Who was Kenan in the Bible?
Lived before the flood
Kenan, also known as Cainan, was a descendant of Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve (Gen. 5:9, 10, 12, 13, 14; 1Chr. 1:2; Luk.3.37). Kenan appears in 6 verses across 2 books of the Bible.
What does the Bible say about Kenan?
Kenan, also known as Cainan, was a descendant of Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve (Gen. 5:9, 10, 12, 13, 14; 1Chr. 1:2; Luk.3.37). He was the son of Enosh and the father of Mahalalel. The genealogy in Genesis 5 provides the ages at which Kenan and other pre-flood patriarchs had children and the total length of their lives. Kenan was 70 years old when he became the father of Mahalalel, and he lived a total of 910 years (Gen. Luk.5.12-14). The long lifespans of the pre-flood patriarchs are a distinctive feature of this genealogy and may indicate a different environment or a closer genetic connection to the original creation. Kenan's inclusion in the genealogies of both Genesis and 1 Chronicles highlights the importance of tracing the lineage from Adam to Noah, and ultimately to Abraham, the father of the Israelites. His name also appears in the genealogy of Jesus Christ in Luk.3.37, emphasizing the connection between Jesus and the ancestral line of humanity.
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.
Where does Kenan appear in the Bible?
Kenan is referenced in 6 verses across 2 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.
- 1 Chronicles 1:2
- Genesis 5:9
- Genesis 5:10
- Genesis 5:12
- Genesis 5:13
- Genesis 5:14
What else appears in these passages?
These turn up in the same passages as Kenan.
Common questions
How many times does the Bible mention Kenan?
Kenan appears in 6 verses across 2 books, most often in Genesis, which accounts for 5 of them.
Which books of the Bible mention Kenan?
Genesis, 1 Chronicles.
Where can I read every verse about Kenan?
This page lists 6 of them. Protos carries all 6, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.
