Genesis 5:13

Study note

Setting — The narrator records the chronological progression of the antediluvian patriarchal line, marking the period immediately following Kenan’s seventieth year and the birth of his firstborn, Mahalalel.

The words — The text employs וַיְחִי (va-yechi), literally “and he lived,” to denote the duration of Kenan’s post-paternity years, and אַחֲרֵי (acharei), “after,” to establish the temporal sequence of his genealogy.

The thread — This genealogical formula repeats throughout Genesis 5 to track the descent from Adam to Noah, appearing in verses 5, 9, 17, 20, 27, 31, 35, 39, 42, 46, and 50.

Why it lands — The verse documents an unbroken chronological succession and extended lifespan, requiring the reader to track the precise generational count from Adam to the flood narrative.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.