Genesis 5:17, "All of the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years, then he died," is a straightforward statement within the genealogical record of Genesis 5. Its meaning is:
"All of the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years": This means Mahalalel lived for a total of 895 years. It is giving his lifespan.
"then he died": This signifies that Mahalalel's life came to an end after that period.
In the context of Genesis 5, this verse is part of a recurring pattern that describes the lifespans of the descendants of Adam. Each entry provides the person's age at the birth of their heir and their total lifespan before stating that "he died." This pattern emphasizes human mortality and the passage of time while tracing the lineage from Adam to Noah.
The extremely long lifespans in Genesis 5 have been interpreted in various ways:
Literal interpretation: Some believe these are literal ages, reflecting different environmental conditions or divine blessing in the early days of humanity.
Symbolic interpretation: Others interpret these numbers symbolically, perhaps representing periods of time, the importance of the individuals, or dynastic rulers.
Mythological interpretation: Some see them as parallels to ancient Near Eastern mythology, where kings and heroes were often attributed with extremely long lifespans.
Regardless of the interpretation, the verse functions as a record of Mahalalel's existence and contributes to the overall narrative of the book of Genesis.
Genesis 5:17, "All of the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years, then he died," is a straightforward statement within the genealogical record of Genesis 5. Its meaning is:
"All of the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years": This means Mahalalel lived for a total of 895 years. It is giving his lifespan.
"then he died": This signifies that Mahalalel's life came to an end after that period.
In the context of Genesis 5, this verse is part of a recurring pattern that describes the lifespans of the descendants of Adam. Each entry provides the person's age at the birth of their heir and their total lifespan before stating that "he died." This pattern emphasizes human mortality and the passage of time while tracing the lineage from Adam to Noah.
The extremely long lifespans in Genesis 5 have been interpreted in various ways:
Literal interpretation: Some believe these are literal ages, reflecting different environmental conditions or divine blessing in the early days of humanity.
Symbolic interpretation: Others interpret these numbers symbolically, perhaps representing periods of time, the importance of the individuals, or dynastic rulers.
Mythological interpretation: Some see them as parallels to ancient Near Eastern mythology, where kings and heroes were often attributed with extremely long lifespans.
Regardless of the interpretation, the verse functions as a record of Mahalalel's existence and contributes to the overall narrative of the book of Genesis.