Genesis 5:30

ࠅࠉࠇࠉ ࠋࠌࠊ ࠀࠇࠓࠉ ࠄࠅࠋࠉࠃࠅ ࠀࠕ ࠍࠇ ࠔࠔ ࠌࠀࠅࠕ ࠔࠍࠄ ࠅࠉࠅࠋࠃ ࠁࠍࠉࠌ ࠅࠁࠍࠅࠕ

Gen 5:30 [Samaritan Pentateuch]

ויחי למך אחרי הולידו את נח שש מאות שנה ויולד בנים ובנות׃

And Lemekh lived after he fathered Noaḥ six hundred years, and he fathered sons and daughters.

Gen 5:30 [Masoretic Text]

וַֽיְחִי־לֶ֗מֶךְ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הֹולִידֹ֣ו אֶת־נֹ֔חַ חָמֵ֤שׁ וְתִשְׁעִים֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וַחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֹ֖ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיֹּ֥ולֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֹֽות׃

And Lemekh lived after he fathered Noaḥ for ninety-five years and five hundred years, and he fathered sons and daughters.

Morphology

1. וַֽיְחִי־לֶ֗מֶךְ (wayĕḥî-Lemeḵ) – Root: חיה (ḥ-y-h); Form: Qal imperfect, third masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And Lemeḵ lived”; Notes: Indicates the lifespan of Lemeḵ after the birth of Noaḥ.
2. אַֽחֲרֵי֙ (ʾaḥărey) – Root: אחר (ʾ-ḥ-r); Form: Preposition; Translation: “after”; Notes: Indicates the period following the birth of Noaḥ.
3. הֹולִידֹ֣ו (holidō) – Root: ילד (y-l-d); Form: Hiphil infinitive construct with third masculine singular suffix; Translation: “he fathered him”; Notes: Refers to the birth of Noaḥ.
4. אֶת־נֹ֔חַ (ʾeṯ-Noaḥ) – Root: נוח (n-w-ḥ); Form: Direct object marker אֶת + proper noun; Translation: “Noaḥ”; Notes: The direct object of the verb.
5. חָמֵ֤שׁ (ḥāmēš) – Root: חמש (ḥ-m-š); Form: Numeral, singular feminine; Translation: “five”; Notes: Part of the compound number for Lemeḵ’s age.
6. וְתִשְׁעִים֙ (wĕtišʿîm) – Root: תשע (t-š-ʿ); Form: Numeral, plural masculine; Translation: “ninety”; Notes: Part of the compound number for Lemeḵ’s age.
7. שָׁנָ֔ה (šānāh) – Root: שנה (š-n-h); Form: Noun, singular feminine; Translation: “years”; Notes: Refers to the age of Lemeḵ.
8. וַחֲמֵ֥שׁ (waḥămēš) – Root: חמש (ḥ-m-š); Form: Conjunction וְ + numeral, singular feminine; Translation: “and five”; Notes: Part of the second compound number.
9. מֵאֹ֖ת (mēʾōṯ) – Root: מאה (m-ʾ-h); Form: Noun, plural feminine construct; Translation: “hundred”; Notes: Refers to the additional years.
10. שָׁנָ֑ה (šānāh) – Root: שנה (š-n-h); Form: Noun, singular feminine; Translation: “years”; Notes: Indicates the total years lived after the birth of Noaḥ.
11. וַיֹּ֥ולֶד (wayyōleḏ) – Root: ילד (y-l-d); Form: Hiphil imperfect, third masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and he fathered”; Notes: Refers to additional children born to Lemeḵ.
12. בָּנִ֖ים (bānîm) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Noun, plural masculine; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Refers to male offspring.
13. וּבָנֹֽות (ūbānōṯ) – Root: בת (b-t); Form: Noun, plural feminine; Translation: “and daughters”; Notes: Refers to female offspring.

Textual Commentary

Textual Comparison

Masoretic Text (MT):
“And Lamech lived after he begot Noah 595 years, and he begot sons and daughters.”

Samaritan Pentateuch (SP):
“And Lamech lived after he begot Noah 600 years, and he begot sons and daughters.”

Septuagint (LXX):
“And Lamech lived after he begot Noah 565 years, and he begot sons and daughters.”

Key Differences in Numbers

• MT vs. SP: The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) adds 5 years to Lamech’s post-Noah lifespan, increasing it from 595 years (MT) to 600 years (SP).
• MT vs. LXX: The Septuagint (LXX) records 565 years, which is 30 years fewer than the MT and 35 years fewer than the SP.
• SP vs. LXX: The SP has 600 years, while the LXX has 565 years, creating a 35-year difference between these two traditions.

Possible Explanations for the Differences

• Scribal Variants:
  Numerical differences are common in ancient manuscripts, often due to copying errors or differences in numeral systems.
  The numbers 595 (MT), 600 (SP), and 565 (LXX) may reflect separate transmission traditions.
• Chronological Differences Between Traditions:
  The Samaritan Pentateuch (SP) often aligns numbers with its internal system, sometimes rounding figures.
  The LXX systematically lowers the ages of some patriarchs, possibly due to an alternative Vorlage (base text) or editorial adjustments.
• Impact on Lamech’s Total Lifespan (Genesis 5:31):
  • MT: 777 years.
  • SP: 653 years.
  • LXX: 753 years.

  The MT preserves the symbolic number 777, while the SP and LXX have lower totals, likely due to differences in textual traditions.

Conclusion

Genesis 5:30 presents three distinct numerical traditions:

• Masoretic Text (MT): 595 years.
• Samaritan Pentateuch (SP): 600 years (+5 from MT).
• Septuagint (LXX): 565 years (-30 from MT, -35 from SP).

These differences highlight textual variation in the genealogical records of Genesis 5, reflecting independent manuscript traditions rather than simple scribal errors.