Enoch

There are two people named Enoch mentioned in the book of Genesis.

1. The son of Cain, and after whom was named a city. He sired Irad. (Genesis 4:16-18)
2. The son of Jared, descendent of Seth. During his three-hundred sixty-fifth year he was taken by God into heaven. He was the father of Methuselah. (Genesis 5:22-24)

Enoch (the son of Jared) and Elijah are the only two persons explicitly mentioned in the Bible to have been taken up bodily into heaven before death. Some speculate that they might be the Two Witnesses from the book of Revelation, in which case they may experience death in the future.

In Hebrew the name Enoch is חנוך [Chanowk / khan·oke]. This word is related to the verb חנך which means to "train" or "dedicate". There are also two other Biblical characters who share this Hebrew name, although their names have been translitered into English properly as Hanoch. One is a son of Midian mentioned in Genesis 25:4, and the other is a Reubenite mentioned in Genesis 46:9, Exodus 6:14, Numbers 26:5, and 1 Chronicles 5:3.

Spelling

Alternative spelling of the name Enoch.

The two spellings refer to the same Hebrew name, the difference is merely a side effect of the transliteration into English. Enoch is the transliteration from the Septuagint (ie, the Greek spelling), while Hanoch is the more accurate transliteration directly from the Hebrew. This alternative spelling occurs in the English Bible in the following passages:

• Genesis 25:4
• Genesis 46:9
• Exodus 6:14
• Numbers 26:5
• 1 Chronicles 5:3