# Homilies on Genesis

- Author: [John Chrysostom](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/john-chrysostom/)
- Latin title: *Homiliae in Genesim*
- Date: ca. 392-397 (disputed)
- Source: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca 53 (Paris)

- Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator
- Editions and translations: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca 61 (Paris, 1862)
- Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/chrysostom-hom-genesim/
- Passages: 1

## Homily 20.1 on Genesis

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/chrysostom-hom-genesim/20-1/#p-20-1
- Source: PG 53:173
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Chrysostom notes that the genealogy of Cain's line names only the men, and comes to Lamech, who took two wives.

### Greek text

᾿Αδὰμ ἣ τε Εῦα, ἀλλ᾽ ἀνωτέρω πάντων χαθειστήχεσαν. Ἑγεννήθη δὲ τῷ Ἐνὼχ, φησὶ, Γαϊδὰδ, καὶ Γαϊδὰδ ἐγέννησε τὸν Μαλελεὴλ, καὶ Μαλελεὴλ ἐγέννησε τὸν Μαθουσάλα, καὶ Μαθουσάλα ἐγέννησε τὸν Λάμεχ. Ὃρᾷς πῶς παρέδραμε τὰς γενεαλογίας, τῶν ἀῤῥένων μόνον μνημονεύσας ὁ μαχάριος οὗτος, καὶ οὐδαμοῦ τῶν θηλειῶν ἐπιμνησθείς. ᾿Αλλὰ χαθάπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ Κάϊν εἶπεν, ὅτι “Εγγω γυναῖκα αὑτοῦ, μηδὲν διδάξας ἡμᾶ;, μιδὲ εἰπὼν πόθεν ἔσχε τὴν γυναῖχα " οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐν- «αῦθα πάλιν φησί’ Καὶ ἔλαβεν ἑαυτῷ Λάμεχ δύο » (…) γυναΐχας " ὄνομα τῇ μιᾷ ᾿Αδὰ, καὶ ὄνομα τῇ δευτέρᾳ Σελλά. Καὶ ἔτεκεν ᾿Αδὰ, φησὶ, τὸν ᾿Ιωδή.1" οὗτος ἦν πἀτὴρ οἰκούντων ἐν σχηναῖς κεηνγοερόφων. Καὶ ὄνομα

### English translation (Claude)

… Adam and Eve, but they had been set above all. “And to Enoch,” it says, “was born Gaidad, and Gaidad begot Maleleel, and Maleleel begot Mathusala, and Mathusala begot Lamech.” Do you see how this blessed man passed over the genealogies, mentioning only the males and nowhere making mention of the females? But just as in the case of Cain he said, “He knew his wife,” teaching us nothing and not saying where he got his wife, so here too he says again: “And Lamech took for himself two … wives; the name of the one was Ada, and the name of the second Sella. And Ada bore Iobel; he was the father of those who dwell in tents, of cattle-keepers.” And the name …

### Scripture references

- Gen 4:17–20: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Lamech is the first man in Scripture recorded with two wives; several Greek lines (the middle of the sentence on the two wives) are lost in the digital text and the section breaks off (marked …). Names follow the LXX forms (Gaidad = Irad, Maleleel = Mehujael, Mathusala = Methushael, Ada = Adah, Sella = Zillah, Iobel = Jabal). Quotations: Gen 4:17–20. OCR slips corrected.

### Citation (SBL)

Chrysostom, Hom. Gen. 20.1 (PG 53:173; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/chrysostom-hom-genesim/20-1).