< Previous | Contents | Next >

history of Adam. 37:2, “The generations of Jacob” = the history of Jacob and his descendants. 7:1, “In this generation” = in this age. Psalm 49:19, “The generation of his fathers” = the dwelling of his fathers, i.e., the grave. Psalm 73:15, “The generation of thy children” = the contemporary race. Isaiah 53:8, “Who shall declare his generation?” = His manner of life who shall declare? or rather = His race, posterity, shall be so numerous that no one shall be able to declare it.

In Matthew 1:17, the word means a succession or series of persons from the same stock. Matthew 3:7, “Generation of vipers” = brood of vipers. 24:34, “This generation” = the persons then living contemporary with Christ. 1 Peter 2:9, “A chosen generation” = a chosen people.

The Hebrews seem to have reckoned time by the generation. In the time of Abraham a generation was an hundred years, thus: Genesis 15:16, “In the fourth generation” = in four hundred years (comp. verse 13 and Exodus 12:40). In Deuteronomy 1:35 and 2:14 a generation is a period of thirty-eight years.

GENESIS The five books of Moses were collectively called the Pentateuch, a word of Greek origin meaning “the five-fold book.” The Jews called them the Torah, i.e., “the law.” It is probable that the division of the Torah into five books proceeded from the Greek translators of the Old Testament. The names by which these several books are generally known are Greek.

The first book of the Pentateuch (q.v.) is called by the Jews Bereshith, i.e., “in the beginning”, because this is the first word of the book. It is generally known among Christians by the name of Genesis, i.e., “creation” or “generation,” being the name given to it in the LXX. as designating its character, because it gives an account of the origin of all things. It contains, according to the usual computation, the history of about two thousand three hundred and sixty-nine years.

Genesis is divided into two principal parts. The first part (1-11) gives a general history of mankind down to the time of the Dispersion. The second part presents the early history of Israel down to the death and burial of Joseph (12-50).

There are five principal persons brought in succession under our notice in this book, and around these persons the history of the successive periods