Reading as Seek: to learn Scripture and its teachings. Same facts, warmer framing.

Person

Cainan (antediluvian patriarch)

Also called Kenan

Mentioned in 7 verses across 3 books, first in Genesis 5:9. The verses below are the ones linked to this person (the Theographic dataset, with our sourced corrections).

At a glance

Name

Cainan

Gender

Male

Ussher–Jones reckoning

born c. 3679 BC · died c. 2769 BC

F. N. Jones’s Ussher-style chronology, used by Theographic: one of several traditional counts, added up from the ages and reigns in the Hebrew text. The Jewish count (Seder Olam) and the Septuagint’s figures differ from it, for early Genesis by centuries. Not a scholarly date.

Most early-Genesis dates are not historically established: they are reckoned from the ages in the genealogies, and nothing outside the text confirms them.

Group

Genealogy of Jesus

Family

Father

Enos

Children

Mahalaleel (line of Seth)

As the dataset records them from the biblical genealogies.

Often appears with

Named in the same verses most often. Sharing a verse doesn’t always mean they met.

In the Bible

All 7 verses, in Bible order. Text from the Berean Standard Bible; verse numbers follow the KJV.

Genesis

Genesis 5:9
When Enosh was 90 years old, he became the father of Kenan.
Genesis 5:10
And after he had become the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:12
When Kenan was 70 years old, he became the father of Mahalalel.
Genesis 5:13
And after he had become the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:14
So Kenan lived a total of 910 years, and then he died.

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 1:2
Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared,

Luke

Luke 3:37
the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan,

Events

Events the dataset lists Cainan (antediluvian patriarch) as taking part in. Dates follow its Ussher–Jones reckoning (one of several traditional counts), not established history.

c. 3679 BC
Birth of CainanGenesis 5:9 – Luke 3:37
c. 3679 BC
Lifetime of CainanGenesis 5:12–14
c. 3609 BC
Birth of MahlaleelGenesis 5:12
c. 2769 BC
Death of CainanGenesis 5:14

Dictionary

From Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897), as attached to this record by Theographic. The entry is for the name and can describe more than one person who bore it. Easton wrote in 1897, and some of his views are now debated.

Read Easton’s entry

The fourth antediluvian patriarch, the eldest son of Enos. He was 70 years old at the birth of his eldest son Mahalaleel, after which he lived 840 years (Gen. 5:9-14), and was 910 years old when he died. He is also called Kenan (1 Chr. 1:2).