Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

GENERATION

A period of time (Heb. dôr, “circle”), generally that spanning a person’s birth to the birth of his or her offspring, roughly 40 years (cf. Gk. geneá, Matt. 1:17); also the people of a period of time (Judg. 2:10; Jer. 2:31; Matt. 11:16; 17:17). In a crucial text relating to God’s covenant with Israel, the covenant is said to be established everlastingly with Abraham and his descendants “throughout their generations” (Gen. 17:7, 9, 12); the phrase frequently describes the perpetually binding character of the law of Moses (e.g., Exod. 12:14, 17, 42).

Heb. tôlĕḏôṯ (always plural, from the verb “to beget [children]”) introduces an account or record, often a genealogy. It occurs primarily to introduce or conclude a genealogy or historical summary (e.g., Gen. 10:32; 25:13; Exod. 6:16, 19; Num. 3:1; 1 Chr. 5:7; 7:2, 4, 9). The expression “these are the generations of ——— ” gives structure to the book of Genesis, dividing it into 11 sections (e.g., Gen. 2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 37:2). Gk. génesis, often referring to birth (cf. Matt. 1:18), functions in a similar manner to tôlĕḏôṯ (v. 1).

David L. Turner

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

GENERATION

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)