This begins quite anew; it is a new division of subject.
We have the moral history of the antediluvian; history, much more of Adam (man) in what proceeds; the rest was nothing, save Enoch. They lived and died; of Cain's family a good deal—they civilized the world. Here there was one Enoch, and the prophecy of a world to come.
As to Adam (man), it is only said the "likeness" of God, not "image," the point here being what he was, not his place.
So it is Adam, not Ha-Adam, the representative man. But we return to the first chapter here, it is "likeness," not image." Man is still, according to place, the image and glory of God; this will be actually fulfilled in Christ. The answer in God's mind to "what is man?" for all failed in glory, is to be made good in Him; failed that is in responsible man. In James we have him made in the likeness. Christ is never said to be like God—nullum simile est idem (there is no "like" that is "the same"); He was the revelation of God, in a word He is and was God. But God created them also as an animal race, and both get the name, of the one created, as being this race; but here individually; there, but as one being characteristically. “Adam begat a son in his own likeness, according to his image "; in chapter 1 it is in His "image, according to his likeness”; but Seth was in likeness, morally, the same thing. Seth, though taking the place of Adam, and so according to his image, could not have Adam as that of which he was to be an image. Adam was created to be God's image, Seth was in a certain sense in this place, compare 1 Corinthians 11:77For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. (1 Corinthians 11:7), but he was not Adam's image, but according to it, but he was in his likeness. These are Adam's generations, not the woman's hopes, or faith, but what man, a child of Adam, was in chapter 4 Seth is God's gift to Eve, here the " child of Adam " (male and female); Adam begat a son in his own likeness.
Nothing can be more striking than the way in which " God," and " Jehovah," are distinctively used here; " Jehovah " always connected with moral government; the dealings of " God " with those he had to say to.
Enoch walked with " God "; verse 22-it is the ground which " Jehovah " had cursed, verse 29—it was dealing of the righteous Governor.
God is the Being, the Originator, of all things, and is named in His nature.
Thus, in verse t, we have " God "; so Enoch walked with " God," " God " took him. Verse 29, which " the Lord " hath cursed; so chapter 6: 3. But in chapter 6: 5, we have " God," because it is what He is, Himself, in His nature; but it repented " Jehovah," here He is in heart occupied with His dealings with man; so chapter 6: 7, but in chapter 6: 12, it returns to " God's " own estimate, as " God," and so to the end. The Sovereign Originator of all is now going to set it aside, and begin a new world. In chapter 7 he begins to deal with man in a relative, so to speak, official way, and it is " Jehovah "; He is carrying out His thoughts and we have " clean " and " unclean." In chapter 6 He was a Creator, here a Governor, and see how they are brought together in chapter 7: 16. In chapter 8: 1-19, it is " God " setting up a new thing; verses 20, 21, special dealings with Noah and men. In chapter 9 " God " establishes the new earth; in the matter of Ham, verse 26, we have " Jehovah " again. The contrast of chapter 4: 1 and 25, noticed precedingly, is very striking; there was, though on divine ground, in a certain sense, assumption in verse x; all is ascribed to sovereign originating grace in verse 25—but this brings out a people, who know the revealed " God " in His name.
NOTE.—In chapter x God gives names Himself to " day " and " night," to " earth," " heaven," " seas " (not to " light," light was light on the face of the deep), to the things formed on the earth, or in the seas He does not—His word brings them forth, and they are good when He sees them—nor in this chapter, when they only come in as part of Elohim's creation, though in a special way does He to man. But in verse 2, we learn, when man's history is begun, God, not Jehovah, called their name Adam in the day He created them; that was the name, as a race. Adam gave Eve her name first Ish-shah, then in faith, as I suppose, Eve—Khav-vah—and he gave names to all animals.
Nom.—Adam, though asleep when it was done, knew whence Eve was—Ish-shah is her natural relation to Adam—Eve (Khav-vah) her place after the fall, and revelation of the gift of the seed. The repetition of chapter 2: 19, that " out of the ground Jehovah Elohim formed every beast... and brought them to Adam " is to be noted. So he gave them names as his, and so to the fowls (fishes are outside this); but there was no helpmeet (k'neg-do). Then the woman is of himself, yet given a name—subject to him—his.
She is afterward Eve, but now Ish-shah; names of large import; first, when death was written on him, he gives her the name of Eve—God had separated her—the seed of the woman was to come, and Adam retires as it were, accepts it by faith as promise and gives her the name, not of connection with himself, but of her posterity; death, with God's judgment on the Serpent, did not hinder her being Eve—she had that place by promise, not by connection with Ish; but in chapter 5 the race is taken up in both, on the ground of creation, and now fallen.
3. Seth is in Adam's likeness and after his image; he was like Adam (fallen), and represented him too on the earth.
With Cain and Hevel (Abel) we have nothing of all this; they had their own history, but are not brought forward as any way representing Adam, or taking place, it was intrinsic moral walk, yith'hal-lekh' eth ha-Elohim (walked with God—not Jehovah), not merely relationship in government, as in chapter 4:20.
27. Methuselah died, at the very latest, the year of the Flood—according to Septuagint 14, Vat. 6 years—all make him 969.
29. The Patriarchs here were in the Adam condition, calling on the name also of the Lord distinctively; not Cain's condition—their actual personal state, save Enoch, we do not know. This verse shows the Adam state and the Lord owned.
32. Shem was 98 when the Flood came; and it is likely these three sons were born after Noah was 500 years old, certainly all but Japheth. Probably none are named but those who escaped—born when apart from the world; he may have had, probably had, many others, unless he lived alone all his life till then. Twenty years before this he received the revelation of the end of all flesh; the direction for the ark was later, chapter 6: 14-16.