unless He also spoke them to someone?

Genesis 8:20

And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

1. Noah built an altar in order to make burnt offerings to the LORD.
2. Considering the occasion, the burnt offering to the LORD appears to have been done either out of gratitude for the Lord's blessings or to symbolize their determination to do a better job of following him than those who had drowned in the flood.
3. Noah offered one of every clean beast upon the altar.
4. This reduced the number of each type of clean beast from seven to six.
5. From the plural "offerings" it appears each clean beast was offered separately. Whether each was done on a separate occasion or one right after the other is not clear.
6. This is the second time offerings are mentioned in Genesis, the first associated with the offerings of Cain and Abel. It seems unreasonable to think that the Lord would not have provided instruction to Adam concerning the type, method and occasions for these offerings, but nothing about this is mentioned.

Genesis 8:19

Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.

1. All the animals left the ark.

Genesis 8:18

And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him:

1. Noah and his family disembarked and headed off together, presumably looking for a suitable place to live.

Genesis 8:17

Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.

1. The Lord also commanded Noah to bring all the animals out of the ark and let them begin breeding, which they obviously did.

Genesis 8:16

Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee.

1. The Lord told Noah to leave the ark with his family.
2. The Lord may give us direction at key milestones in our lives (hopefully, we are listening).
3. The Lord's direction to a family will likely come through the parent.
4. The Lord's direction to a group of people will come through one of His prophets - that is, someone with a long history of faith, obedience and successful communication with God.

Genesis 8:15

And God spake unto Noah, saying,

1. God spoke to Noah once again (I don't recall any mention of Him speaking since His command to board the ark).
2. Sometimes, during challenging periods of our lives, it seems like the Lord is silent. Perhaps, He actually leaves us on our own for a while or, perhaps, His communications just become very subtle. In my experience it is usually the latter.

Genesis 8:14

And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.

1. Although the previous verse states the face of the earth was dry on the first day of the month, it appears it took another 27 days for the water table to drop to a sufficient depth so that everyone, including the heavy animals, could get out and walk around safely.
2. Could the Lord have caused the earth to dry up faster? I'm guessing yes. If so, why didn't He? Possibly, to ensure every creature was dead. Possibly, to try the patience of Noah and his family. Perhaps they developed a closer relationship with the Lord. Perhaps they developed greater humility, realizing how much we depend upon the Lord and are at His mercy. Perhaps they developed a greater feeling of gratitude for the benefits of living on dry land. Perhaps they developed a more in-depth understanding of the various animals. Perhaps it developed in one of the sons a love of the sea and a desire afterwards to become a shipbuilder and sailor.

Genesis 8:13

And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.

1. About ten and a half months after the flood began - that is, on the first day of the new year, the earth was dry again.
2. The ark apparently had a cover, not just a window, that could be removed. Whether or not it could have been reinstalled once removed is another, unanswered question.

Genesis 8:12

And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.

1. Noah kept the dove another seven days and then released her again. She did not return.
2. So, why did the author include these details about Noah using birds to figure out when the earth was dry? Perhaps, to show once again that God doesn't do everything for us. We are often left to use our own intelligence and skills to figure things out. Eventually (see verse 16) the Lord would tell them it was time to disembark, but God was apparently not in the business of giving Noah reports on the status of the flood waters, even though He undoubtedly understood their anxiety to know when they would be able to get out of that smelly ark.

Genesis 8:11

And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.

1. The dove returned that same evening with an olive leaf in her mouth.
2. Noah deduced that the floodwaters were essentially gone. (Since the dove had apparently plucked the leaf off a tree, and since mature olive trees grow 25 to 45 feet high, I wonder why Noah thought the waters were gone - even though olive trees grow in coastal areas.)

Genesis 8:10

And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;

1. After the dove returned Noah waited seven days and then released her again.
2. Noah and his family were probably very anxious to get out of the ark.
3. It can take a long time for life to return to normal following a disaster. A great deal of patience may be required.

Genesis 8:9

But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.

1. The Dove returned to Noah's hand and he brought her back into the ark.
2. Doves like a solid suface. They don't live in trees or on the water.
3. The dove's action told Noah that the earth was still covered with water.
4. Noah understood doves.
5. Knowledge is important. You never know when some fact will be helpful.

Genesis 8:8

Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground;

1. Noah released a dove to see if the flood waters were gone.

Genesis 8:7

And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.

