An approximation of the Earth’s age

The approximate age of the Earth and universe are not difficult to figure out if one researches the Bible and reliable historical accounts. I’ve highlighted evidence several times at this website how accurate the Bible is spiritually, historically, and scientifically. It is a trustworthy book, a fact that stirs fear in the hearts of unbelievers, which is why they attempt to tear it down, attack the people of the Book, and attack the God of the Book.

Nevertheless, here is what I consider an accurate estimate of how old the Earth is using sound historical data with genealogical information from God’s infallible word.

Hiram I of Tyre, according to Josephus in Against Apion [bk. 1:17-18], sent construction materials in his 12th year to Solomon to build the “house of the Lord” in Jerusalem. This would have been about 968 BC. I Kings 6:1 says Solomon started building the house of the Lord (the temple at Jerusalem) 480 years after the children of Israel left Egypt.

If we add 480 to 968 BC, we get 1448 BC as the year the Israelites left Egypt. When we then take into account the children of Israel spent 430 years in Egypt [Exodus 12:40], we know they moved to Egypt in approximately 1878 BC.

Jacob lived in Egypt for 17 years [Gen. 47:28]. He died at the age of 147. Subtracting 17 from that 147 years tells us he moved to Egypt when he was 130 years old, which was in 1878 BC. Adding Jacob’s age of 130 years to 1878 BC means Jacob was born in approximately 2008 BC.

According to Gen. 25:26, Isaac was 60 years old when his twins Jacob & Esau were born. Adding Isaac’s 60 years to the year of Jacob’s birth in 2008 BC takes us back to 2068 BC as the year Isaac was born.

Gen. 21:5 says Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born. Adding his 100 years to 2068 BC means Abraham was born in approximately 2168 BC.

Gen. 11:26 says Terah was in his seventies when Abram was born. If we add his 70 years to the year Abram was born (2168 BC) we are taken back to approximately 2238 BC.

Terah was born to his father Nahor when Nahor was 29 years old [Gen. 11:24], so adding 29 to 2238 BC means Nahor was born in 2267 BC.

Nahor’s father Serug was 30 years old when Nahor was born [Gen. 11:22]. That 30 years added to 2267 BC takes us back to 2297 BC as the year of Serug’s birth.

In 2297 BC when Serug was born, his father Reu was 32 years old. Adding 32 to 2297 gives us 2329 BC.

Reu was born in 2329 BC when his father Peleg was 30. When we add 30 to 2329, we get 2359 BC as the year of Peleg’s birth.

Eber, Peleg’s father, had Peleg when he was 34 years old [Gen. 11:16]. 2359 BC plus 34 gives us 2393 BC as the year Eber (from whom the word “Hebrew” came) was born.

Eber was born in 2393 BC when his father Salah was 30. So adding Salah’s 30 years to 2393 BC tells us Salah was born in 2423 BC.

Arphaxad, Salah’s father, had Salah when he was 35 years old which takes us back to 2458 BC as the year of Arphaxad’s birth.

Shem, the father of the Semitic people, had Arphaxad when he was 100 years old [Gen. 11:10].

Gen. 11:10 also tells us Arphaxad was born two years after the flood. Therefore, the worldwide flood occurred in 2460 BC. Gen. 7:11 says Noah was 600 years old when the flood came. Adding his 600 years to the year of the flood, 2460 BC, tells us Noah was born in 3060 BC.

In 3060 BC, Noah’s father Lamech was 182 years old when Noah was born [Gen. 5:28]. 3060 BC plus Lamech’s 182 years means Lamech was born in approximately 3242 BC. He died five years before the flood.

In 3242 BC, Lamech’s father Methuselah (the man who lived the longest)was 187 years old when Lamech was born [Gen. 5:25]. Adding Methuselah’s age to 3242 BC means Methuselah was born in 3429 BC. He died right before the flood in the same year as the flood.

Enoch, Methuselah’s father, was 65 when Methuselah was born. That tells us Enoch was born in 3494 BC.

Enoch’s father Jared was 162 years old in 3494 BC when Enoch was born. Jared, therefore, was born in 3656 BC.

In 3656 BC, Jared’s father Mahalaleel was 65 [Gen. 5:15]. This places the year of Mahalaleel’s birth at approximately 3721 BC.

Cainan, Mahalaleel’s father, was 70 when Mahalaleel was born in 3721 BC. So Cainan was born in 3791 BC.

Enos was Cainan’s father and in 3791 BC he was 90 years old [Gen. 5:9]. Adding his age to 3791 BC tells us he was born in approximately 3881 BC.

Seth was Enos’ father and he was 105 years old in 3881 BC. Therefore, Seth was born in 3986 BC.

Seth’s father Adam (the first man) was 130 in 3986 BC when Seth was born. So he was created by God his Father in about 4116 BC.

When we add that 4100 years BC to the roughly 2000 years AD, this tells us that the Earth and the universe are about 6100 years old, according to the scriptures.

These dates fly in the face of secular historians’ estimates of ancient Egypt’s start (3200 BC), since the flood happened in 2460 BC and the people didn’t divide into their nations until after the flood when God confused languages at the Tower of Babel.

For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth. [Psalm 33:4]

For some scientific data to consider on a young Earth, see the Answers in Genesis website.

–posted by Harry A. Gaylord–