Original Word: אֱנוֹשׁ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Enowsh
Pronunciation: eh-NOHSH
Phonetic Spelling: (en-ohsh')
KJV: Enos
NASB: Enosh
Word Origin: [the same as H582 (אֱנוֹשׁ - man)]

1. Enosh, a son of Seth

Enos

The same as 'enowsh; Enosh, a son of Seth; --Enos.

see HEBREW 'enowsh

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
"man," a son of Seth
NASB Translation
Enosh (7).

אֱנוֺשׁ proper name, masculine son of Seth Genesis 4:26; Genesis 5:6,7,9,10,11; 1 Chronicles 1:1.

III. אנשׁ (soft, delicate, compare Arabic , id., see Lag^{BN 68} Dl^{Pr 160}, also below I. אנשׁ; but compare Nö^{ZMG 1886, 739} who derives this meaning from feminine).

Identity in the Primeval Genealogies

Enosh is the first‐named grandson of Adam, the son of Seth, and the father of Kenan (Genesis 4:26; Genesis 5:6–11). His life spans the third generation of humanity, standing between the first family and the growth of wider human society before the Flood. 1 Chronicles 1:1 preserves his name to demonstrate the continuity of redemptive history from Adam to Abraham, and Luke 3:38 carries that same lineage forward to Jesus Christ.

Occurrences in Scripture

1. Genesis 4:26
2. Genesis 5:6
3. Genesis 5:7
4. Genesis 5:9
5. Genesis 5:10
6. Genesis 5:11
7. 1 Chronicles 1:1

The Dawn of Public Worship

Genesis 4:26 records, “And to Seth also a son was born, and he called him Enosh. At that time men began to call upon the name of the LORD.” This verse links Enosh’s birth with a decisive spiritual shift: corporate invocation of the covenant name YHWH. Whereas Abel had offered individual sacrifice and Cain had built a city, the generation of Enosh witnesses the formal emergence of worshiping communities. The verse does not claim that prayer began for the first time, but that open, collective, God‐honoring worship became a defining characteristic of humanity. This moment anticipates later covenant assemblies at Sinai and, ultimately, the Church in Acts 2.

A Reminder of Human Frailty

The Hebrew name אֱנוֹשׁ carries the idea of man in his vulnerable, mortal condition. By naming his son Enosh, Seth highlights human weakness in contrast to the sovereign strength of the LORD. Every subsequent appearance of Enosh’s name in Genesis 5 underscores mortality: “Then all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years, and he died” (Genesis 5:11). In a chapter punctuated by death, Enosh’s account teaches that even the longest antediluvian lifespans cannot overcome the curse of sin apart from divine intervention.

Genealogical Link to the Messiah

Luke traces Jesus’ legal lineage through Enosh (Luke 3:38), demonstrating that the incarnation stands firmly within the historical family of Adam. By including Enosh, the Gospel affirms that the Savior identifies with common humanity, embracing our frailty to redeem it (Hebrews 2:14). Enosh therefore belongs to the “seed” line promised in Genesis 3:15, a living testimony that God preserved a righteous remnant across centuries.

Chronological Considerations

Genesis 5 places Enosh’s birth when Seth was one hundred and five years old. If the genealogical numbers are taken at face value, Enosh’s lifetime overlaps Adam’s for more than five centuries, allowing for direct transmission of Edenic revelation. This overlap strengthens the reliability of early biblical history, showing how knowledge of God could be maintained even in an age without written Scripture.

Ministry Applications

1. Worship: Enosh’s generation models the importance of assembling to “call upon the name of the LORD,” an enduring pattern for congregational life (Psalm 100; Hebrews 10:25).
2. Humility: His very name reminds believers that “He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14). Human weakness drives us to depend on divine grace.
3. Hope: Though Genesis 5 is framed by death, the record of Enosh anticipates resurrection life in Christ. Pastors may contrast the refrain “and he died” with the empty tomb proclamation “He is risen” (Matthew 28:6).

Theological Significance

Enosh’s brief portrait teaches three core doctrines:
• Total depravity: Humanity’s inherent mortality evidences the pervasive effect of sin.
• Common grace: God sustains human life for centuries, granting space for repentance and worship.
• Covenant faithfulness: Through the line of Enosh, God safeguards the promise of a Redeemer, illustrating His unbroken commitment to His word.

Legacy

Although Scripture records no exploits of Enosh beyond his place in the genealogy, his life anchors critical truths: mankind’s frailty, the birth of public worship, and the unfolding messianic line. His name, woven into both Old and New Testaments, quietly magnifies the faithfulness of God who meets mortal man with saving grace.

אֱנ֑וֹשׁ אֱנ֔וֹשׁ אֱנ֖וֹשׁ אֱנ֗וֹשׁ אֱנֽוֹשׁ׃ אנוש אנוש׃ ’ĕ·nō·wōš ’ĕnōwōš eNooshInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts