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18 And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:

19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty and two years; and he died.

i Jude 14, 15.

21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:

22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters :

k ch. 6. 9. & 17. 1. & 24. 40. 2 Kings 20. 3. Ps. 16. 8. & 116. 9. & 129. 1. Mic. 6. 8. Mal. 2. 6.

have already seen, though their prodigious age doubtless contributed greatly to the advancement of the antediluvians in knowledge and refinement, it is beyond a question that the same circumstances tended, more perhaps than any thing besides, to introduce moral corruption into the world, which corruption became, in all probability, more and more flagrant as the increased ingenuity of mankind enabled them to devise new methods of gratifying the senses. Thus God permitted the first races to live long upon the earth, that they might themselves attain to perfection in the cultivation of the sciences, and leave them to their posterity, even though the boon of longevity proved mischievous to their own moral purity, whilst the groundwork of knowledge being laid, he took away the stumbling-block in the way of man's obedience, by decreeing that 'the time of man's life should be four score years.'

21. And begat Methuselah. The import of this name in the original is, 'He dieth, and the sending forth;' as if it were an intimation of the sending forth of the waters of the deluge about the time of his death. Whether this conjecture be well founded or not, it is certain that in the very year in which he died the earth was overwhelmed by that dread catastrophe.-The age of Methuselah transcended that of any of the rest of the patriarchs here mentioned, but it is not absolutely certain that he

was the longest liver of the children of Adam. Among the multitudes of whom no information is given some might have exceeded him in this respect.

22. Enoch walked with God. A brief but expressive character of a good man. To walk with God is in the first place to be agreed with him, to become reconciled to him in the way of his appointment-'for how can two walk together except they be agreed?'-and then to set God always before us, to act as being under the continual inspection of his all-seeing eye. It is to live a life of communion with him and of obedience to him, making his word our rule and his glory our end, in all actions. It is to make it our constant endeavour in every thing to please him and in nothing to offend him. This it is to walk with God like Enoch, who in the midst of the men of a wicked generation walked not as they walked, but set his face as a flint against the abounding ungodliness. In consequence of this he obtained the honourable and precious testimony that he pleased God,' and as a reward for his preeminent piety was spared the pains of death.' to From the import of the phrase walk with God' as used 1 Sam. 2. 30, 35, and from his being said by Jude, v. 14, to be a prophet, it is probably to be inferred that Enoch acted also in a public and official capacity as a preacher of righteousness, reproving and denouncing the growing impiety of the times, and exhorting to repentance. A

23 And all the days of Enoch | were three hundred sixty and five years:

24 And Enoch walked with God, and he was not: for God took him.

25 And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech:

1 2 Kings 2. 11. Heb. 11. 5.

brief but impressive specimen of his preaching is preserved by the apostle Jude, from which it appears that the doctrine of the second advent of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and a judgment to come, were taught, though somewhat obscurely, in the very earliest ages of the world.-Wonderful as

26 And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:

27 And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years; and he died.

28 T And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:

300 years-with Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, and Jared during his whole life-and that he was translated 57 years after the death of Adam, 69 years before the birth of Noah, and in the year of the world 987. It has been suggested as highly probable that some visible demonstration of his translation was given to his cotemporaries in order to confirm their faith in the prospect of another and an immortal life, as well perhaps as to intimate to them the manner in which sinless man would in process of time have been disposed of under the first covenant, had it not been for the effects of the fall. But from the peculiar phraseology in which his removal is described, v. 24, we incline to the opinion that it was not visible.- - Begat sons and daughters. From which it plainly appears that a state of celibacy is not essential to a life of the most devoted and preeminent piety.

was the event of the translation of a living man to the world of glory, we know of nothing in the revealed purposes of God to forbid the occurrence of other instances of the like kind even in this or any other age of the world, provided there were instances of equal eminence in piety. The same distinction was subsequently conferred upon Elijah, and probably from the same reasons, and the words of the apostle 1 Cor. 15. 51, make it certain that the whole human race shall not fall asleep in death, but that a portion of mankind shall be transferred to the abodes of bliss without undergoing dissolution. This is to take place under the seventh 24. And he was not, for God took apocalyptic trumpet, and if there be him. Was not found; was missing any certainty in prophetic chronology had disappeared from human view. we are now living under that trumpet, The expression implics something very or close upon its borders. If then such peculiar in the manner of his removal. an event is to be anticipated hereafter, In some mysterious way he had beand that without cântravening the gen- come no longer an inhabitant of this eral law, that 'it is appointed for all world, and as he is not said like the men once to die,' we know no reason rest of the patriarchs to have died, the why it may not take place even now, inference is plain, though the text itself though we have no positive evidence does not clearly assert it, that he must that it will.-It may be remarked that have been exempted from the common Enoch was cotemporary with Adam lot of humanity in making his exit from 308 years with his son Methuselah | the earth. This is made absolutely cer

29 And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed

m

m ch. 3. 17. & 4. 11.

tain by the inspired declaration, Heb. 11. 5, that 'by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death.' The Chaldee version renders the passage, 'He appeared not, and yet the Lord killed him not.'

30 And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:

31 And all the days of Lamech

cordance with the fact. The prediction thus understood he maintains has been verified by the event; that the earth from the time of the flood was in a good degree restored from the curse laid upon it at the fall, and is still enjoying the effect of the blessing bestowed up

may doubtless be urged against this view of the subject, yet if the prediction be construed as announcing a gradual amelioration of the state of the earth to be effected through this lapse of many ages, the proposed interpretation may be considered as less liable to exception. For it is certain that the invention of the arts and implements of husbandry, and the improvements made by one age upon another

29. Called his name Noah, saying, &c. The original terms for Noah (on Noah. Very specious objections noach, rest) and comfort ( nahham, to comfort or refresh) have so much resemblance to each other that we are probably to regard the language as an instance of that paranomasia, or play upon words, which is of such frequent occurrence in the sacred writers, and of which a striking parallel is to be noted Gen. 9. 27. The name was doubtless bestowed by the prompting of the spirit of prophecy. But in what precise sense the prediction was to be fulfilled in No-in every department of agriculture, have ah, is a point not very easily determin- rendered the toil andwork of men's hands ed. The opinion of Bp. Sherlock is that less and less burdensome. By the art of the curse upon the earth inflicted in taming and managing the beasts of the consequence of Adam's sin had, in field, and pressing them into our service connection with the progressive in--a prerogative especially secured in the crease of corruption and crime, been grant made through Noah, chap. 9. 2 growing more and more severe ever-the most laborious part of the work is since the fall, so that the work and toil necessary to raise from the ground a sufficient sustenance for life had become an almost intolerable burden. And he supposes that the words of Lamech refer to a general expectation that by the intervention or instrumentality of some distinguished personage the rigour of the curse was to be greatly abated, and the earth restored in a measure to its primitive fertility and ease of cultivation. This personage he conceives that Lamech, under divine suggestion, recognised in his new-born child, and bestowed upon him a name in ac

transferred upon them, and by that means man's dominion over them so far recovered. By the improvements also which in later times have resulted from an investigation of the laws of motion and a dexterous application of the mechanical powers, one man can now perform with ease what formerly surpassed the united efforts of many, and a great part of the labour of life has been thrown back upon inanimate matter itself. In attributing such an import, however, to the name Noah, we are not to conceive of him as the effi cient agent by whom such a signal

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change was to be brought about, but merely as a destined medium, appointed to act a conspicuous part in the train of events which should issue in such a result.-After all, the above suggestions are thrown out in the lack of any thing more satisfactory in explanation of the reason assigned by Lamech for the bestowment of the name Noah upon his son.

CHAPTER VI.

ΑΝ ND it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

a ch. 1. 28.

CHAPTER VI.

