Genesis 5:30 reads, “After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters” (NIV). Obviously, this means that Noah must have had younger brothers and sisters. Are these siblings mentioned elsewhere in the Bible? Do you know of any commentaries that address this?
Let’s begin by reading Genesis 5:3-5, “And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.”
This portion gives us the bloodline of Adam’s son, Seth, and continues through Noah and his sons. For the sake of time and space, let’s look at only a few of the prominent men mentioned in this chapter.
- Verse 18, “And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch.” We read in verse 24 that Enoch walked with God and so God took him to Heaven without Enoch dying. Hebrews 11:5 says, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”
- Verse 21, “And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah.” Verse 27 tells us, “And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.” As far as what is recorded in the scriptures, Methuselah was the oldest man who ever lived.
- Verse 25, “And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech.” These verses take us to the birth of Lamech. Now, let’s look at what we can find about Lamech.
- Verses 28-32, “And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son: And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed. And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died. And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.”
As you can see from this portion, Noah was Lamech’s firstborn son. He was named that because, “This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands…” Noah’s name means rest or comfort. Lamech’s words seem to be prophetical concerning Noah, who built the ark for the preservation of the human race, and who seems to have been a typical person; for when he offered his sacrifice after the drying up of the waters, it is said that God smelled a sweet savor (soothing savor or savor of rest), and said he would not curse the ground any more for man’s sake as we read in Genesis 8:20-21, “And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.”
In all the scriptures, Noah’s brothers are not mentioned again. We do not know their names. We do not know how many brothers he had. We do read that after having Noah, Lamech lived 595 years. Now, let’s look at Genesis 7:6 which says, “And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.” Lamech passed away five years before the flood came, so he was not involved in the awful flood which the Lord used to destroy mankind (Genesis 6:7). He certainly was alive and a witness to Noah and his sons (Ham, Shem, and Japheth) building the ark. I believe we can assume that Lamech’s other sons also witnessed some of the building of the ark, yet when the flood began, only Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their wives were onboard. How sad to think that Noah’s brothers did not heed God’s warning and were drowned in the flood. 1 Peter 3:20 tells us that only “eight souls were saved by water.”
What about you, my friend? Do you realize that you might have a history of people in your family being mighty servants of the Lord…yet you may still be lost? Perhaps your father, grandfather, or brother was a minister. That does not mean you are automatically saved. An old missionary I knew said to me many times, “God has many children, but He has no grandchildren.” How true that is. To be saved, each one must, as an individual, put his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. Romans 10:9-10 makes it very clear, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Have you trusted Christ as your savior? (CC) (550.2)