blood vengeance to be taken by the clan of the slain. The meaning of the numbers in “seven-fold” and “seventy-fold” curses is obscure. It may mean seven times the number of an understood curse for an unrighteous killing, which in the mouth of Lemek seems meaningless and twisted. But that is my conjecture.
The medieval Jewish sage the “Ramban” (acronym for Moshe ben Nachman; see glossary) has a different explanation. He wrote: “. . . have I killed a man for my injury and a child for my wound? [I surely have not!] If Kayin [who murdered] shall be avenged sevenfold, then Lemech [who only produced weapons but did not himself use them] shall be avenged seventy-sevenfold!” (4.23–24).” Rabbi Hattin adds: “Perhaps there is even a note of sarcasm to be added to Lemech’s defensive words, for he seems cavalierly unconcerned with his wives’ anxiety. “What are you two fretting about?” he seems to exclaim, “I have done nothing wrong! Am I then like Kayin who murdered his own brother in cold blood?” (M. Hattin, “The Legacy of Kayin,” http://vbm-torah.org/archive/intparsha 66/01-66bereishit.htm).
Chapter 5
1 This is the historic recounting of the first man, from the day on which God created man in His image.
2 He made them male and female, and He blessed them. Then He named them “mankind” on the day that He created them.
3 So this man was 130 years old when he fathered a son named Seth, who was born in his likeness and possessed his features.
4 The first man lived eight hundred years after the birth of Seth, and he fathered other sons and daughters.
5 The first man’s entire lifetime was 930 years; then he died.
6 Seth was 105 years old when he fathered Enosh.
7 Seth lived another 807 years after fathering Enosh, and he fathered other sons and daughters.
8 Seth’s entire lifetime was 912 years; then he died.
9 Enosh was ninety years old when he fathered Kaynan.
10 Enosh lived another 815 years after fathering Kaynan, and he fathered other sons and daughters.
11 Enosh’s entire lifetime was 905 years; then he died.
12 Kaynan was seventy years old when he fathered Mahalalel.
13 Kaynan lived another 840 years after fathering Mahalalel, and he fathered other sons and daughters.
14 Kaynan’s entire lifetime was 910 years; then he died.
15 Mahalelel was sixty-five years old when he fathered Yared.
16 Mahalelel lived another 830 years after fathering Yared, and he fathered other sons and daughters.
17 Mahalelel’s entire lifetime was 895 years; then he died.
18 Yared was 162 years old when he fathered Hanok.
19 Yared lived another eight hundred years after fathering Hanok, and he fathered other sons and daughters.
20 Yared’s entire lifetime was 962 years; then he died.
21 Hanok was sixty-five years old when he fathered Metushelach.
22 Hanok lived in scrupulous obedience to God; he lived another three hundred years after he fathered Metushelach, and he had other sons and daughters.
23 Hanok’s entire life on earth was 365 years.
24 Hanok lived so righteously in the fear of God, that he was taken away; God Himself took him.
25 Metushelach was 187 years old when he fathered Lamek.
26 Metushelach lived another 782 years after he fathered Lamek, and he fathered other sons and daughters.
27 Metushelach’s entire lifetime was 969 years; then he died.
28 Lamek was 182 years old when he fathered a son.
29 And he called his name Noach, saying, “He’ll comfort us from our hard lot and from our difficult labor by which God has cursed us.”1
30 Lamek lived another 595 years after he fathered Noach, and he fathered other sons and daughters.
31 Lamek’s entire lifetime was 777 years; then he died.
32 Noah was five hundred years old, and he fathered Shem, Ham and Yafet.
1. v. 29: The name Noah (Hebrew, “Noach”) means “comfort.” Thus Lamek’s words spoke of the role that his son would have in ensuing history.
Chapter 6
1 This was when mankind began to populate the earth. In particular, many daughters were born to people in that period.1
2 The sons of God knew that these young women were beautiful. So they picked out whomever they desired and took (them as) wives from among them.
3 So God said, “I won’t fight with mankind forever, since they are frail and but human. So they will live to be only 120 years old.”
4 Fallen beings were present on earth in those days (as well as afterward) when they coupled with women. Their offspring were mighty warriors who had great reputations from early on in history.2
5 God knew that mankind was engaging in much evil activity. The entire scope of every desire and plan of mankind was wicked.
6 In addition, God regretted that He had created mankind upon earth, and He was saddened about their state of being.
7 So God said, “I will put an end to mankind which I created, since I regret that I created them all—from men to animals, and reptiles as well as the birds of the air.”
8 But Noah was favored by God.
9 This is the family history of Noah: Noah was a scrupulously righteous man who feared God. So he stood out among those of his generation, because he lived righteously before God.
10 Noah fathered three sons: they were Shem, Ham, and Yafet.
11 The earth was corrupt in its relation to God and was full of wanton violence.
12 Everything was perverted, because all mankind lived corrupt lifestyles on earth.
13 Then God told Noah, “All humanity is about to end, because all of earth is full of wanton violence. Men have perverted the entire earth.
14 So make for yourself a boat of buoyant wood; make animal pens in the boat, and coat it inside and outside with pitch.3
15 Make the boat 300 amah in length, 50 amah in width, and 30 amah in height.4
16