1. Noah released a raven, which, rather than returning to the ark, apparently flew about, probably from tree to tree, until the waters were dried up.
2. Ravens may not enjoy being couped up on a boat, so think twice about taking one on a voyage.
3. Ravens are not ground-dwelling birds, but are content living in tree tops.

Genesis 8:6

And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:

1. Forty days after the tops of the mountains were sighted Noah opened the ark's window again. (Actually, I can't imagine he didn't open it every day. I think he just did something different on this day.)

Genesis 8:5

And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.

1. The flood waters continued to drop.
2. On the first day of the tenth month (7 1/2 month after the flood began) the tops of the mountains came into view.
3. When the ark first settled on the Ararat mountains the tops of the mountains were still under water. It took another 2 1/2 months for the water level to drop so Noah and his family could see the ground upon which they were resting (and perhaps some lower mountain tops as well).
4. Life's trials may test and help increase our patience.

Genesis 8:4

And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.

1. The ark came to rest upon the mountains of Ararat exactly 5 months after the flood began (see Genesis 7:11).

Genesis 8:3

And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.

1. So, the waters begin to recede, and by the end of 150 days they were considerably lower.
2. Even the worst trials eventually come to an end, at least in the eternal view of things.

Genesis 8:2

The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;

1. Water stopped coming out from under the earth, and it stopped raining.
2. There is a huge amount of water beneath the surface of the earth.

Genesis 8:1

And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged;

1. God remembers His promises.
2. God is aware of and cares about the needs of mankind and of all living creatures.
3. God can cause air circulation over the surface of the earth, another evidence that He can exercise control over the weather.
4. God apparently used the wind to cause the floodwaters to subside (I assume, due to evaporation).
5. I can't help but wonder why the author keeps mentioning cattle specifically.

Genesis 7:24

And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.

1. The water covered the earth for 150 days before beginning to recede.
2. Anyone who may have managed to get into their own boat or hold onto debris to avoid drowning would have died of other causes by the end of 150 days.

Genesis 7:23

And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

1. Really, all living things upon the face of the earth - human beings, cattle, creeping things, birds - they were all killed. Only those in the ark survived.
2. This was not a local event. Only Noah and those in the ark survived it.

Genesis 7:22

All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.

1. All living, breathing creatures that lived on the dry land died in the flood. (I think the person that wrote this wanted the reader to know that all living things except for the creatures that lived in the water died in the flood.)

Genesis 7:21

And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:

1. As a result of the flood all flesh - that is, all birds, cattle, beasts, creeping things and man, except those in the ark, died.
2. Any species of land animal or bird that Noah didn't have in the ark, if there were any, were now extinct.

Genesis 7:20

Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.

1. The flood covered the mountains.
2. This reference to 15 cubits seems a bit vague, leaving me to wonder if the water level rose another 15 cubits after it had already covered the high hills, or if it rose 15 cubits above the highest mountain, or something else. It appears this has been the subject of much discussion.

Genesis 7:19

And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.

1. The flood waters rose until all the high hills upon the face of the earth were covered. (To address particular issues with this story, some people have speculated that the flood was not a global event, but was restricted to a relatively small area compared to the whole earth. The language used here - "all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven" - seems to me to rule out that possibility.)

Genesis 7:18

And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters.

1. Even after forth days and nights the water level rose significantly.
2. The ark went floating away.

Genesis 7:17

And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.

1. It took a while before the water rose high enough to lift up the ark - at least 40 days, perhaps more.
2. So, Noah and his family and all the animals sat in the ark in their backyard, so to speak, for perhaps a month and a half before beginning to float away.
3. Waiting for a month and a half must have given Noah and his family plenty of opportunity to question whether the flood really would be severe enough to drown everything and require the use of an ark to be saved.

Genesis 7:16

And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.

1. When everyone was in the ark the LORD shut the door. (It may be that they LORD applied pitch around the outside of the door, as well, to ensure it was water tight.)

Genesis 7:15

And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.

1. All the animals went in to Noah in the ark.
2. Living animals have something called the breath of life.

Genesis 7:14

They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort.

1. This appears to be a retelling of the same story, an ancient technique, found in both the Bible and Book of Mormon, and probably other ancient texts with which I am unfamiliar, usually done to make a different point. So, as I move along, I'll be looking to learn something different.

