The report of Enoch.
Unlike each of the earlier reports, which say “X lived after the birth of Y,” verse 22 says Enoch walked with God …. The only other place where this same expression occurs is Gen 6.9 in regard to Noah, who was said to be “a righteous man, blameless in his generation” (Revised Standard Version). The expression occurs in Gen 17.1 but with a different preposition. The most accepted sense is “to live in close relationship with,” and this thought is well expressed by Good News Translation, “Enoch lived in fellowship with God.” Bible en français courant has “Enoch lived … in communion with God,” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “Enoch lived in close union with God.”
The versions quoted above are all good translation models. Some translators, however, may want to use expressions that are idiomatic for walked with God. For example, some existing translations have “Enoch and God were good friends all the time.”
Enoch walked with God is repeated in identical words in verse 24; however, most modern translations vary the wording slightly for stylistic reasons. See Good News Translation.
And he was not is an expression used in reference to the sudden or unexplained disappearance or absence of someone. See Gen 42.13; 1 Kgs 20.40; Psa 103.16. Good News Translation has “and then he disappeared,” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “One day he disappeared.” This will often be expressed as “They [people] didn’t see him any more.”
For God took him is believed by some scholars to be a late addition. However, translators should translate it. For translates a Hebrew particle introducing a clause of reason. Took translates the general verb used in 2.15, “God took the man and put him in the garden.” The word is used in a great variety of contexts, but here it has the sense of “take away, remove.”
Translators should avoid terms that suggest violent action such as “seize,” “grasp,” “snatch.” In some languages it is necessary to say where Enoch was taken. If that is the case, it will be best to say something similar to Bible en français courant: “God took him [Enoch] to himself.” We may also say “God took Enoch to be with him.” One recent translation says “God took him out of the world while he was still alive.” Many modern versions give footnote references to Heb 11.5 and Jude 14.
Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .