Enosh
Son of Seth and grandson of Adam in Genesis
- Hebrew
- Enosh, "mortal man"
- Father
- Seth
- Son
- Kenan (Cainan)
- Age at death
- 905 years (Genesis 5:11)
- Main texts
- Genesis 4:26; 5:6–11
Seth's son, whose name means 'mortal man'; Genesis says people began to call on the name of the Lord in his days.
What is Enosh known for?
Enosh is the son of Seth and the third generation of humanity in Genesis. His name is a Hebrew word for a human being, "mortal man." Genesis 4:26 adds a short, much-discussed line: in his time people began to call on the name of the Lord. Genesis 5 says he fathered Kenan at 90 and lived 905 years.
Interpreters read that verse in opposite ways. Some saw it as the start of true worship. Rabbinic tradition, followed by Maimonides, read it as the beginning of idolatry, when people started honoring the stars. The Book of Jubilees names his wife as his sister Noam. Ethiopian tradition credits him with the Ge'ez alphabet.
Enosh is known only from the Genesis genealogies and the traditions built on them. On this site his name turns up indirectly: the Genesis Apocryphon's name for Lamech's wife, Bitenosh, can be read as "daughter of Enosh" or "daughter of man."
His name appears inside 'Bitenosh', the name of Noah's mother in the Genesis Apocryphon.
Mentioned on these pages
- Rabbit holeLamech and Bitenosh
Sources
- Genesis 4:25–5:11 (KJV), Bible GatewayPrimary text
- Wikipedia, 'Enos (biblical figure)'Reference
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