Genesis 7:13

In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;

1. The people who entered the ark were Noah, his wife, their sons - Shem, Ham, Japheth, and each of their wives.

Genesis 7:12

And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

1. It rained for 40 consecutive days and nights after the flood began.

Genesis 7:11

In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

1. Noah was in the 600th year of his life when the flood began.


2. The flood began on the 17th day of the second month.


3. The flood was caused by a combination of rain and subterranean water being concentrated on the surface of the earth.

Genesis 7:10

And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.

1. The flood began seven days after Noah, his family, and the animals entered the ark.
2. I suppose that living in the ark for seven days prior to the start of the flood gave everyone a chance to get used to their new surroundings and routines. It also gave them the opportunity to develop some last doubts, but apparently no one jumped ship.

Genesis 7:9

There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.

1. Per God's commandment, there was at least one female and one male of each species of animal on the ark.


2. The LORD (previously, the LORD God) is also known as God.


3. The wording here and in the previous few verses makes it sound like Noah went into the ark first, and then the animals came into the ark to him. I can imagine Noah standing inside the doorway, greeting them with a smile and directing them to their quarters inside the ark. Other members of the family might have been stationed at various places in the ark to assist the animals in finding their places. Whether it really happened this way or not, I don't have a clue, but it sounds just as reasonable as Noah going out and trapping 2 or 7 of every species and hauling them back to the ark on leashes or in cages.

Genesis 7:8

Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,

1. Clean and unclean beasts, birds, and all creeping things entered the ark also. (I'm not certain why the author continues to emphasize the different categories of animals that entered the ark. It could be for symbolic purposes, such as to show that all people and animals, regardless of class or category, will be preserved through death that was brought on by Adam and Eve. However, nothing about that is mentioned.)

Genesis 7:7

And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.

1. Noah and his family entered the ark to escape the flood.

Genesis 7:6

And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.

1. Noah celebrated his 600th birthday aboard the ark during the flood (I don't know if they had any sort of birthday celebration then, but Noah and the other early patriarchs obviously kept track of how old they were.)
2. The flood happened.

Genesis 7:5

And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him.

1. Noah did everything the LORD commanded him to do.
2. Noah apparently trusted the LORD completely.
3. Prophets of the Lord, as a rule, comply with all the Lord's directions.

Genesis 7:4

For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.

1. The LORD gave Noah a seven day warning of the flood. Prior to this, Noah may not have know precisely when the flood would occur.
2. The flood was to destroy every living thing from the face of the earth.
3. The LORD knew when the flood would begin and how long the rain would last.
4. The LORD has control over the weather.
5. One of the roles of a prophet appears to be to receive advance notice of what the LORD plans to do that will impact the earth's inhabitants.

Genesis 7:3

Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.

1. The LORD also directed Noah to bring seven of each species of birds into the ark (it's not clear whether this applied to all birds or excluded those that cannot or tend not to fly).



2. It's not completely clear to me, but either the LORD referred to the role birds play in spreading plant seeds around the earth, or the expression "keep seed alive" refers either to preventing the bird species from becoming extinct or to providing food for man following the flood. The expression "upon all the face of the earth" leads me to favor the first possibility.

Genesis 7:2

Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.

1. Correction, Noah was to collect seven of each clean beast, and two of those that were unclean.
2. The classification of animals into two categories - clean and unclean, existed as early as Noah.
3. The proportion of clean males to clean females for each species is not specified, but I suspect there were only one or two males and the rest females.
4. God has probably given dietary advice from the beginning.

Genesis 7:1

And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

1. The LORD directed Noah to go into the ark with all his family.
2. The LORD knows who is righteous and who is not.
3. Besides filling the role of creator, the LORD is apparently also a judge of our behavior.
4. There are benefits to being righteous.
5. Righteousness is apparently closely connected to, if not that same as, obeying all God's commandments.
6. Prophets of God are righteous.

Genesis 6:22

Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.

1. Noah followed God's instructions in every respect.
2. It is a remarkable thing that Noah, unlike the Noah in Bill Cosby's terribly funny monologue, followed God's challenging instructions to the letter without complaint. He was obviously a man who had great faith that God would enable him to do all these things, because he can't have had much experience at building arks or zoos.

Genesis 6:21

And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.

1. God commanded Noah to collect food for his family and for all the animals that would be aboard the ark.
2. It's a good idea to have a store of food set aside for emergencies.

