Genesis: Words, Numbers, and Questions Raised

Biblical Words versus Numbers

When two or more people read Scripture, they often disagree about the meaning of the words. That's the case, at least in part, because Scripture has been with us for centuries, and it has been re-written in numerous languages.

Words have multiple meanings, nuances, and synonyms. Words are easily replaced. As a result, readers often trade claims of mistranslations, misinterpretations or misunderstandings.

Frankly, that's not the case with numbers, in Scripture or otherwise. One number cannot be exchanged for another; any mistake with numbers is almost always caught quickly. That's even true when they're translated to other languages or converted among different numeric systems. While words can lead to different understandings, numbers lead to mathematical facts. In Genesis, words and numbers support each other, so combinations of words and numbers often lead to the discovery of more facts.

Numbers in Genesis: Historical, Symbolic, or Both?

Quite a few people mentioned in Genesis are shown to have lived more than 700 years. Jesus had nine generations of ancestors whose lives on earth were completed by the time of the flood. Adam's whole lifetime was 930 years, Seth's was 912, and Enosh's was 905. Kenan's whole lifetime was 910 years, Mahalalel's was 895, and Jared's was 962. Enoch was 365 years old when God assumed him into heaven. Methuselah's whole lifetime was 969 years, and Noah's father Lamech died at 777.

It isn't really known why people may have lived so long or why there might be such discrepancies in age. Many of us have questioned whether people at that time counted years differently than we do. Actually, extensive details relating to the great flood help to reveal that there were twelve months in each year; moreover, the twelve months totaled just beyond 360 days.

Some readers consider all of these ages historical, while others believe them to be symbolic. A third group of readers thinks they are a mixture of both. Nevertheless, for this project, the numbers have been taken as literal. Since the authors of Scripture received divine inspiration, the meaning of their writings is thought to have come directly from God.

Numbers in Genesis: Not Rounded

Some readers consider the ages of people in Genesis to be simply rounded or "ballpark" figures. That's mostly because of the descriptions of a few prominent people, figures, and events, such as the great flood beginning in Noah's six hundredth year of life (Gen 7:11) or Abraham being 100 years old (Gen 21:5) when his son Isaac was born.

Readers won't often observe that a less prominent person like Terah had a lifetime of 205 years (Gen 11:32) while Abraham's wife Sarah lived 127 years (Gen 23:1). Furthermore, no one prior to Noah has numbers even close to rounded. It seems illogical that an author would be inspired to round just a few figures, while leaving so many more untouched. While some figures may seem to be rounded, they are exactly what the author was inspired to write.

Numbers are from Scripture

Some say that, in Genesis, people's ages are "just a bunch of numbers". Many readers aren't naturally drawn to numbers. At the same time, others don't mind working with them. After realizing the numbers come from Scripture, they begin to think there might be something special about them. Those who have studied Genesis over the years have asked interesting, long-lasting questions, such as why is Sarah the only woman in Genesis with an age given, or why are there so many details to the great flood story, giving time to even the day?

Sarah, the Only Woman with an Age

Abraham's wife, Sarah, is the only woman in Genesis with an age provided. There are numerous other important women, such as Isaac's wife, Rebekah, and Jacob's wife, Rachel; nevertheless, not a single age appears for either of them or any other female. Only Sarah has an age mentioned. Furthermore, she is actually the only female in the entire Bible whose age is revealed.

People wonder why that's the case. Further study of Genesis shows Sarah never has a current age given; instead, it only supplies her future age. That's not the case for anyone else. Before she becomes pregnant Gen 17:17 has "Or can Sarah give birth at ninety?" I believe that writing this way calls attention to the time during a mother's pregnancy.

The Flood's Extensive Details

Readers have often wondered why the flood story has so much detail. This particular story differs a lot from any other one in Genesis. Events during the flood are presented by month and even day. For example, the middle of the story contains this passage:

Gen 8:3-5

Gradually the waters receded from the earth. At the end of one hundred and fifty days, the waters had so diminished that, in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. The waters continued to diminish until the tenth month, and on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains appeared.

Another example of the story's extensive detail has to do with how Noah's life is measured. While anyone else in Genesis has an age or numbers given to the year, Noah has points in his life often marked not just to the year, but to the month, and even to the day. One example is at the beginning of the flood.

Gen 7:11

In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month: it was on that day that All the fountains of the great abyss burst forth, and the floodgates of the sky were opened.

Likewise, at the end of the flood, the narrative relates how the land became dry in the six hundred-first year, second month, and twenty-seventh day of Noah's life.

The detail of the flood seems to stress certain facts. For example, God tells Noah at three times whom he is to take with him. He informs Noah in advance of the flood that only he, his wife, his three sons and his sons' wives will be getting into the ark. Just before the flood God tells Noah to enter the ark, taking only those seven relatives with him. Finally, God tells Noah to leave the ark after the flood, together with "your wife and your sons and your sons' wives". What is almost comical is that five times it's noted that Noah did exactly as told, taking only those seven with him.

There might be specific...