And he named him Noah, saying, "May this one comfort us in the labor and toil of our hands caused by the ground that the LORD has cursed." And he named him NoahThe name "Noah" is derived from the Hebrew root "נחם" (nacham), which means "to comfort" or "to console." This etymology is significant as it sets the stage for Noah's role in the biblical narrative. In a world marred by sin and the resulting curse, Noah is seen as a beacon of hope and a promise of relief. His name is prophetic, foreshadowing the comfort and salvation he would bring through his obedience to God, ultimately leading to the preservation of humanity and the renewal of the earth after the flood. saying, 'May this one comfort us
The phrase "comfort us" reflects the deep yearning of humanity for relief from the burdens imposed by sin. The Hebrew word for "comfort" here is "נחם" (nacham), the same root as Noah's name, emphasizing the connection between his identity and his mission. This longing for comfort is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, pointing to the ultimate comforter, Jesus Christ, who offers rest for our souls (Matthew 11:28-30). In a conservative Christian perspective, Noah is seen as a type of Christ, prefiguring the ultimate redemption and comfort found in Him. in the labor and toil of our hands
The "labor and toil" refer to the curse pronounced upon Adam in Genesis 3:17-19, where God declared that the ground would produce thorns and thistles, and man would eat by the sweat of his brow. This phrase captures the essence of human struggle and the consequences of sin. The Hebrew words "עצבון" (itzavon) for "toil" and "מעשה" (ma'aseh) for "labor" convey a sense of hardship and sorrow. Noah's birth brings hope that this curse might be alleviated, symbolizing a divine intervention in the midst of human suffering. caused by the ground that the LORD has cursed
The "ground that the LORD has cursed" is a direct reference to the fall of man and the subsequent curse on creation. The Hebrew word for "cursed" is "ארר" (arar), indicating a divine judgment that affects the very fabric of the earth. This curse is a constant reminder of the broken relationship between God and humanity, and the need for redemption. In the conservative Christian view, this points to the overarching narrative of the Bible, where God, through His covenant with Noah and ultimately through Christ, seeks to restore and redeem His creation. Persons / Places / Events 1. LamechThe father of Noah, who named his son with a prophetic hope for relief from the curse on the ground. 2. NoahThe son of Lamech, whose name means "rest" or "comfort" in Hebrew, signifying his future role in God's plan. 3. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant name of God, who pronounced the curse on the ground due to Adam's sin. 4. The GroundCursed by God as a result of Adam's disobedience, leading to toil and hardship for humanity. 5. The CurseThe consequence of sin that brought hardship and labor to mankind, as described in Genesis 3. Teaching Points The Hope of RedemptionLamech's naming of Noah reflects a deep-seated hope for relief from the curse, pointing to the ultimate redemption found in Christ. The Impact of SinThe curse on the ground serves as a reminder of the pervasive impact of sin and the need for divine intervention. God's Sovereign PlanDespite the curse, God had a plan for redemption through Noah, illustrating His sovereignty and faithfulness. The Role of FaithLamech's prophetic naming of Noah demonstrates faith in God's promises, encouraging believers to trust in God's future deliverance. The Promise of ComfortNoah's name signifies comfort, reminding us that God provides solace and hope even amidst life's hardships. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Lamech's hope for Noah reflect the human longing for relief from the consequences of sin? 2. In what ways does the curse on the ground in Genesis 3 connect to the struggles we face today? 3. How does Noah's role in the biblical account foreshadow the ultimate redemption through Jesus Christ? 4. What can we learn from Lamech's faith in naming his son Noah, and how can we apply this to our own lives? 5. How do the themes of comfort and redemption in Genesis 5:29 resonate with the promises found in the New Testament? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 3:17-19This passage details the curse on the ground due to Adam's sin, which is the backdrop for Lamech's hope for Noah. Genesis 6:8-9These verses introduce Noah as a righteous man who found favor with God, setting the stage for his role in the flood account. Isaiah 11:1-10This prophecy speaks of a future time of peace and rest, echoing the hope for comfort and relief from the curse. Romans 8:18-25Paul discusses the creation's groaning under the curse and the hope of redemption, paralleling the longing for relief expressed by Lamech. People Adam, Cainan, Enoch, Enos, Enosh, Ham, Japheth, Jared, Kenan, Lamech, Mahalaleel, Methuselah, Noah, Seth, ShemPlaces Tigris-Euphrates RegionTopics Arising, Bring, Calleth, Caused, Comfort, Cursed, Ground, Hands, Labor, Labour, Named, Noah, Painful, Relief, Rest, Saying, Toil, Trouble, TrulyDictionary of Bible Themes Genesis 5:29 4010 creation, renewal
4406 agriculture
5081 Adam, life of
5483 punishment
5634 work, and the fall
5805 comfort
5827 curse
6200 imperfection, influence Genesis 5:3-32 1655 hundreds and thousands
4016 life, human Genesis 5:22-29 5106 Noah Genesis 5:28-29 6701 peace, search for Library With, Before, After
'Enoch walked with God,'--GENESIS v. 22. 'Walk before Me.'--GENESIS xvii. 1. 'Ye shall walk after the Lord your God.'--DEUTERONOMY xiii. 4. You will have anticipated, I suppose, my purpose in doing what I very seldom do--cutting little snippets out of different verses and putting them together. You see that these three fragments, in their resemblances and in their differences, are equally significant and instructive. They concur in regarding life as a walk--a metaphor which expresses continuity, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureAfter the Scripture.