Genesis 6:20

Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.

1. Included in the animals Noah was to bring into the ark were birds of all kinds, cattle of all kinds, and everything that creeps on the earth.
2. Part of Noah's job was to preserve the animal species during the flood.

Genesis 6:19

And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.

1. The term "flesh" appears to exclude animals that live in the water.
2. God commanded Noah to bring a male and a female of each species into the ark to preserve them.
3. Noah appears to have created the world's first floating zoo.

Genesis 6:18

But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.

1. God established a covenant with Noah.
2. Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives would all go into the ark.
3. God made covenants with people named in the Bible (covenant: an agreement between God and his people in which God makes certain promises and requires certain behavior from them in return - WordNet dictionary, from hyperdictionary.com)
4. Noah's sons were married.
5. Noah was married.

Genesis 6:17

And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

1. God told Noah he was going to flood the earth and destroy all things that live on the earth.
2. God has the power to create and destroy life on the earth.

Genesis 6:16

A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.

1. God continued giving Noah specifications for the ark.
2. The ark had a window a cubit wide.
3. There was a door in the side of the ark.
4. The ark had 3 stories or decks.

Genesis 6:15

And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.

1. God specified the size of the ark for Noah.
2. The ark was to be built 300 cubits (approximately 450 ft.) long, 50 cubits (approximately 75 ft.) wide, and 30 cubits (approximately 45 ft.) high.

Genesis 6:14

Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

1. God instructed Noah to build an ark, and gave him the specifications.
2. The ark was constructed of gopher wood.
3. The ark had rooms.
4. The exterior and interior walls of the ark were covered with pitch.
5. God knows how to build an ark.

Genesis 6:13

And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

1. God spoke to Noah.
2. God told Noah of His intent to destroy mankind and the earth. (The term "destroy" appears to be used in two difference senses, for, clearly, the earth was not obliterated by the flood in the same way mankind was.)
3. God does not approve of mankind's use of violence.
4. God sometimes resorts to the use of violence in order to eliminate widespread wickedness and corruption from the earth.
5. Prophets may learn of God's intentions prior to the rest of mankind.
6. It seems wise to listen to what God's prophets have to say.

Genesis 6:12

And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

1. God recognized that, at the time Noah lived, the earth was corrupt - that is, all flesh (I assume this means humans) had corrupted God's way (I assume this means they were not doing what God had taught them they should do).
2. God was in a position and had the ability to look at the people upon the earth and see what they were doing.
3. God is again referred to with the male pronoun.

Genesis 6:11

The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

1. During Noah's days the people of the earth were corrupt and violence was everywhere.
2. God notices what people on the earth are doing.
3. Corruption and violence are nothing new.

Genesis 6:10

And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

1. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.
2. Noah was apparently married.

Genesis 6:9

These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

1. The history of Noah will be given hereafter. (The meaning of "generations" is taken from the Easton Bible Dictionary).
2. Noah was a just man.
3. Noah became perfect during his lifetime. (It's not clear to me whether this means "sinless" or perfect in the sense of "complete" or "consummate".)
4. Noah walked with God. (I'm not certain if this is to be taken literally, or that it means Noah received and followed God's direction throughout his life, or both. Given #3, the latter certainly seems to be the case.)
5. Prophets of the Lord are just, strictly obedient to God's commandments, and in the habit of depending upon God's guidance, undoubtedly requested through regular prayers.

Genesis 6:8

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

1. The LORD was not, however, disappointed with Noah.

Genesis 6:7

And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

1. The LORD decided to destroy man, the beasts, creeping things, and birds.
2. The LORD told someone of His intentions.
3. The LORD was unhappy over the state of the world He had created.

Genesis 6:6

And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

1. The LORD was filled with sorrow and grief over mankind that had become so wicked. (I'm stopping short of saying the LORD wished He hadn't made man on the earth - that would suggest He made a mistake in creating us or that He was surprised at how wicked mankind had become, which I don't believe. If He had really believed He made a mistake, He could simply have caused the flood and neglected to warn Noah about it.)
2. It appears God is a male.
3. The LORD experiences deep emotion. He is an emotional being.
4. The LORD cares very much about the people on the earth.
5. Wickedness is damaging to people - so much so that the LORD grieves over us when we engage in it.
6. It is God-like to care very much about others, and to grieve when bad things happen to them - whether brought on by their own actions or not.

