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Chapter 4
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Genesis, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
God, Humanity, and Creation
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises
The Role of Women
Summary
Analysis
Adam’s descendants are listed, beginning with God’s creation of humankind, male and female, in his image. When Adam fathered Seth, he was 130 years old; after Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years more, for a total of 900 years before he died.
Humanity’s creation at the beginning of Genesis is echoed here. Genesis contains many genealogies, or records of family descent, to show how humanity got from Adam to the audience’s present. These genealogies often follow the formula found here.
Themes
Adam’s descendants—Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, and Lamech—are named, along with the ages at which they became fathers and the age at which each man died. Notably, Enoch is distinguished for having “walked with God” and been taken away by God at the end of his life. His son, Methuselah, is notable for living a total of 969 years.
When Lamech was 182 years old, he had a son named Noah, who in turn became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis traces Adam’s descendants through Seth to Noah, who will be the next major figure in the history of God’s people.
Themes
People continue to multiply. Daughters are born, and men see that they are attractive and take wives for themselves. The LORD says that his spirit will not remain in fleshly mortals forever, and that from now on, their years will be limited to 120. The Nephilim also live on the earth and marry human women, who bear their children. These become famous heroes and warriors.
The interpretation of this passage is unclear, but it implies some kind of sexual impropriety or indiscriminate choice of wives that displeases God—a result of humanity’s original rebellion, when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. The term Nephilim (Hebrew for “fallen ones”) is infamously unclear, too. They seem to be formidable figures whose offspring contribute to the violence described in the next passage.
Themes
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The LORD sees that humanity’s wickedness is great, and he regrets having created them. He decides that he will blot out what he has made, both people and all other creatures. Noah, however, finds favor in God’s sight. Noah follows God blamelessly.
Many generations after Adam and Eve’s disobedience, humanity as a whole is described as having devolved into rebellion against God, though Noah is named as a lone exception.
Themes
God tells Noah that, because of the violence that fills the earth, he is going to destroy everything that breathes. He instructs Noah to build an ark made out of cypress wood, giving him exact directions regarding the rooms and dimensions the ark must have and the materials Noah should use. After Noah builds the ark, God will flood the earth, destroying all life. However, he will establish a covenant with Noah. Noah, his wife, his sons, and their wives will enter the ark, along with two of every kind of creature—male and female. Noah does as God commands him.
Disobedience is so pervasive that God has basically determined to undo his creation. However, he provides a means for humanity’s continuance—he will ensure that righteous Noah and his family will survive the coming deluge in a huge boat, along with each kind of animal. His agreement with Noah is called a “covenant,” or a formal agreement between two parties, usually initiated by the superior party with the inferior.
Themes
