The term "antediluvian" refers to the period in biblical history before the Great Flood, as described in the Book of Genesis. This era is characterized by the genealogies and events that occurred from the creation of Adam to the time of Noah. The antediluvian chronology is primarily derived from Genesis chapters 5 and 7, which provide a detailed account of the patriarchs and their lifespans.

Genealogies and Lifespans

The genealogies in Genesis 5 outline the lineage from Adam to Noah, listing ten generations. Each patriarch's age at the birth of his first son and his total lifespan are recorded, emphasizing the longevity of human life during this period. The Berean Standard Bible provides the following details:

1. Adam: Lived 930 years (Genesis 5:5).
2. Seth: Lived 912 years (Genesis 5:8).
3. Enosh: Lived 905 years (Genesis 5:11).
4. Kenan: Lived 910 years (Genesis 5:14).
5. Mahalalel: Lived 895 years (Genesis 5:17).
6. Jared: Lived 962 years (Genesis 5:20).
7. Enoch: Lived 365 years; "Enoch walked with God, and then he was no more, because God took him away" (Genesis 5:24).
8. Methuselah: Lived 969 years, the longest recorded lifespan (Genesis 5:27).
9. Lamech: Lived 777 years (Genesis 5:31).
10. Noah: Was 600 years old at the time of the Flood (Genesis 7:6).

Significance of Longevity

The extraordinary lifespans of the antediluvian patriarchs have been a subject of much discussion and interpretation. Some propose that these long lifespans were literal, reflecting a unique period in human history with different environmental conditions. Others suggest symbolic or theological interpretations, viewing the ages as a means to convey the significance and righteousness of these early figures.

Cultural and Theological Context

The antediluvian period is marked by significant cultural and theological developments. Genesis 6:1-4 describes the "sons of God" and the Nephilim, indicating a time of increasing wickedness on the earth. This moral decline sets the stage for God's judgment through the Flood, as stated in Genesis 6:5-7: "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time. And the LORD regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, 'I will blot out man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—every man and beast and crawling creature and bird of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.'"

Noah and the Flood

Noah stands as a pivotal figure in the antediluvian chronology. Described as "a righteous man, blameless in his generation" (Genesis 6:9), Noah found favor with God and was chosen to preserve humanity and animal life through the construction of the ark. The Flood narrative, beginning in Genesis 7, marks the end of the antediluvian era and the beginning of a new epoch in biblical history.

Chronological Considerations

The chronology of the antediluvian period has been calculated by various scholars, often resulting in differing timelines due to textual variations in ancient manuscripts, such as the Masoretic Text, the Septuagint, and the Samaritan Pentateuch. Despite these differences, the genealogies serve as a foundational framework for understanding the early history of humanity as presented in the Bible.

The antediluvian chronology, with its genealogies and narratives, provides insight into the early world as depicted in Scripture, highlighting themes of creation, sin, judgment, and redemption that resonate throughout the biblical narrative.Antediluvian Chronology

Everything dates from the creation of Adam. Beyond him all is Wrapped in dark and impenetrable mystery. In order to determine the Length of time from Adam's creation to the flood we have only to add The ages of the antediluvian patriarchs--Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah--at the births of Their first sons, and add to this the age of Shem at the flood, and we Find that it was 1656 years (Genesis 5:3-32; Genesis 7:6).

Chapter v
... there are ample indications of a more salubrious climate in the antediluvian days. ...
The emphasis lies on the chronology and on setting forth the prominent links ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter v.htm

The Pentateuch.
... Adam. (C.) The chronology of the book of Genesis involves, as is well known,
some difficult questions. ... manner. (1.) Antediluvian Genealogy. ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xix the pentateuch.htm

Chapter viii
... The chronology of the Flood is complete for all practical purposes ... of time are in
each case seven days suggests, on the one hand, that in antediluvian days time ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter viii.htm

Book 20 Footnotes
... strata under ground, till the diggers came to the antediluvian waters, with ... five
hundred years before the Christian era, according to our exactest chronology. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 20 footnotes.htm

The City of God. Index of Subjects.
... etc. Chronology, the enormously long, of heathen writers, [326]232,
[327]233; the discrepancy in that of the Hebrew and other MSS. ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books /the city of god index.htm

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