Bible Chronology Timeline

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE FROM THE WEBMASTER

Note: This warning does not apply to “Bible Chronology Timeline” being the first 1-8 pages from the beginning of this site.

Before using any information from the second part of this web site by (pages 2-1 to 2-14) it is extremely important that the following information is observed.

I personally believe that some of the date information by the author is incorrect.

But it should also be noted that I have erected this web site because I believe that there is a lot of excellent and very important information here and that the author has done an excellent job and a lot of research.

I will not resort to saying I am right and he is wrong as that would be proud and arrogant, so I will ask that you decide for yourself. If you feel that I am wrong, then I ask humbly that you please let me know by email using the contact menu option.

You will notice in the left side column that the author says the following, “The author assumes full responsibility for the accuracy of all facts and quotations cited in this book.”

So if you believe that the author is incorrect in any of his facts including the following, then please let him know and hold him accountable as he has requested.

My aim is to get the information here as accurate and true to the Word of God as possible and I ask if you will please help in achieving this task.

The first table on page 1 which is titled, "Chart of the Chronology of the Early Patriarchs" is where I believe the first errors are found but it will be easier to work from the table titled, "Chart of the Patriarchs’ Longevity"

In this table you will find that the birth year of Noah is 1056 which almost all agree on as do I. Shem however I believe was born not in the year 1556 but around 1558. As a result, all other dates after this and on other related tables I believe are also therefore two years out.

The author states on the first page that ARPHAXAD was born on the Ark in the year of the flood and goes to quite some effort to convince the reader of what he believes to be correct. However, please note the following verse.

Genesis 11:10 “These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:”

So Genesis 11:10 says that Arphaxad was born not in the year of the flood (1656) but TWO years after the flood (1658). If this is the case then Shem was not born in the year 1556, but two years later in 1558 as stated previously. Genesis 11:10 also says Shem was 100 years old when he begat Arphaxad so two years after the flood (1658) minus 100 years is 1558 for more clarity.

Some of the confusion possibly comes from the following verse that reads:

Genesis 5:32 “And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.”

Note John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Dr. John Gill (1690-1771)
“Gen 5:32 And Noah was five hundred years old,.... Or "the son of five hundred years" (f); he was in his five hundredth year: it can hardly be thought that he should live to this time a single life, and have no children born to him, which he might have had, but were dead; though some think it was so ordered by Providence, that he should not begin to procreate children until of this age, because it being the will of God to save him and his family from the flood, had he began at the usual age he might have had more than could conveniently be provided for in the ark; or some of them might have proved wicked, and so would deserve to perish with others:
and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth; not together, but one after another; and since Ham was the younger son, see Gen_9:24 and Shem was an hundred years old two years after the flood, Gen_11:10 he must be born in the five hundred and second year of his father's age; so that it seems most probable that Japheth was the eldest son, and born in the five hundred and first year of his age; though Shem is usually mentioned first, because of his superior dignity and excellency, God being in an eminent manner the God of Shem, Gen_9:26 and from whom the Messiah was to spring, and in whose line the church of God was to be continued in future ages. The name of Japheth is retained in Greek and Latin authors, as Hesiod (g) Horace (h), and others (i), by whom he is called Japetos and Japetus.”

Now while Shem is mentioned first, this was because of importance as the Messiah was to come from his line as also mentioned in the above Bible Commentary. We are also told from other scripture that Ham is the youngest and that Japheth is the eldest son. If this is the case then this also shows it is impossible for Shem to be born in the year 1556 unless of course Noah had these three boys as triplets or twins. Since Japheth was the eldest, then he was the one born in the year 1556 when Noah was 500 years old as stated in the following verse.

Genesis 10:21 “Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.”

The New International version is given here also for clarity.

Genesis 10:21 NIV “Sons were also born to Shem, whose older brother was Japheth; Shem was the ancestor of all the sons of Eber.”

Note also John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Dr. John Gill (1690-1771)
“the brother of Japheth the elder; he was the brother of Ham too, but he is not mentioned because of the behaviour towards his father, and because of the curse that was upon him and his; but Shem's relation to Japheth is expressed to show that they were alike in their disposition; and it may be to signify, that in times to come their posterity would unite in spiritual things, which has been fulfilled already in part, and will be more fully by the coalition of the Jews, the posterity of Shem, and of the Gentiles, the posterity of Japheth, in the Christian church state: and from hence we learn that Japheth was the eldest of Noah's sons, though some render the words, “the elder brother of Japheth” (e); and so make Shem to be the eldest; but as this is contrary to the accents, so to the history: for Noah was five hundred years old when he began to beget sons, Gen_5:32 he was six hundred when he went into the ark, Gen_7:11 two years after the flood Shem begat Arphaxad, when he was one hundred years old, and Noah six hundred and two, Gen_11:10 so that Shem must be born when Noah was five hundred and two years old; and since he begot children, there must be one two years older than Shem, which can be no other than Japheth, since Ham is called his younger son, Gen_9:24.”

As just stated in the previous commentary, you will note from the following passage that Noah refers to Ham as ”his younger son.” So if Ham is the youngest as stated, then the names of these three were not quoted in birth order in Genesis 11:10. This now remains consistent with Arphaxad being born two years after the flood as stated in Genesis 11:10 and not during the flood on the ark as the author has stated.

Genesis 9:18-29 “And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. 19 These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread. 20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: 21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. 23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. 24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. 25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. 26 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. 27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. 28 And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. 29 And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.”

So from the previous Bible passages given we are told that Ham is the youngest son and born last, and that Japheth is the eldest and born first and therefore Shem is in the middle and not born first.

I also believe that some of the other information given is just as inaccurate. So you be the judge and let me know or the author know according to who you believe is incorrect.