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The investigation into the original reading of Genesis 11:12 invites us to carefully consider the textual witnesses available, including the Masoretic Text (MT), the Septuagint (LXX), and other ancient versions. Genesis 11:12, as preserved in the MT, reads, “When Arpachshad had lived thirty-five years, he fathered Shelah.” This genealogical statement fits into the broader context of the post-flood descendants of Shem. However, the Septuagint (LXX) introduces a notable variation: it reads “When Arpachshad had lived one hundred and thirty-five years,” and additionally inserts a figure, Cainan, into the genealogy. These discrepancies call for a detailed examination of the manuscripts and historical evidence to ascertain which reading most likely reflects the original text.

The Masoretic Text: Foundation of Old Testament Study

The Masoretic Text has long been regarded as the authoritative Hebrew text of the Old Testament. Painstakingly preserved by the Masoretes from the 6th to the 10th centuries C.E., this text is noted for its precision and accuracy. The Masoretes not only copied the text but also included marginal notes, known as the Small, Large, and Final Masora, to record any variations or concerns they had about the text’s transmission. Their careful work ensured that the Hebrew Scriptures were transmitted with an extraordinary level of consistency.

In Genesis 11:12, the MT clearly states that Arpachshad fathered Shelah when he was thirty-five years old. The Hebrew phrase, חָמֵ֥שׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה (chamesh u’shloshim shanah), translates directly as “thirty-five years,” without any ambiguity. This reading is also consistent with other genealogical statements in the Hebrew Bible, such as in 1 Chronicles 1:24, where the same lineage is recorded without the inclusion of Cainan.

The Septuagint: A Divergent Tradition

The Septuagint (LXX), a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures produced in the 3rd to 2nd centuries B.C.E., offers a different reading in Genesis 11:12. According to the LXX, Arpachshad was not thirty-five but one hundred and thirty-five years old when he fathered Shelah. Additionally, the LXX introduces an extra figure, Cainan, into the genealogy, stating that Arpachshad fathered Cainan, who in turn fathered Shelah. This variant is also found in the genealogy recorded in Luke 3:36, which follows the LXX tradition by including Cainan between Arpachshad and Shelah.

It is important to consider the context in which the LXX was produced. As a translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, the LXX was intended for use by Greek-speaking Jews, particularly in Alexandria. Over time, as the early Christian Church adopted the LXX, its use became widespread among Greek-speaking Christians, and it was often cited in the New Testament. However, the LXX occasionally diverges from the Hebrew text, either due to variations in the Hebrew manuscripts available to the translators or due to interpretive decisions made by the translators themselves. The introduction of Cainan into the genealogy of Genesis 11:12 is one such divergence, and it raises questions about the underlying Hebrew text from which the LXX was translated.

Harmonizing the Genealogies: The Role of Cainan

The insertion of Cainan into the genealogy in both the LXX and Luke 3:36 presents a textual challenge. Cainan is absent from the MT, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Samaritan Pentateuch, suggesting that the addition of Cainan in the LXX may not reflect the original Hebrew text. Some scholars propose that the inclusion of Cainan in the LXX could be an attempt by the translators to harmonize the genealogical lists, particularly with Genesis 5:3-32, which details the antediluvian patriarchs. By inserting an extra generation, the translators may have been seeking to resolve perceived discrepancies between the genealogies of the pre-flood and post-flood eras.

However, the fact that the MT does not include Cainan in either Genesis 11:12 or 1 Chronicles 1:24 must be given significant weight. The consistency of the MT across these passages, combined with its absence of Cainan, suggests that the inclusion of Cainan in the LXX may be the result of a later scribal addition or an interpretive gloss rather than a reflection of the original Hebrew text. Moreover, the fact that ancient Hebrew manuscripts, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, align more closely with the MT further supports the conclusion that the original text did not include Cainan.

The Age of Arpachshad: Thirty-Five or One Hundred Thirty-Five?

Another key difference between the MT and the LXX is the age of Arpachshad when he fathered Shelah. The MT states that Arpachshad was thirty-five years old, while the LXX reports that he was one hundred and thirty-five. This discrepancy raises questions about the accuracy of the genealogical data and whether the LXX’s higher number represents an attempt to harmonize the ages of the patriarchs with those recorded in Genesis 5.

It is worth noting that the ages of the antediluvian patriarchs, as recorded in Genesis 5, are significantly longer than those of the post-flood patriarchs, as recorded in Genesis 11. For example, Adam is said to have fathered Seth at the age of one hundred and thirty (Genesis 5:3), while Arpachshad, according to the MT, fathered Shelah at the relatively young age of thirty-five. The LXX’s reading of one hundred and thirty-five years for Arpachshad may reflect an attempt to bring the post-flood genealogies more in line with the longer lifespans and later fathering ages of the pre-flood patriarchs.

However, the MT’s reading of thirty-five years is supported by the broader context of Genesis 11, where the ages of the post-flood patriarchs are generally shorter than those of their antediluvian counterparts. This reflects the biblical narrative’s portrayal of a gradual shortening of human lifespans following the flood, a pattern that is consistent throughout the MT’s genealogical records. Furthermore, the precision of the MT’s transmission process, as preserved by the Masoretes, gives us confidence in the accuracy of the age reported in Genesis 11:12.

The Documentary Evidence: A Balanced Approach

In determining the original reading of Genesis 11:12, it is essential to weigh the documentary evidence carefully. The MT, as represented in key manuscripts such as Codex Leningrad B 19A and the Aleppo Codex, consistently reports that Arpachshad fathered Shelah at the age of thirty-five and does not include Cainan in the genealogy. This reading is further corroborated by the Syriac Peshitta and the Samaritan Pentateuch, both of which align with the MT in omitting Cainan and reporting Arpachshad’s age as thirty-five.

On the other hand, the LXX introduces both a higher age for Arpachshad and the figure of Cainan into the genealogical record. While the LXX is an important witness to the ancient Hebrew text, its divergences from the MT must be carefully evaluated. The absence of Cainan in the MT and other ancient witnesses suggests that the LXX’s inclusion of Cainan is a later addition rather than part of the original Hebrew text. Similarly, the MT’s reading of thirty-five years for Arpachshad is more consistent with the broader biblical pattern of declining lifespans and earlier fathering ages in the post-flood era.

The Reading Culture of Early Christianity

Conclusion on the Original Reading

After considering all the evidence, the most plausible conclusion is that the original reading of Genesis 11:12, as preserved in the Masoretic Text, is that Arpachshad fathered Shelah when he was thirty-five years old, and Cainan was not part of the original genealogy. The variations found in the LXX, while valuable for understanding the transmission of the text in the Greek-speaking world, do not reflect the earliest Hebrew tradition. The consistency of the MT, combined with its alignment with other ancient textual witnesses, strongly supports the conclusion that the MT’s reading represents the original text of Genesis 11:12.

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).