Another matter, “this is the book of the descendants of Adam,” the following are his descendants, but the previous ones10Those mentioned in the previous verses: Adam, Seth and Enosh. were not [ordinary] descendants. What were they? They were divine beings. They once asked Abba Kohen Bardela: [Why does the Torah list] Adam, Seth, Enosh, and then fall silent?11It lists Adam, Seth, Enosh, and stops there; afterwards it begins again from Adam, tracing the generations until Noah.
He said: Until here [Enosh] they were in the image of God,12Divine beings. etc. as it is written above.13As related in full in Bereshit Rabba 23:6. Another matter, the following are the descendants, but there were previous ones that were not [ordinary] descendants. What were they? They were [malevolent] spirits, as Rabbi Simon said: All one hundred and thirty years that Eve was estranged from Adam,14Before the birth of Seth (see Genesis 5:3). the male spirits would be aroused by her and she would bear offspring from them and the female spirits would be aroused by Adam and would bear offspring from him.
That is what is written: “Who, when he commits iniquity, I will rebuke him with the staff of men and with the afflictions of the children of man [Adam]”15With punishments inflicted by malevolent spirits, described here as “children of Adam.” (II Samuel 7:14); the children of Adam the first man. There is one opinion that says that house spirits16Malevolent spirits that inhabit one’s house. are better [for the resident of the house], because they grow up with him.
And there is an opinion that says that they are worse, because they are intimately familiar with his sinful thoughts. There is an opinion that says that spirits of the field are worse for a person because they did not grow up with him. And there is an opinion that they are better, because are not intimately familiar with his sinful thoughts. Another matter, these are the descendants, but there were previous ones who were not [viable] descendants.17Referring to Cain and his descendants, who were mentioned previously (Genesis 4:17–22).
Why? It is because they were to be eradicated in the water [of the Flood], as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said:18The following is related in full in Genesis Rabba 23:2. ‘All those names were expressions of rebellion. “Irad” (Genesis 4:18) – I will expel [ored] them from the world,’ etc., until, ‘what do I have to do with Lemekh and his offspring?’