11 Shem lived after he became the father of Arpachshad five hundred years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of sons and daughters. All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died. Seth lived one hundred five years, and became the father of Enosh. Seth lived after he became the father of Enosh eight hundred seven years, and became the father of sons and daughters. All the days of Seth were nine hundred twelve years, then he died. Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan. Enosh lived after he became the father of Kenan, eight hundred fifteen years, and became the father of sons and daughters. All the days of Enosh were nine hundred five years, then he died. Kenan lived seventy years, and became the father of Mahalalel. Kenan lived after he became the father of Mahalalel eight hundred forty years, and became the father of sons and daughters and all the days of Kenan were nine hundred ten years, then he died. Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Jared. Mahalalel lived after he became the father of Jared eight hundred thirty years, and became the father of sons and daughters. All the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years, then he died. Jared lived one hundred sixty-two years, and became the father of Enoch. Jared lived after he became the father of Enoch eight hundred years, and became the father of sons and daughters. All the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty-two years, then he died. Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he became the father of Methuselah three hundred years, and became the father of sons and daughters. all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. Methuselah lived one hundred eighty-seven years, and became the father of Lamech. Methuselah lived after he became the father of Lamech seven hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of sons and daughters. All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years, then he died. Lamech lived one hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of a son, and he named him Noah, saying, "This same will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, because of the ground which Yahweh has cursed." Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and became the father of sons and daughters. All the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years, then he died. Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of youth.
Your wife will be as a fruitful vine, In the innermost parts of your house; Your children like olive plants, Around your table. Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears Yahweh.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 11
Commentary on Genesis 11 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 11
The old distinction between the sons of God and the sons of men (professors and profane) survived the flood, and now appeared again, when men began to multiply: according to this distinction we have, in this chapter,
Gen 11:1-4
The close of the foregoing chapter tells us that by the sons of Noah, or among the sons of Noah, the nations were divided in the earth after the flood, that is, were distinguished into several tribes or colonies; and, the places having grown too strait for them, it was either appointed by Noah, or agreed upon among his sons, which way each several tribe or colony should steer its course, beginning with the countries that were next them, and designing to proceed further and further, and to remove to a greater distance from each other, as the increase of their several companies should require. Thus was the matter well settled, one hundred years after the flood, about the time of Peleg's birth; but the sons of men, it should seem, were loth to disperse into distant places; they thought the more the merrier and the safer, and therefore they contrived to keep together, and were slack to go to possess the land which the Lord God of their fathers had given them (Jos. 18:3), thinking themselves wiser than either God or Noah. Now here we have,
Gen 11:5-9
We have here the quashing of the project of the Babel-builders, and the turning of the counsel of those froward men headlong, that God's counsel might stand in spite of them. Here is,
Gen 11:10-26
We have here a genealogy, not an endless genealogy, for here it ends in Abram, the friend of God, and leads further to Christ, the promised seed, who was the son of Abram, and from Abram the genealogy of Christ is reckoned (Mt. 1:1, etc.); so that put ch. 5, ch. 11, and Mt. 1, together, and you have such an entire genealogy of Jesus Christ as cannot be produced, for aught I know, concerning any person in the world, out of his line, and at such a distance from the fountain-head. And, laying these three genealogies together, we shall find that twice ten, and thrice fourteen, generations or descents, passed between the first and second Adam, making it clear concerning Christ that he was not only the Son of Abraham, but the Son of man, and the seed of woman. Observe here,
Gen 11:27-32
Here begins the story of Abram, whose name is famous, henceforward, in both Testaments. We have here,