Lineage of Adam Through Ephraim in Historical Context

Heavenly Father bestowed priesthood power and authority on Adam. From his descendents there is an unbroken line of priesthood authority through Jacob and beyond. Each bolded name shows a father, followed by one of his sons. Modern revelation has given us more knowledge of these men and the lives they led.

Adam

Adam, the father of all, lived to be 930 years old. We know Adam from the premortal life as Michael, the archangel. He led Heavenly Father's forces against Lucifer and was instrumental in helping establish this earth.

Adam was the first man to walk the earth. Originally, he resided in the Garden of Eden, with his wife Eve. After their transgression they had children and thereafter continued faithful to Heavenly Father. They and their posterity resided in what is modern day Missouri, USA. Adam will eventually return to this place. He will also play a part at the end of the earth and in the final battle against Satan.

Seth

Seth was born after Cain slew Abel. Adam was 130 years old when Seth was born. We know from D&C 107:40-43 that Seth looked remarkably like Adam, except a younger version. Seth's lineage is the chosen lineage for priesthood ordination now, given Abel was murdered by Cain. Descendants of Seth will continue living until the earth ends. Seth lived to be 912 years old.

Enos

We know very little about Enos. He moved his family from Shulon to a promised land, although scripture does not give us the name of that land. Enos named it Cainan after his son. Enos lived 905 years.

This Enos should not be confused with the Book of Mormon Enos.

Cainan

The land named after Cainan figures into other scriptures but we know little about the man. From D&C 107:45 we know the following:

God called upon Cainan in the wilderness in the fortieth year of his age; and he met Adam in journeying to the place Shedolamak. He was eighty-seven years old when he received his ordination.

Cainan was 910 years old when he died.

Mahalaleel

He was 895 years old at his death.

Jared

Other than being Enoch's father, we know little about Jared. Scripture states explicitly that Jared taught Enoch in all the ways of God. Jared was 962 years old when he died.

He should not be confused with Jared in the Book of Mormon.

Enoch

We know very little about this remarkable man from the Bible itself (See Gen. 5:18–24; Luke 3:37;Heb. 11:5 and Jude 1:14. The Pearl of Great Price helps us to document his life and events better.

Much of Enoch's life and teachings were lost. Joseph Smith restored some of Enoch's teachings, as has modern scripture.

Enoch did not die; he and his city were translated and taken up into heaven when Enoch was 430 years old. The city of Enoch had existed for 365 years when it was taken.

Methuselah

Methuselah was not translated with his father or the city of Enoch. He was left, so that he could provide a lineage for Noah and the priesthood to continue. Methuselah knew this because he prophesied it. Noah was only ten years old when Methuselah ordained him.

Lived to be 969 years old, older than any other person of which we have knowledge.

D&C 107:53 tells us that all of these men (Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah) were still living and high priests three years before Adam's death when he convened them and all his righteous prosperity at Adam-ondi-Ahman to give them his last blessing.

Lamech

There are two Lamechs in scripture and they should not be confused. Lamech, the father of Noah was a righteous man and lived until age 777. He prophesied concerning his son, Noah:

...This son shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.

(The other Lamech was a descendent of Cain. His father was Methusael. This Lamech had two wives, Adah and Zillah and fathered Jabul, Jubal and Tubal Cain. He was also a murderer, cursed by God and cast out.)

Noah

This is the Noah of Noah's Ark fame. He, his wife, their three sons, Japheth, Shem, and Ham, along with their wives, were the only survivors of the flood, a total of eight people. He died at age 950.

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that Noah was the angel Gabriel who appeared to Daniel, Zacharias, Mary and others. He also taught that Noah is second only to Adam in priesthood authority.

We know that Noah was a prominent figure in the spirit world, as well as on earth.

He should not be confused with King Noah, Zeniff's son in the Book of Mormon.

Shem

Shem is one of the sons of Noah that survived the flood. He and his wife were on the Ark. In modern scripture he is referred to as a great high priest. Languages spoken by the descendants of Shem are called Semitic languages. Hebrew is a Semitic language.

