Genesis 5:31

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Genesis 5:31 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.
Genesis 5:31 — American Standard Version

Context — Genesis 5

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
31And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years, and he died.] According to the Greek version, he lived but seven hundred and fifty three; and according to the Samaritan version, only six hundred and fifty three: but it is best and safest in these, and all the above numbers, to follow the original Hebrew, and the numbers in that, with which the Targum of Onkelos exactly agrees, written about the time of Christ; and these numbers were just the same when the two Talmuds were composed. Some of the Jewish writers, and so some Christians, confound this Lamech with the other Lamech, who was of the race of Cain, spoken of in the preceding chapter, and say he was a bigamist and…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“- Section V - The Line to Noah - The Line of Sheth 1. ספר sepher “writing, a writing, a book.” 9. קינן qēynān, Qenan, “possessor, or spearsman.” 12. מהללאל mahelal'ēl, Mahalalel, “praise of ‘El.” 15. ירד yerĕd, Jered, “going down.” 21. מתוּשׁלה metûshālach, Methushelach, “man of the missile.” 29. נה noach, Noach, “rest,” נחם nācham “sigh; repent; pity; comfort oneself; be revenged.” 32. שׁם shēm, Shem, “name, fame; related: be high.” חם chām Cham, “hot.” יפת yāpet, Japheth, “spreading; related: spread out.” We now enter upon the third of the larger documents contained in Genesis. The first is a diary, the second is a history, the third a genealogy. The first employs the name אלהים…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“am 1651, bc 2353 he died: Gen 5:5 Genesis 5:32”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification