Enoch in the Bible

Story, name meaning and life lessons

In brief

Enoch is a descendant of Seth, the seventh man from Adam. He is sixty-five years old when his son Methuselah is born, then walks with God for three hundred years. He lives three hundred sixty-five years in all. Genesis notes that he walked with God, then that he was not, for God took him. The letter to the Hebrews explains that he was taken up by faith so that he would not see death. He is remembered for a life of closeness with God.

What does the name Enoch mean?

The name Enoch is generally linked to a Hebrew verb expressing the idea of dedicating or initiating. This reading is cautious, because the Bible does not explain the name. He should not be confused with another Enoch, the son of Cain, who gave his name to a city according to Genesis (Genesis 4:17).

The story of Enoch

  1. A descendant of Seth

    Genesis 5:18-21

    In the genealogy descending from Adam, Jared, aged one hundred sixty-two, fathers Enoch. At sixty-five, Enoch in turn fathers Methuselah. Genesis follows a line in which each man lives a long time and then dies. Enoch is about to stand out from all the others by the quality of his life.

  2. He walked with God

    Genesis 5:22-23

    After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch walks with God for three hundred years, and he fathers sons and daughters. All the days of Enoch are three hundred sixty-five years. Genesis does not detail what this walk was like, but it describes it as a continuous and close relationship.

  3. He was not

    Genesis 5:24

    Unlike the other men of the genealogy, whose entries each end with the words and he died, Enoch walked with God and was not, for God took him. The text is brief and mysterious. It mentions no illness, no funeral and no tomb.

  4. A witness of faith

    Hebrews 11:5-6

    The letter to the Hebrews explains that it was by faith that Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death. Before he was taken, he had the testimony that he pleased God. The text adds that without faith it is impossible to please God, and that God rewards those who seek him.

What Enoch teaches us

  • Walking with God is a daily relationship built over time.
  • A life pleasing to God is possible in a world that is moving away from him.
  • Being a father and raising a family does not prevent you from walking with God: Enoch had sons and daughters.
  • Faith means believing that God exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
  • Death does not have the last word for those who belong to God.

Key verses

Genesis 5:22

After the birth of his son, Enoch walks with God for three hundred years. Fatherhood becomes for him a turning point in his relationship with God, one that lasts his whole life.

Genesis 5:24

Enoch walked with God, then he was not, for God took him. This is the only time in this genealogy that death is not mentioned at the end of a man's life.

Hebrews 11:5

By faith Enoch was taken away so that he would not see death, for he had the testimony that he pleased God. The New Testament sums up his life in two words: faith and testimony.

Sermons about Enoch

Frequently asked questions

Who was Enoch in the Bible?

Enoch was a descendant of Seth and the father of Methuselah. Genesis says that he walked with God for three hundred years, then that he was not, for God took him. He is one of the two men in the Bible who did not experience death, along with the prophet Elijah.

What does the name Enoch mean?

The name Enoch is generally linked to a Hebrew verb evoking the idea of dedicating or initiating. This reading is cautious, because the Bible does not explain it. Cain's son also bore the name Enoch (Genesis 4:17).

Where can I find the story of Enoch in the Bible?

The story of Enoch is found in Genesis 5:18-24. The New Testament returns to him in Hebrews 11:5-6, where he is presented as an example of faith. He is also mentioned in the genealogy of Luke 3:37 and in the letter of Jude (verse 14).

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