The Bible Dictionary tells us:

Shem was the traditional ancestor of the Shemitic or Semitic races, a group of kindred nations, which includes the Arabs, the Hebrews and Phoenicians, the Arameans or Syrians, the Babylonians and Assyrians. The languages spoken by these various nations were closely related and were known as the Semitic languages.

Shem was 610 years old when he died. He should not be confused with Shem in the Book of Mormon.

Arphaxad

One of the many children of Shem, he was born two years after the flood. He lived to be 438 years old.

Salah

Lived to be 433 years old.

Eber

Eber is considered the father of the Hebrew people. The word Hebrew is patronymic;, it means descendent of Eber or Heber as he was also known. Eber was 464 when he died.

Peleg

Although Eber had many children, Peleg and his brother Joktan are specificially named. Scripture tells us that during Peleg's life the land was divided (See Gen. 10:25; 11:16–19; 1 Chr. 1:19, 25; D&C 133:24). Though modern revelation the Lord's prophets teach this was a physical division of lands from one landmass. In the future, all land will be combined again into one landmass.

The Tower of Babel was probably built during Peleg's lifetime, but before his son Reu was born. Peleg lived to be 239 years old.

Reu

Reu was also 239 years old when he died.

Serug

Serug lived to be 230 years old.

Nahor

In Luke's gospel he is referred to as Nachor. There are actually two Nahors. One is the father of Terah and the other one is the son of Terah. Nahor the son figures more prominently in scripture because he was the grandfather of Rebeckah, Isaac's wife.

Nahor died when he was 148.

Terah

Terah is the infamous idolator and father of Abram who, along with false priests, tried to have Abram sacrificed to his heathen gods.

Terah had three sons: Abram, Nahor and Haran.

• Haran: Haran died in the famine in Ur of the Chaldees after his son Lot was born. Lot accompanied Abram and Sarai when they moved to the land of Charran (Haran). Many other scripture stories connect Abraham and his nephew, Lot. Haran was also Sarai's father. Sarai married Abram and was later renamed Sarah.
• Nahor: This Nahor ultimately joined his family in the land of Charran (Haran). This Nahor is Rebekah's grandfather. Rebekah became Isaac's wife.

We know from recent scripture that Terah also moved to Haran and died there. Terah lived to be 205.

Abram (later changed to Abraham)

Much scripture is devoted to Abraham. He was truly one of the righteous and great, both on earth and in heaven. The Lord led Abraham out of Haran and into the land of Canaan. He established His covenant and promises with him. Abraham lived to be 175.

Isaac

The only son of Abraham and Sarai, he was almost sacrificed. He married Rebekah and had twin sons: Jacob and Esau. By heavenly decree, the birthright was given to Jacob.

Isaac was 180 years old when he died.

Jacob (later changed to Israel)

Events of Jacobs life fill much of scripture. He is the father of the 12 tribes of Israel. One of his sons, Joseph, was sold into Egypt. Eventually, Jacob and his entire family moved to Egypt. His descendents were led out of Egypt by Moses.

Most scripture we have documents these descendants and the promises bestowed on them, including the scattering, the gathering and the lost 10 tribes of Israel.

Jacob lived to be 147 years old.

Joseph

Joseph was the son of Jacob through Rachel. He was highly favored of his father and his brothers were jealous of him. He was sold into Egypt, imprisoned and released to work under Pharoah in protecting Egypt from the coming famine.

Through miraculous circumstances in Joseph's life, he was reunited with his family, who joined him in Egypt. When the children of Israel journeyed back to the promised land, they took Joseph's remains with them. Joseph died when he was 110 years old.

Ephraim

Ephraim and Manasseh were brothers, but the covenant and promises flow down through Ephraim's descendants and all those adopted into the tribe of Ephraim. We do not know how old Ephraim was when he died. The record in Genesis stops at the death of Joseph, Ephraim's father.