Genesis 5

Genesis 5 contains the genealogy from Adam to Noah, often called "the book of the generations of Adam." This chapter traces ten generations through the line of Seth (Adam's son), showing the lineage that would eventually lead to Noah.

The chapter follows a consistent pattern for each patriarch:

• Name of the person
• Age when their firstborn son was born
• How many years they lived after that
• Their total lifespan
• Brief mention of other sons and daughters

Here's the genealogical line with their ages:

1. Adam (lived 930 years)
2. Seth (lived 912 years)
3. Enosh (lived 905 years)
4. Kenan (lived 910 years)
5. Mahalalel (lived 895 years)
6. Jared (lived 962 years)
7. Enoch (lived 365 years — did not die but "walked with God ... and he was not, for God took him")
8. Methuselah (lived 969 years — the oldest person recorded in the Bible)
9. Lamech (lived 777 years)
10. Noah (introduced at the end of the chapter)

The chapter concludes by mentioning Noah's three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth, setting the stage for the flood account that follows in Genesis 6 to 9.

The extraordinary lifespans of these early patriarchs are notable. But, even more noteworthy is this fact: The only one who went to heaven is the one who did not die.