1. And it came to pass, &c. A more exact rendering of the two first verses is the following ;-'And it came to pass when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, that daughters were born unto them, And the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair,' &c. The same construction in the original occurs 1 Sam. 13. 22. 32. And Noah begat Shem, Ham, Josh. 17. 13. 2 Kings 3. 5, in all which and Japheth. That is, began to be- cases 'and' is rendered 'that.'—¶ get; for his three sons were not all When men began to multiply. Men begotten or born in one year. Of had multiplied long before this, for it was these, Japheth was undoubtedly the now above 1500 years since the creaeldest, and therefore born in the five tion; the meaning therefore is, when hundredth year of Noah's life. And the human race had greatly multiplied. as Shem begat Arphaxad two years af- Heb. ' when the Adam began to multiter the flood when he was one hundred ply.' That is, corrupt men, men paryears old, ch. 11. 10, he must have taking in an eminent degree of the nabeen born about two years after Ja- ture of fallen Adam, in allusion particupheth, that is to say, when his father larly to the descendants of wicked was five hundred and two. Yet as Cain. This appears from their being Ham is invariably named between the distinguished from the 'sons of God' other two, we incline to the belief that in the ensuing verse, who although by he was born between them, though of nature equally the heirs of corruption, the precise time of his birth we are not yet being descended from the line of informed. Shem is named first from Seth were in the main a class of perhis superior dignity as the progenitor of sons possessing the fear and observing the church and of Christ, and perhaps the worship of Jehovah. They were from his obtaining the birthright, though those upon whom 'the name of the this is not mentioned in the history. In Lord was called,' as mentioned in the like manner, Abel is named before previous chapter. The object of the Cain, Jacob before Esau, and Isaac be- sacred writer is to trace back to its fore Ishmael. He is called Shem, fountain-head that universal degenerawhich signifies a name, because the cy and corruption of manners which name of God and the distinction that resulted in bringing the deluge upon the accrued from it, was always to remain world of the ungodly. From his statein his posterity till He should come out ment it is plain that it commenced in of his loins whose name was to be promiscuous intermarriages, or less above every name; so in putting Shem lawful connections, between the seed of first, Christ was in effect put first, who in the righteous and of the wicked. all things must have the preeminence. I there had not been so deep a deluge of

'If

2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were

sin there had been none of the waters. From whence then was this superflu'ty of iniquity? Whence, but from the unequal yoke with infidels. These marriages did not beget men so much as wickedness; from hence religious husbands both lost their piety, and gained a rebellious and godless generation.' Bp. Hall.

2. The sons of God. Heb.

b

fir; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

b Deut. 7.3, 4.

garded with a lustful eye, as Eve saw the forbidden fruit. Heb. 'daughters of the Adam.' That is, daughters of the profane and impious race of Cain, children of the old Adam, such as had nothing in them but the nature of men, fallen men, who had lost the image of God and minded only earthly things. Thus, 1 Cor. 13. 3, 'Walk ye not as men?' i. e. as carnal unregenerate men.

-T They took them wives of all which they chose. Or, Heb. ' which they

often has the sense of liking, delighting in, being pleased with. Thus Isa. 14. 1, 'For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel;' i. e. will yet delight in. So the phrase 'my chosen,' Isa. 42. 1, is interpreted 'my beloved,' Mat. 12. 18. Comp. Zech. 1. 17.-3. 2. Prov. 1. 29.-3. 31. Ensnared by the beauty of these fair daughters of men, and overlooking ev

sons of the Elohim. Chal. 'sons of the eminent ones.' That is, the descendants of Seth, Enos, and the oth-liked or loved.' The original for 'choose' er pious patriarchs who were separated from the posterity of Cain and formed the visible church. The appellation no doubt has reference to Gen. 4. 26, where the same class of persons are said to be 'called by the name of the Lord;' i. e. to be the sons and servants of God in contradistinction from others, the seed of Cain, who are merely called 'men.' The term Elohim is occasionally applied to persons of distin-ery higher consideration, they rushed guished eminence in place or power, such as judges, magistrates, &c. but is here probably used to denote a distinction of a moral kind, such as resulted from their likeness to God, their maintaining his worship, and obeying his laws. The persons designated included, it may be presumed, all, or nearly all, those enumerated in the preceding chapter as forming the line of the faithful from Seth to Noah, who though pious and devout themselves, were yet unfortunate in their children. They unhappily swerved from the precepts in which they had been trained, forsook the counsels of their fathers, relaxed the strictness of their walk, and, yielding gradually to temptation, formed unhallowed connections with the worldly and profane, and thus opened the floodgates of a universal corruption of morals. - Saw the daughters of men. Re

thoughtlessly into the most dangerous connections. Instead of giving reason time to deliberate and weigh the consequences, they surrendered themselves to the impulses of a headstrong passion, and deaf to advice or remonstrance took all that they chose, choosing only by the eye and in obedience to their corrupt affections; and perhaps disdaining to govern themselves by the limitation of one woman to one man. Such unequal yokings have always been among the most fruitful sources of evil, and upon no conduct of his people is the stamp of the divine displeasure more unequivocally set than upon this. See Deut. 7. 3, 4, 2 Cor. 6. 14. 1 Cor. 7. 39. Professors of religion in marrying both themselves and their children should, as a general rule, make conscience of keeping within the bounds of profession. The bad will sooner

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