Genesis 5:27 says that Methuselah lived 969 years.
Honestly now ... do you believe this? What do you think his family gave him for his 762nd birthday? Surely he had enough neckties and cologne.
2007-03-30 22:31:58 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
There's evidence enough to believe that ALL ancient documents dating before 2100 BC were distorted because of the number systems that had developed.
Between about 4000 and 2100 BC, there were dozens of different ways of counting, and the Babylonians attempted to unify all the competing number systems about 1800 BC. The result in their own ancient texts was a distortion of their own numbers because of their lack of understanding of how the systems developed and what the number symbols actually meant.
Robert Englund of UCLA goes into a great deal of detail about this.
Since the early chapters in Genesis were written in Sumer between 2800 and 2000 BC, the same kinds of errors likely crept into Genesis, as well.
2007-03-30 22:37:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Very easy to believe. I'm actually surprised he did not live longer. This has to be taken in context of one's worldview of life and history.
If someone believes that the human race was created perfect (the Adam & Eve story and their subsequent sin), then during thousands of years, there has been a gradual deterioration of the quality of life, including lifespan. Of course, this does not include the last century or so when modern medical science had been able to reverse that trend somewhat. Two hundred years ago, the average lifespan of man in Europe was 35 years. Plot THAT on a graph as the minima, continue the trend to today, extrapolate backwards, and yes, it is quite believable from a mathematical standpoint. Not 100% certain but mathematically probable. See, I can accept the Bible from a SCIENTIFIC standpoint.
Conversly, in someone's worldview is based on the evolution of man, with a gradual increase in knowledge and wisdom for thousands of years, the natural conclusion is that man just could not have had such a long lifespan. If you take the KNOWN data of man's lifespan for the past, say, 500 years, plot that on a graph, and extrapolate backwards, the conclusion would be even more ridiculous.
So, take your pick.
As for his birthday gift, I'm not even sure that they celebrated birthdays back then.
2007-03-31 03:39:25 · answer #2 · answered by flandargo 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One theory is that years were determined by lunar cycles, which occurs approximately 12 times in the current calendar year. Therefore Methuselah's age would have to be factored by 12, which brings his lifespan to an end just before his 81st birthday by today's calendar. It is also said he fathered his first child at 187 years of age, which, using the same factor, would have made him a father at about 16 years of age.
2007-03-31 02:35:52 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Shibboleth, I understand your argument but how big of a miscalculation can it of been to come with a number so large ? No human being can live till the age of 969, that is ridiculous. A human being in modern society with the advancement in science and technology can barley reach the age of 100.
2007-03-30 22:51:54 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
These are the kind of misunderstandings that frequently happen when somebody places the decimal in the wrong place. His proper age is 96.9 years. He would still a very old man but his age would definitely be within the realm of human possibility.
2007-03-30 23:03:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Can you prove he did not live 969 years? If you cant just shut up scoffer.
2007-03-30 22:37:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm guessing by his 120th, all he was able to do was beg for someone to kill him.
2007-03-30 22:34:21 · answer #7 · answered by ....... 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
it's all a myth..
2007-03-30 22:35:15 · answer #8 · answered by kramaster 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