Genesis 5:4

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Genesis 5:4 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “and the days of Adam after he begat Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

and the days of Adam after he begat Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:4 — American Standard Version

Context — Genesis 5

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
4and the days of Adam after he begat Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters.

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 the days of Adam, after he had begotten Seth, were eight hundred years, etc.] The Septuagint version is seven hundred; for having added one hundred years more the should be, to the years of his life before the birth of Seth, here they are taken away to make the number of his years complete: and he begat sons and daughters; not only after the birth of Seth, but before, though we have no account of any, unless of Cain’s wife; but what their number was is not certain, either before or after; some say he had thirty children, besides Cain, Abel, and Seth; and others a hundred f323. Josephus says the number of children, according to the old tradition, was thirty three sons and twenty three…”
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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
“And the: Ch1 1:1-3; Luk 3:36-38 and he: Gen 5:7, Gen 5:10, Gen 5:13, Gen 5:19, Gen 5:22, Gen 5:26, Gen 5:30, Gen 1:28, Gen 9:1, Gen 9:7, Gen 11:12; Psa 127:3, Psa 144:12 Genesis 5:5”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification