Deeper Understanding of Luke 3:35-36 -- Cainan Was a Name for Arphaxad.

According to Englishman's Concordance, the Greek word τὸν (tou) can be translated as "the" or "of". 

[Matthew 1:16]

[Greek:] "... τὸν Ἰωσὴφ τὸν ἄνδρα Μαρίας ..."

[English:] "... Joseph the husband of Mary ..."

So, Luke 3:36 has an interesting occurrence of τὸν. This word is translated as "of" throughout Luke 3:35-36. Now, some people have said that there is an error in Luke 3:36 because this genealogy in Luke 3 seems to be saying that Sala is the son of Cainan, and that Cainan is the son of Arphaxad. 

They point out that the genealogy of Shem (or Sem) on down in Genesis 11:11-12 is different from Luke 3:36 in that Genesis 11:12 says that Arphaxad begat Salah (or Sala), but Luke 3:36 seems to be saying that Arphaxad was the father of Cainan, who was the father of Sala.

➼ First, we need to mention that the King James Bible translators put the words "the son" in italics to denote that that phrase ("the son") was added to help the sentence make more sense. 

➼ Also, the Greek word τὸν, which was translated as "of," can also be translated as "the" (which it was translated as in Matthew 1:16).

Luke 3:35-36 says: 

"[35] Which was [the son] of Saruch, which was [the son] of Ragau, which was [the son] of Phalec, which was [the son] of Heber, which was [the son] of Sala,

[36] Which was [the son] of Cainan, which was [the son] of Arphaxad, which was [the son] of Sem, which was [the son] of Noe, which was [the son] of Lamech," 

Genesis 11:11-14 says:

"[11] And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

[12] And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah: [13] And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

[14] And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber:" [End quote]

So, Arphaxad begat Salah. I was seeking God about this concern and asked Him why Genesis 11:12 says that Arphaxad begat Salah but Luke 3:35-36 seemed to indicate that that Arphaxad was the grandfather of Sala. 

I was looking at Englishman's Concordance, and Strong's Concordance, and Bible Hub's Text Analysis (specifically, the Greek text of Luke 3:36). I noticed that τὸν was translated as "of" or "the" in different places. So, I asked God about this question. (I encourage you to seek God for yourself to see what He would show you.)

➼ God showed me that it is true that τὸν can mean "of" or "the" and that Luke 3:35-36 was saying that Sala was of (τὸν) Cainan. God also showed me that Cainan was another name for Arphaxad. He reminded me that I (the writer) have several names: a first, a middle, and a last. 

➼ So, the text is saying, in essence, that Cainan was "the" (τὸν) Arphaxad. 

Here is the scripture in Luke 3 below:

Luke 3:35-36 

"[35] Which was [the son] of Saruch, which was [the son] of Ragau, which was [the son] of Phalec, which was [the son] of Heber, which was [the son] of Sala,

[36] Which was [the son] of Cainan, which was [the son] of Arphaxad, which was [the son] of Sem, which was [the son] of Noe, which was [the son] of Lamech," 

___________

The Post-Flood Cainan Is Said to Be the Father of Salah and to Have Founded the City of Harran (in What Is Modern Iraq).

George Smith wrote about the post-flood Cainan (who God showed me is another name for Arphaxad) in his book The Patriarchal Age: or, the History and Religion of Mankind (1854). Smith wrote:

'It is remarkable that, notwithstanding the omission of the name of Cainan from the Hebrew text, and the consequent general rejection of him by historians, there are more traditions preserved of him than of his son Salah. "The Alexandrine Chronicle derives the Samaritans from Cainan; Eustachius Antiochenus, the Saggodians; George Syncellus, the Gaspheni; Epiphanius the Cajani. Besides the particulars already mentioned, it is said Cainan was the first after the flood who invented astronomy, and that his sons made a god of him, and worshiped his image after his death. The founding of the city of Harran in Mesopotamia is also attributed to him; which, it is pretended, he so called from a son he had of that name." -Anc. Univ. Hist., vol. i, p. 96, note.' (Smith)

References:

Smith, George. (1854). The patriarchal age; or, The history and religion of mankind: from the creation to the death of Isaac: deduced from the writings of Moses, and other inspired authors... books.google.com. Google.