Lifespans in Genesis

Genesis 5:5 - And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

Before the flood the Bible says that there was a vapor canopy around the entire world. People's lifespan was much longer, many living over 900 years of age. Methuselah was the oldest man ever recorded in the Bible and he lived to be 969 years old. It was after the flood that God said that he would shorten man's days upon the earth.

It is very interesting to look at this chart and realize who might have lived long enough to meet some of the important characters mentioned in the Bible.

LifeSpans from Adam to Noah

LifeSpans of Shem's Children

Interesting Facts

There were 1656 years from Adam to the flood.

There were 427 years from the flood to the time Abraham entered the land of Canaan.

There were 450 years from the flood to the birth of Isaac.

Adams lifespan overlapped Methuselah by 243 years.

Methuselah's lifespan overlapped Noah by 600 years, and Shem by 98 years.

Methuselah's name means "when he dies it shall be sent" probably meaning the flood.

There were 126 years between the death of Adam and the birth of Noah.

Noah lived for 350 years after the flood, and he died two years before the birth of Abraham.

Shem lived from 98 years before the flood until 502 years after the flood.

Shem lived until 75 years after Abraham entered the land of Canaan.

Adam would've lived long enough to meet his great great great great great grandchildren.

Noah lived through to the ninth generation of his own descendants.

The age of man gradually reduces afer the flood.

Genesis 5:27 - And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.