The ages in 11:10–26 and Kainan
Says Ages at fatherhood, Hebrew / Samaritan / Greek: Shem 100/100/100; Arpachshad 35/135/135; Shelah 30/130/130; Eber 34/134/134; Peleg 30/130/130; Reu 32/132/132; Serug 30/130/130; Nahor 29/79/79; Terah 70/70/70. The years after fatherhood also differ: for Arpachshad 403/303/430, Shelah 403/303/330, Eber 430/270/370, Peleg 209/109/209, Reu 207/107/207, Serug 200/100/200, Nahor 119/69/129.
Says The Greek adds a generation: Arphaxad ἐγέννησεν τὸν Καινάν (“fathered Kainan”), and 11:13 adds Καὶ ἔζησεν Καινὰν ἑκατὸν τριάκοντα ἔτη, καὶ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Σάλα (“and Kainan lived a hundred and thirty years and fathered Sala”). The Samaritan text, like וְאַרְפַּכְשַׁד חַי חָמֵשׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת־שָׁלַח, has no Kainan. The Greek and the Samaritan add “and he died” after each person, and the Samaritan also gives totals.
Says Swete’s notes: in the Bodleian manuscript Kainan’s clauses were first left out and a corrector added them in the margin; there a corrector also added the hundred to Arphaxad’s age.
Uncertain The Hebrew may keep the original short figures, the Greek may have lengthened them, or the Greek and Samaritan may reflect older figures. Luke 3:36 has “the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad” (BSB), which some take as evidence for Kainan and others as Luke following the Greek. No lean is taken here.
Says Editorial decision: print the MT (confidence medium).
Claims
- SaysAges at fatherhood, Hebrew / Samaritan / Greek: Shem 100/100/100; Arpachshad 35/135/135; Shelah 30/130/130; Eber 34/134/134; Peleg 30/130/130; Reu 32/132/132; Serug 30/130/130; Nahor 29/79/79; Terah 70/70/70. The years after fatherhood also differ: for Arpachshad 403/303/430, Shelah 403/303/330, Eber 430/270/370, Peleg 209/109/209, Reu 207/107/207, Serug 200/100/200, Nahor 119/69/129.
- SaysThe Greek adds a generation: Arphaxad ἐγέννησεν τὸν Καινάν (“fathered Kainan”), and 11:13 adds Καὶ ἔζησεν Καινὰν ἑκατὸν τριάκοντα ἔτη, καὶ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Σάλα (“and Kainan lived a hundred and thirty years and fathered Sala”). The Samaritan text, like וְאַרְפַּכְשַׁד חַי חָמֵשׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד אֶת־שָׁלַח, has no Kainan. The Greek and the Samaritan add “and he died” after each person, and the Samaritan also gives totals.
- SaysSwete’s notes: in the Bodleian manuscript Kainan’s clauses were first left out and a corrector added them in the margin; there a corrector also added the hundred to Arphaxad’s age.
- UncertainThe Hebrew may keep the original short figures, the Greek may have lengthened them, or the Greek and Samaritan may reflect older figures. Luke 3:36 has “the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad” (BSB), which some take as evidence for Kainan and others as Luke following the Greek. No lean is taken here.
- SaysEditorial decision: print the MT (confidence medium).
Citations
- OSHB CC BY 4.0 Gen 11:10–26 (WLC/OSHB; morph HC/Vhw3ms)
- von Gall, Sam. Pent. public domain Gen 11:10–19, main text; Samaritan text, von Gall p. 17 (leaf n544), archive.org vonGall_SamaritanPentateuch, checked against the printed page (scan)
- von Gall, Sam. Pent. public domain Gen 11:20–26, main text; Samaritan text, von Gall p. 18 (leaf n543), archive.org vonGall_SamaritanPentateuch, checked against the printed page (scan)
- LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Gen 11:10–26, text and apparatus. LXX: Swete, vol. 1 (1901), p. 17 (leaf n48), p. 18 (leaf n49). Checked against the printed page (scan).
- BSB public domain Luke 3:36 (BSB)
Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits
2026-11-12
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