Genesis 6:5

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

1. By the time Noah lived mankind's actions and thoughts were predominantly wicked.
2. God is aware of what we're doing.
3. God is aware of what we're thinking and planning.
4. It is common for people to ignore God's commandments and do what they want.

Genesis 6:4

There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

1. There were some very tall people on the earth around the time of Noah.
2. Some of the very early men were mighty, honored and widely acclaimed.
3. The fame of people spread then just as it does now.
4. Children are the result of and a purpose for sexual relations.

Genesis 6:3

And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

1. The LORD's spirit strives or works hard with people.
2. The LORD's spirit has a limited amount of time to work with each individual, because they grow old and die.
3. The maximum life expectancy of human beings will drop from just under 1000 years to 120 years.
4. The LORD obviously said this to someone - otherwise, it wouldn't have been recorded, but who that was is not stated.
5. The LORD gives advance notice of things that will happen, and also provides explanations of how He works with mankind.
6. Despite the fact that we die, we appear to be worth a considerable investment of effort by the LORD's spirit while we are alive.
7. I'm uncertain what the phrase, "for that he also is flesh," means. My best guess is that it refers to the dual nature of human beings - a spirit enclosed by a body of flesh, the latter having a maximum lifespan of about 120 years.

Genesis 6:2

That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

1. Men marry, at least in part, because they find women attractive.
2. Marriage existed from the beginning.
3. It sounds like polygamy may have been practiced during this time.
4. It appears that men chose their wives during this period rather than having parents make the choice.

Genesis 6:1

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

1. Something apparently happened when daughters were born - see next verse.
2. There's that use of the phrase, "And it came to pass", again.
3. There were apparently many more children than those mentioned by name.

Genesis 5:32

And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

1. Either Noah had triplet sons at the age of 500 or he had 3 sons around or by the time he reached the age of 500. My guess is that they weren't triplets - surely, that would have been worth mentioning.

Genesis 5:31

And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.

1. Lamech died at the age of 757 - relatively young compared to his forefathers.

Genesis 5:30

And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:

1. Lamech lived another 595 years after Noah was born.
2. After Noah was born Lamech had additional children - both sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:29

And he called his name Noah, saying, This name shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.

1. The name of the son born to Lamech when he was 182 years old was Noah.
2. Apparently, there was an occasion when Lamech declared Noah to be his newborn son's name, and also made comments about the effect the name and/or the child would have on them.
3. Lamech either thought the name, "Noah", would provide he and his family some comfort as they worked hard to farm their land, or he was prophesying about something Noah would do. The latter seems more reasonable to me, for the former would suggest Lamech was a bit nuts.
4. The name, "Noah", perhaps had some meaning relevant to the things he would do in later life.
5. If this is a prophecy about something Noah would do, it was either intended to be extremely obscure or there are missing details. Of course, there is also the possibility that I'm missing the obvious, or that the meaning becomes much clearer when later passages concerning Noah and the ark are examined.
6. The Lord cursed the ground, as noted previously, resulting in the need for people to toil with their hands.

Genesis 5:28

And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:

1. Lamech was 182 years old when he had a son.
2. Lamech was apparently married.

Genesis 5:27

And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.

1. Methuselah lived to be 969 years old (the oldest on record in the Bible).
2. Apparently, none of these early patriarchs lived to be 1000, suggesting that the Lord God's idea of a day, when He said Adam and Eve would die in the day they ate the forbidden fruit, was at least 1000 years.

Genesis 5:26

And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:

1. Methuselah lived another 782 years after Lamech was born.
2. More children, both sons and daughters, were born to Methuselah after Lamech.

Genesis 5:25

And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech:

1. Methuselah was 187 years old when his son, Lamech, was born.
2. Methuselah was apparently married.

Genesis 5:24

And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

1. Enoch, apparently, did not die as the others mentioned in previous verses.
2. It appears God removed Enoch from the earth before it was time for him to die. Therefore, no dead body was found.
3. God can remove a person from the earth.

Genesis 5:23

And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:

1. Enoch lived a total of 365 years.
2. Enoch's lifespan was considerably shorter than his ancestors previously named.

Genesis 5:22

And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

1. Enoch had more sons and daughters after Methuselah was born.
2. Enoch lived at least another 300 years after Methuselah was born.
3. Enoch had a very close relationship with God during the 300 years after Methuselah was born.

