Original Word: יֶרֶד
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Yered
Pronunciation: yeh'-red
Phonetic Spelling: (yeh'-red)
KJV: Jared
NASB: Jared, Jered
Word Origin: [from H3381 (יָרַד - go down)]

1. a descent
2. Jered, the name of an antediluvian, and of an Israelite

Jared

From yarad; a descent; Jered, the name of an antediluvian, and of an Israelite -- Jared.

see HEBREW yarad

Word Origin
from yarad
Definition
a desc. of Seth, also a man of Judah
NASB Translation
Jared (6), Jered (1).

יֶ֫רֶד proper name, masculine 1. son of Mehall'el, fourth Generation from Seth Genesis 5:16,18,19,20; יָ֑רֶד Genesis 5:15; 1 Chronicles 1:2; ᵐ5 Ιαρεδ (see Lag^{BN 77}).

2 יֶרֶד man of Judah 1 Chronicles 4:18; ᵐ5 id.

Genealogical Placement

Yered, rendered “Jared” in most English Bibles, appears exclusively within genealogical lists, anchoring him firmly in the tenth generation from Adam. Six mentions occur in the antediluvian record of Genesis 5:15-20, and one in the Chronicler’s opening tables (1 Chronicles 1:2). A separate Jared appears in 1 Chronicles 4:18, embedded in the post-exilic Judahite line, demonstrating that the name endured beyond the Flood and exile.

Role in the Antediluvian Line

Genesis traces an unbroken lineage from Adam to Noah to emphasize the preservation of the promised Seed (Genesis 3:15). Jared’s place between Mahalalel and Enoch maintains the flow of covenant history. Scripture notes that “Jared lived 162 years, and he became the father of Enoch” (Genesis 5:18). By fathering Enoch—the man who “walked with God” and was taken without seeing death—Jared stands as a pivotal bridge between ordinary mortality and extraordinary faithfulness. His 962-year lifespan (Genesis 5:20) testifies to the vigor of early humanity before the Flood and contrasts with the later shortening of human life announced in Genesis 6:3.

Theological Significance

1. Preservation of Promise: Each patriarch in Genesis 5, Jared included, proves that sin’s curse did not nullify God’s redemptive purpose. The regular formula “and he died” underscores mortality, yet the seamless genealogy culminates in Noah, through whom the world is preserved.
2. Transgenerational Discipleship: Jared’s long life overlapped Adam’s for several centuries and Enoch’s for more than 300 years, picturing a community where firsthand knowledge of creation’s dawn and divine instruction could be transmitted intact.

Historical Echoes in Chronicles

The Chronicler repeats Jared’s name (1 Chronicles 1:2) to remind post-exilic readers that their identity stretches back to the first creation, encouraging faithfulness during restoration. The separate Jared of 1 Chronicles 4:18, associated with Judah, shows the name’s assimilation into later tribal lines, underscoring Israel’s continuity.

Ministerial Insights

• Legacy Matters: Jared’s primary recorded act is fathering Enoch. Spiritual influence on the next generation often surpasses any public achievement.
• Unspectacular Faithfulness: Scripture assigns no dramatic deeds to Jared, yet his steady presence in salvation history affirms that ordinary obedience contributes to God’s extraordinary plan.
• Numbered Days: Jared’s 962 years finally ended with death, reminding believers that even lengthy earthly tenure bows to mortality apart from divine intervention.

Practical Applications

• Encourage parents and elders to view discipleship of children as kingdom work with multigenerational impact.
• Highlight that anonymity in Scripture never equates to insignificance before God.
• Use Jared’s era to discuss stewardship of time, contrasting his near-millennium with the brevity of modern life.

Typological Reflection

Jared precedes Enoch, whose translation foreshadows resurrection hope fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Thus Jared typologically stands at the threshold between the ordinary and the transcendent, preparing readers for God’s future acts of deliverance.

Key References

Genesis 5:15-20; 1 Chronicles 1:2; 1 Chronicles 4:18

יֶ֔רֶד יֶ֕רֶד יֶ֗רֶד יֶ֨רֶד יָֽרֶד׃ ירד ירד׃ yā·reḏ Yared yāreḏ ye·reḏ Yered yereḏInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts