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NASB | Genesis 11:10 ¶ These are the records of the generations of Shem. Shem was one hundred years old, and became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Genesis 11:10 ¶ These are the records of the generations of Shem [from whom Abraham descended]. Shem was a hundred years old when he became the father of Arpachshad, two years after the flood. |
Subject: Did Shem exit the Ark at 98, outlv Abrm? |
Bible Note: Pastor Glenn Yes I understand your view. Of the copies of the Septuagint and other scriptural Manuscripts that do include Cainan in Genesis 11. Some feel this was a product of organized tampering and this explanation is offered, the changes in Genesis 11 was done by the writers of the Septuagint to increase the length of Jewish culture to match what Egyptians were claiming for their culture. Apparently conspiracy theories were as popular in the past as they are today. :-) Understand the popular conclusion on which is correct, will have the biggest following. If you note as you search in the web on this subject. Most explanations are word for word copies of each other. In other words the web authors rather than doing any research on their part have found an explanation that floats their boat and they copy that explanation into their web site offering as proof of their point. Having studied briefly some of the more valid theological research on this subject I come to the conclusion no one can say for certain there was or was not a “second” Cainan. Most of the more thought of Bible textbooks and reference works merely mention a “second” Cainan and let it up to the reader to research a conclusion. Interestingly some of the major authors that have written books that explains inconsistencies and apparent contradictions within the Bible steer clear of this subject. The main thing that bothers me about the Cainan being added in Luke is that Luke himself apparently did in fact included it. Most give the reason for this as Luke copied the genealogy from an altered copy of the Septuagint. That is interesting but one would think that God being God and able to create the universe would have been able to insure his chosen writer, that was recording events for all of mankind, would have a faithful copy from which to take that Genealogy. Another thing that bothers me very much about the inadvertent addition of Cainan into the Septuagint theory is the fact the Septuagint was in existence at the time of Jesus and in fact some scholars feel certain that Jesus quoted from it. In any case the importance of that work had to be known to Jesus at the time. If Cainan was in fact added into any copy as some claim the name was I would think Jesus would have said, “hey you guys messed up.” I know many claim the addition of Cainan didn’t happen until later when Luke was writing his account. But that doesn’t hold up against the theory the name was added to BC manuscripts and Septuagint manuscripts to add length to the Jewish culture to match Egyptian culture. In summary we have some interesting things happen with the name Cainan. 1. In the Luke account the explanation is Luke used a bad copy of the Septuagint. 2. Or those that copied Luke mistakenly copied Cainan from a line above and added the extra Cainan. In the Septuagint that has the name in the Genesis 11 these explanations are offered. 1. It was a scribal error copying one line over thus adding the name Cainan twice. 2. It was done on purpose to increase the number of generations to match Egyptian claims of how long their society existed. In other Biblical manuscripts that include Cainan these explanations are offered. 1. They are actually later copies that merely continued the error first established in the Septuagint. 2. They too had the name Cainan added to make Jewish culture as old as claimed Egyptian culture. In Biblical manuscripts that don’t include Cainan we have these explanations. 1. There was no “second” Cainan and his name is correctly absent. 2. There was scribal errors made and his name inadvertently got deleted. 3. God for whatever reason didn’t include Cainan in the Genesis account but did in the Luke account. It seems the name Cainan is very magical. From all the explanations of how this name could be there we learn, in some cases it was added or subtracted by a scribal mistake, in other cases it was purposely added to increase the number of generations, or in fact Cainan was a valid person and God chose not to include his name in Genesis account but did include it in Luke. What a magical name! EdB |