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