"In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God created He him."--Gen. v. 1. In the preceding pages we have shown that the translation, "in Our image," actually means, "after Our image." To make anything in an image is no language; it is unthinkable, logically untrue. We now proceed to show how it should be translated, and give our reason for it. We begin with citing some passages from the Old Testament in which occurs the preposition "B" which, in Gen. i. 27, stands before image, where …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit The Neo-Kohlbruggians.
"And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth."--Gen. v. 3. Many are the efforts made to alter the meaning of the word, "Let Us make man in Our image and after Our likeness," (Gen. i. 26) by a different translation; especially by making it to read "in" instead of "after" our likeness. This new reading is Dr. Böhl's main support. With this translation his system stands or falls. According to him, man is not the bearer …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit Walking with God. Gen 5:24
Walking with GOD. Gen 5:24 O! for a closer walk with God, A calm and heav'nly frame; A light to shine upon the road That leads me to the Lamb! Where is the blessedness I knew When first I saw the LORD? Where is the soul-refreshing view Of JESUS, and his word? What peaceful hours I once enjoyed! How sweet their memory still! But they have left an aching void, The world can never fill. Return, O holy Dove, return, Sweet messenger of rest; I hate the sins that made thee mourn, And drove thee from …
John Newton—Olney Hymns The Epistle of Saint Jude.
V. 1, 2. Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, but a brother of James, to those that are called to be holy in God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied. This Epistle is ascribed to the holy Apostle, St. Jude, brother of the two Apostles, James the Less and Simon, by the sister of the mother of Christ, who is called Mary (wife) of James or Cleopas, as we read in Mark vi. But this Epistle cannot be looked upon as being that of one who was truly an Apostle, …
Martin Luther—The Epistles of St. Peter and St. Jude Preached and Explained Consolations against the Fear of Death.
If in the time of thy sickness thou findest thyself fearful to die, meditate-- 1. That it argueth a dastardly mind to fear that which is not; for in the church of Christ there is no death (Isa. xxv. 7, 8), and whosoever liveth and believeth in Christ, shall never die (John xi. 26). Let them fear death who live without Christ. Christians die not; but when they please God, they are like Enoch translated unto God (Gen. v. 24;) their pains are but Elijah's fiery chariot to carry them up to heaven (2 …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety "But it is Good for Me to Draw Near to God: I have Put My Trust in the Lord God, that I May Declare all Thy
Psal. lxxiii. 28.--"But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works." After man's first transgression, he was shut out from the tree of life, and cast out of the garden, by which was signified his seclusion and sequestration from the presence of God, and communion with him: and this was in a manner the extermination of all mankind in one, when Adam was driven out of paradise. Now, this had been an eternal separation for any thing that …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Influences that Gave Rise to the Priestly Laws and Histories
[Sidenote: Influences in the exile that produced written ceremonial laws] The Babylonian exile gave a great opportunity and incentive to the further development of written law. While the temple stood, the ceremonial rites and customs received constant illustration, and were transmitted directly from father to son in the priestly families. Hence, there was little need of writing them down. But when most of the priests were carried captive to Babylonia, as in 597 B.C., and ten years later the temple …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament The Promise to the Patriarchs.
A great epoch is, in Genesis, ushered in with the history of the time of the Patriarchs. Luther says: "This is the third period in which Holy Scripture begins the history of the Church with a new family." In a befitting manner, the representation is opened in Gen. xii. 1-3 by an account of the first revelation of God, given to Abraham at Haran, in which the way is opened up for all that follows, and in which the dispensations of God are brought before us in a rapid survey. Abraham is to forsake …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Appendix xii. The Baptism of Proselytes
ONLY those who have made study of it can have any idea how large, and sometimes bewildering, is the literature on the subject of Jewish Proselytes and their Baptism. Our present remarks will be confined to the Baptism of Proselytes. 1. Generally, as regards proselytes (Gerim) we have to distinguish between the Ger ha-Shaar (proselyte of the gate) and Ger Toshabh (sojourner,' settled among Israel), and again the Ger hatstsedeq (proselyte of righteousness) and Ger habberith (proselyte of the covenant). …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Genesis
The Old Testament opens very impressively. In measured and dignified language it introduces the story of Israel's origin and settlement upon the land of Canaan (Gen.--Josh.) by the story of creation, i.-ii. 4a, and thus suggests, at the very beginning, the far-reaching purpose and the world-wide significance of the people and religion of Israel. The narrative has not travelled far till it becomes apparent that its dominant interests are to be religious and moral; for, after a pictorial sketch of …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Genesis 5:29 NIVGenesis 5:29 NLTGenesis 5:29 ESVGenesis 5:29 NASBGenesis 5:29 KJV
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