The Meaning of Genesis 5:4 Explained

Genesis 5:4

KJV: And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:

YLT: And the days of Adam after his begetting Seth are eight hundred years, and he begetteth sons and daughters.

Darby: And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years; and he begot sons and daughters.

ASV: and the days of Adam after he begat Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the days  of Adam  after  he had begotten  Seth  were eight  hundred  years:  and he begat  sons  and daughters: 

What does Genesis 5:4 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 5:4 mean?

And were the days of Adam after he had begotten - Seth eight hundred years and he begat sons and daughters
וַיִּֽהְי֣וּ יְמֵי־ אָדָ֗ם אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־ שֵׁ֔ת שְׁמֹנֶ֥ה מֵאֹ֖ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת

וַיִּֽהְי֣וּ  And  were 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
יְמֵי־  the  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
אָדָ֗ם  of  Adam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: first man.
אַֽחֲרֵי֙  after 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
הוֹלִיד֣וֹ  he  had  begotten 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
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.
שֵׁ֔ת  Seth 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֵׁת  
Sense: the 3rd son of Adam by Eve.
שְׁמֹנֶ֥ה  eight 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: שְׁמֹנֶה  
Sense: eight, eighth.
מֵאֹ֖ת  hundred 
Parse: Number, feminine plural
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
שָׁנָ֑ה  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
וַיּ֥וֹלֶד  and  he  begat 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
בָּנִ֖ים  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וּבָנֽוֹת  and  daughters 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.