Genesis 5:21

And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:

1. When Enoch was 65 years old he had a son named Methuselah.
2. Enoch was apparently married by the time he was 65.

Genesis 5:20

And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.

1. Jared died at the age of 962 years.

Genesis 5:19

And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

1. Jared lived 800 years after his son Enoch was born.
2. Jared had additional sons and daughters.
3. Jared was apparently married.

Genesis 5:18

And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:

1. Jared was 162 years old when his son Enoch was born.

Genesis 5:17

And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.

1. Mahalaleel lived to be 895 years old.

Genesis 5:16

And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:

1. Mahalaleel lived another 830 years after Jared was born, during which he had additional sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:15

And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:

1. Mahalaleel was 65 years old when his son, Jared, was born.

Genesis 5:14

And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.

1. Cainan died at the age of 910.

Genesis 5:13

And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:

1. Cainan lived 840 years after the birth of Mahalaleel.
2. Cainan had additional sons and daughters after Mahalaleel was born.
3. Cainan was apparently married, but his wife is not mentioned.

Genesis 5:12

And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel:

1. Cainan had a son, Mahalaleel, when he was 70 years old.

Genesis 5:11

And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.

1. Enos lived 905 years.
2. You may live a long time, but eventually you will die.

Genesis 5:10

And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:

1. Enos lived 815 years after Cainan was born.
2. Enos had sons and daughters.

Genesis 5:9

And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:

1. Enos had a son, named Cainan, when he was 99 years old.
2. Enos apparently married.

Genesis 5:8

And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.

1. Seth lived to be 912 years old.
2. The Lord's promise to Adam and Eve that they would die appears to apply to all mankind.

Genesis 5:7

And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:

1. Seth had at least 3 sons and 2 daughters, probably many more.
2. Seth lived 807 years after his son, Enos, was born.

Genesis 5:6

And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos:

1. When Seth was 105 years old he had a son named Enos.

Genesis 5:5

And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

1. Adam died at the age of 930.
2. People in the days of Adam lived a lot longer.
3. The human race appears to have physically degenerated over time.
4. The serpent's statement to Eve that they would "not surely die" if they partook of the fruit proved to be incorrect. Hence, the serpent was either ignorant and willing to make claims of which it was uncertain, or a knowing liar.
5. Dishonesty has been around from the beginning.
6. When God says something will happen, count on it.
7. Don't listen to snakes.

Genesis 5:4

And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:

1. Adam lived another 800 years after Seth was born. In other words, he lived to be 930.
2. Adam and Eve had other daughters and sons following Seth's birth.

Genesis 5:3

And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

1. Seth, a son, was born to Adam and Eve when Adam was 130 years old.
2. Seth was very similar to Adam.
3. The terms used here to compare Seth to Adam - that is, "in his own likeness" and "after his image", are the same terms used previously to compare Adam and Eve to the LORD God, suggesting again that man was created to look like the LORD God.

Genesis 5:2

Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

1. God created man in both male and female versions.
2. God blessed the male and the female.
3. God called the male and female Adam (I guess Adam was also considered the family name).
4. God named man relatively soon after creating them.

Genesis 5:1

This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

1. It sounds like Adam may have kept a record of his posterity, from which these chapters of Genesis were copied or summarized.
2. Adam and/or his descendants apparently used a written language.
3. God created man (previously stated).
4. Man is in the likeness of God (previously stated).
5. The repetition of these concepts suggests the first 4 chapters of Genesis were written by a different person than wrote chapter 5.

Genesis 4:26

And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

1. Seth apparently married, for he had a son named Enos.
2. The bible doesn't include every detail.
3. People, in general, were apparently not praying prior to the birth of Enos.
4. Prayer is better than not praying.

Genesis 4:25

And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

1. Adam and Eve had another son named Seth.
2. Eve is quoted as saying that God gave her another son to replace Abel.
3. Either Adam and Eve had very few sons, or they just aren't mentioned (like the daughters they obviously had who are specifically mentioned by name).

Genesis 4:24

If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

1. Lamech was afraid of the consequences of his murder, just as Cain had been afraid.
2. Lamech was familiar with Cain's story and concerns.
3. Murder was apparently uncommon. This was, perhaps, the first murder since Cain killed Abel.
4. Lamech felt, for some reason, that his murder would bring 10 times more revenge upon him than Cain's murder of Abel.

