1. Genesis 5 and 11: Chronogenealogies in the Biblical History of Beginnings
Gerhard F. Hasel
Genesis 5 and 11: Chronogenealogies in the Biblical History of Beginnings, by Gerhard F. Hasel

2. It is important to consider Genesis 5 and 11 in view of
There is a renewed interest in biblical genealogies in general and in Genesis 5 and 11:10-26 in particular.
It is important to consider Genesis 5 and 11 in view of
Their unique nature and function in the book of Genesis and in relation to other genealogies
Their textual history
Their interpretation
There is a renewed interest in biblical genealogies in general and in Genesis 5 and 11 in particular. / It is important to consider Genesis 5 and 11 in view of their unique nature and function in the book of Genesis and in relation to other genealogies / their textual history, / and their interpretation

3. It is important to consider Genesis 5 and 11 in view of
There is a renewed interest in biblical genealogies in general and in Genesis 5 and 11:10-26 in particular.
It is important to consider Genesis 5 and 11 in view of
Their unique nature and function in the book of Genesis and in relation to other genealogies
Their textual history
Their interpretation
This article will deal with the first two.

4. Unique Nature and Function
Trace the godly line, the carriers of God’s promises
Genesis 5--Adam to Noah
Genesis 11--Shem to Abram
These genealogies are unique / because they trace the godly line, the carriers of God’s promises / from Adam to Noah in Genesis 5, and /
from Shem to Abram in Genesis 11

5. Unique Nature and Function
Cain’s line (Gen. 4:17-24)
Seth’s line (Gen. 5)
Father-son relationships
Origins of antediluvian culture
Places of settlement
Polygamy
Sheep-breeding
Musicians
Metal workers
Interlocking pieces of chronological information:
Birth
Age at birth of first son
Subsequent years lived
Total years lived
Unlike the description of Cain’s descendants, which gives only the father-son relationships / and some details about the origins of antediluvian culture, / Seth’s genealogy / contains interlocking pieces of chronological information for each patriarch:
His Birth
Age at the birth of first son
The Subsequent years that he lived, and
Total years lived

6. Unique Nature and Function
Chronogenealogies
These interlocking time specifications are not found in any other genealogies
The author suggests the term chronogenealogies to describe this combination of chronological and genealogical information. / These interlocking time specifications are not found in any other genealogies.

7. Textual History Different textual translations Josephus
Hebrew text (Masoretic text or MT)
Samaritan Pentateuch
Greek Septuagint (LXX)
Josephus
Not much help
Book of Jubilees
Before the Flood, largely follows Samaritan Pentateuch
About 4,000 (+/- 200) from Creation to Christ
Caution is in order in view of systemization
There are several different translations of the numbers from Genesis 5 and 11 in different biblical manuscripts. / This article will deal with the Hebrew, or Masoretic text, / the Samaritan Pentateuch, / and the Greek Septuagint. / Other accounts exist, such as Josephus’s writings, but they end up not being much help. / Caution is in order in view of probable systemization in the Book of Jubilees.

8. Hebrew text
All known Hebrew manuscripts agree in both Genesis 5 and 11:10-26:
antediluvian patriarchs (before the flood)
post-diluvian patriarchs (after the flood)
time information for each one
Completely irregular—no evidence of scheme or system
All known Hebrew manuscripts agree in both Genesis 5 and 11 in their listing of the antediluvian and post-diluvian patriarchs and the respective time information for each one. / The information in these manuscripts is completely irregular, with no evidence of scheme or system.

9. Comparison Hebrew Text Samaritan Version No pattern in life spans
No pattern in year of first-born
Life spans are decreasing
Decreasing ages in year of first-born
Life spans appear adjusted near the flood
A comparison of the Hebrew text with the Samaritan version / shows that no pattern in life spans exists in the Hebrew text, / but life spans are decreasing in the Samaritan version. / The Hebrew text shows no pattern in the year of the first-born, / while the Samaritan version reveals decreasing ages in the year of the first born. / Life spans recorded in the Samaritan version appear to be adjusted near the time of the flood.

10. Originality? Systemization is evidence of alteration
Non-schematized figures of the Hebrew text are original
Scholarly consensus is that “the Hebrew text has preserved the original figures in their purest form.”
How do scholars tell which manuscripts are original? / Systemization is evidence of alteration,/ while non-schematized figures are considered original. / Scholarly consensus is that “the Hebrew text has preserved the original figures in their purest form.”

11. Septuagint (LXX)—textual variants
Vaticanus
Alexandrinus
Methuselah’s age when his son was born: 167 (without reducing total lifespan)
Methuselah outlived the flood by 14 years
Nahor’s age when his son was born: 179
Methuselah’s age when his son was born: 187
Nahor’s age when his son was born: 79
Different Septuagint manuscripts contain textual variants. Comparing the Vaticanus manuscript /with the Alexandrinus manuscript, shows at least two variations. / One shows Methuselah’s age when his son was born as 167, / while the other one shows that he was 187 years old. / In the Vaticanus, Methuselah outlived the flood by 14 years. / Nahor’s age when his son was born is off by 100 years in the two manuscripts. One says 179 years, / while the other says 79 years.

12. Septuagint—(LXX)
Addition of a Cainan in the list of generations from the flood to Terah
Also in the Book of Jubilees
Not in Hebrew, Samaritan Pentateuch, Vulgate, Syriac versions, or Josephus.
This puzzle remains largely unsolved
Inserted on purpose to come up with 4,260 years from creation to Solomon’s Temple
Scribal error
Figures are identical for Cainan and Shelah who follows
(probably added to Jesus’ genealogy later)
Septuagint manuscripts record the addition of a second Cainan in the list of generations from the flood to Terah. /The Book of Jubilees includes Cainan as well, but he is not listed in the Hebrew, Samaritan Pentateuch, Vulgate, Syriac versions, or the writings of Josephus. / This puzzle remains largely unsolved ./ It has been suggested that Cainan was inserted on purpose to come up with a specific number of years from creation to Solomon’s Temple./ Another suggestion is that a scribal error added Cainan and copied the figures by mistake for Shelah, who follows him in the list.

13. Comparison Hebrew Septuagint (LXX) Shorter Irregular
Longer (by 1,386 or 1,466 years)
Far greater regularity
Age at birth of first son
Years after birth of son
Age at death
Comparing the Hebrew with the Septuagint, we see / that the Hebrew chronology is shorter and is irregular. / The Septuagint figures are longer and show far greater regularity in all categories of figures.

14. Originality?
Majority scholarly opinion holds that the less schematized and the more irregular chronology has claim to originality
Majority scholarly opinion holds that the less schematized and the more irregular chronology has claim to originality.

15. Conclusions The Hebrew MT has non-schematic figures
The Samaritan version shows evidence of schematization and the Septuagint (LXX) even more so.
At the present it is impossible to decide on the basis of external manuscript evidence which figures (MT or LXX) have priority and can claim originality
The author draws the following conclusions: / The Hebrew Masoretic Text has non-schematic figures. / The Samaritan version shows evidence of schematization, and the Septuagint even more so. / At the present it is impossible to decide on the basis of external evidence which figures have priority and claim originality.

16. Genesis 5 and 11 “Chronogenealogies in the Biblical History of Beginnings” Origins 7/1 (1980) 23-37
Gerhard F. Hasel
The complete article by Dr. Hasel may be found in the journal, Origins.

17. Summary and Narration:
Carol Raney
Design:
Jessica Drahozal
Photo credit: