The Meaning of Genesis 5:3 Explained

Genesis 5:3

KJV: And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

YLT: And Adam liveth an hundred and thirty years, and begetteth a son in his likeness, according to his image, and calleth his name Seth.

Darby: And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his likeness, after his image, and called his name Seth.

ASV: And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Adam  lived  an hundred  and thirty  years,  and begat  [a son] in his own likeness,  after his image;  and called  his name  Seth: 

What does Genesis 5:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 5:1-24 - Posterity Of Adam
In contrast to Cain's line in the previous chapter, we have Seth's in this. Note the curious similarity in the names, as though the Cainites professed all that the Sethites held, but lacked the reality and power. There have always been these two families in the world, tares and wheat, goats and sheep. This is an old-world cemetery; we walk among old monuments with time-worn inscriptions. Though the Sethites were God-fearers, they were tinged with Adam's sin. He was made in God's image, but they in His. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh." We need what is described in Colossians 3:10 and Ephesians 4:23. The birth of Methuselah seems to have had a profound influence on his father. After that he walked with God. Faith will enable us to do the same, because it makes the unseen visible and God real. Go God's way: keep God's pace: talk to Him aloud and constantly, as the great Companion. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 5

1  Recapitulation of the creation of man
3  The genealogy, age, and death of the patriarchs from Adam to Noah
22  Enoch's godliness and translation into Heaven
25  The family line of Methuselah to Noah and his sons

What do the individual words in Genesis 5:3 mean?

And lived Adam thirty and a hundred years and begat [a son] in his own likeness after his image and he called - his name Seth
וַֽיְחִ֣י אָדָ֗ם שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וּמְאַת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בִּדְמוּת֖וֹ כְּצַלְמ֑וֹ וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־ שְׁמ֖וֹ שֵֽׁת

וַֽיְחִ֣י  And  lived 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
אָדָ֗ם  Adam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: first man.
שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים  thirty 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: שְׁלֹשִׁים  
Sense: thirty, thirtieth.
וּמְאַת֙  and  a  hundred 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, feminine singular construct
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
שָׁנָ֔ה  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
וַיּ֥וֹלֶד  and  begat  [a  son] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
בִּדְמוּת֖וֹ  in  his  own  likeness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דְּמוּת  
Sense: likeness, similitude adv.
כְּצַלְמ֑וֹ  after  his  image 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צֶלֶם 
Sense: image.
וַיִּקְרָ֥א  and  he  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שְׁמ֖וֹ  his  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
שֵֽׁת  Seth 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֵׁת  
Sense: the 3rd son of Adam by Eve.