Genesis 4:23

And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.

1. Lamech told his wives, Adah and Zillah, that he had killed a young man.
2. Lamech was apparently concerned about the consequences of his killing of a young man.
3. Lamech's manner of speaking makes this seem like a very formal occasion - I don't know whether that was true or not.
4. Lamech did not attempt to conceal what he had done from his wives.

Genesis 4:22

And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

1. Lamech and his other wife, Zillah, had a son named Tubal-cain.
2. Tubal-cain apparently was an expert in working with brass and iron.
3. All those who worked with brass and iron learned their skills from Tubal-cain.
4. Lamech and his wife, Zillah, had a daughter named Naamah.
5. It appears somewhat common for female names to have ended with "ah".

Genesis 4:21

And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.

1. Lamech, a descendant of Cain, and Adah his wife also had another son named Jubal.
2. Jubal's descendants were musicians and played the harp and the organ. They may have also built these musical instruments.
3. Trades and talents in these early times appear to have followed and remained within family lines.

Genesis 4:20

And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.

1. Lamech and his wife Adah had a son named Jabal.
2. Some of Jabal's descendants lived in tents, and some raised cattle.
3. This information was apparently recorded some years after the birth of Jabal - perhaps even after his death, the genealogical records being the basis of it.

Genesis 4:19

And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

1. Lamech married two women - Adah and Zillah.
2. Polygamy was practiced among the descendants of Cain.
3. Marriage was practiced among the descendants of Cain.

Genesis 4:18

And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.

1. Enoch, the son of Cain, had a child named Irad.
2. Irad, the grandchild of Cain, had a child named Mehujael.
3. Mehujael, a great-grandchild of Cain, had a child named Methusael.
4. Methusael, a 2nd great-grandchild of Cain, had a child named Lamech.
5. The people kept track of their genealogy.

Genesis 4:17

And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.

1. Cain married.
2. Cain and his wife had a son named Enoch.
3. Cain built a city and named it Enoch.
4. Cain, it appears, was proud of his son.
5. Cain, it appears, did not spend his life running from the law, nor traveling from place to place, but he settled down and became a builder.
6. Unless the LORD was mistaken, Cain was a fugitive and a vagabond in some other sense.
7. Cain's wife was willing to marry a murderer.
8. Cain's wife may have helped him become a useful member of society.

Genesis 4:16

And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

1. Cain left the presence of the LORD.
2. Other members of the family apparently did not go out from the presence of the LORD.
3. Cain established a residence in the land of Nod.
4. The land of Nod was to the east of Eden.

Genesis 4:15

And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

1. The LORD took steps to protect Cain from being killed, promising a much worse punishment for anyone who did.
2. The LORD set a mark upon Cain to make him readily identifiable and prevent him from being killed by mistake.
3. For some unexplained reason, the LORD really seems to have wanted Cain to live a long life.

Genesis 4:14

Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

1. Cain would no longer enjoy the privilege of speaking with God.
2. Cain worried that others would kill him.
3. There were other people on the earth besides Adam, Eve and Cain, so Adam and Eve must have had other children prior to Cain and Abel.
4. I'm uncertain what Cain meant by God driving him out from "the face of the earth." Obviously, he intended to continue living upon the earth.
5. We should not commit murder.

Genesis 4:13

And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

1. Cain found the consequences of his murdering Abel very difficult to bear.
2. Some punishments are worse than death.
3. Losing your farm, or any occupation, is very difficult.
4. Being homeless is difficult.
5. Running from the law is difficult.
6. People sometimes do things without considering the difficulty of the consequences they will suffer.
7. Think before you act.

Genesis 4:12

When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

1. Cain would no longer be a successful farmer. His efforts to raise crops would prove fruitless.
2. Cain would become a fugitive and a vagabond.
3. Considering the strictness of the later Law of Moses, apparently given by the same LORD, this punishment seems fairly mild, although the term, "fugitive", suggests he would be running from the local sheriff or the FBI.
4. Either the LORD or the earth, or both, have the power to cause crops to be unsuccessful for one farmer and not for others. The language here suggests that nutrients in the soil would for some reason be prevented from being absorbed by the plants, or perhaps Cain had just exhausted the soil through several years of planting without fertilizing, and the LORD knew this was the case.