How long ago did Adam and Eve exist?
In this post, we are going to calculate the timeline of the bible and discover when did Adam and Eve exist?
We are going to examine from archaeologists’ findings, news, historical records and what is written in the Bible.
You will discover from our findings that Adam and Eve existed around 6268 years ago, calculating from the present year (2023) backwards through history to Adam’s days.
Scientists’ debates
There are a lot of debates on when did Adam and Eve exist. There are several groups of studies, some base on Y chromosome (present only in men, while women have two X chromosome) and some base on human evolution. Human evolution theory argues that human beings originated from apes and this evolution process took million of years. There are no ONE finalized, agreed conclusion to all these debates. Many scientists estimated that Adam and Eve existed between 99,000 years to 156,000 years ago.
In this post we are going to analyze base on archaeologists’ findings, historical documents and the Bible.
Archaeologists’ findings
According to National Geographic, The earliest civilizations developed between 4000 and 3000 B.C.E. Civilizations first appeared in Mesopotamia (what is now Iraq) and later in Egypt. According to Discovery Magazine, the Sumerians emerged roughly 6,000 years ago along the floodplains between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in present-day Iraq and Syria.
In an article by The National News-MENA, dated 17 February 2023, it was reported that the remains of a lost Sumerian palace in the ancient city of Girsu, dating back at least 4,500 years to the third millennium, has been found by a group of archaeologists in southern Iraq.
What is in the Bible
Next, let’s examine what is written in the Bible. Let’s consider the following 7 timline:
1. From Adam to The Flood (1656 years)
In Genesis Chapter 5, the bible gave details on the age of each person from Adam to Noah, when they had each of their son. If you map out all those information, you will discover that from the birth of Adam to the flood of Noah is 1656 years.
Genesis 5:1-32
Genesis Chapter 5:
This is the family history of Adam. When God created human beings, he made them in God’s likeness. 2 He created them male and female. And on that day he blessed them and named them human beings.
3 When Adam was 130 years old, he became the father of another son. He was in the likeness and image of Adam. Adam named him Seth. 4 After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years. During that time he had other sons and daughters. 5 So Adam lived a total of 930 years. Then he died.
6 When Seth was 105 years old, he had a son named Enosh. 7 After Enosh was born, Seth lived 807 years. During that time he had other sons and daughters. 8 So Seth lived a total of 912 years. Then he died.
9 When Enosh was 90 years old, he had a son named Kenan. 10 After Kenan was born, Enosh lived 815 years. During that time he had other sons and daughters. 11 So Enosh lived a total of 905 years. Then he died.
12 When Kenan was 70 years old, he had a son named Mahalalel. 13 After Mahalalel was born, Kenan lived 840 years. During that time he had other sons and daughters. 14 So Kenan lived a total of 910 years. Then he died.
15 When Mahalalel was 65 years old, he had a son named Jared. 16 After Jared was born, Mahalalel lived 830 years. During that time he had other sons and daughters. 17 So Mahalalel lived a total of 895 years. Then he died.
18 When Jared was 162 years old, he had a son named Enoch. 19 After Enoch was born, Jared lived 800 years. During that time he had other sons and daughters. 20 So Jared lived a total of 962 years. Then he died.
21 When Enoch was 65 years old, he had a son named Methuselah. 22 After Methuselah was born, Enoch walked with God 300 years more. During that time he had other sons and daughters. 23 So Enoch lived a total of 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God. One day Enoch could not be found, because God took him.
25 When Methuselah was 187 years old, he had a son named Lamech. 26 After Lamech was born, Methuselah lived 782 years. During that time he had other sons and daughters. 27 So Methuselah lived a total of 969 years. Then he died.
28 When Lamech was 182, he had a son. 29 Lamech named his son Noah.[a] Lamech said, “Noah will comfort us from the pain of our work. The pain is because God has cursed the ground.” 30 After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years. During that time he had other sons and daughters. 31 So Lamech lived a total of 777 years. Then he died.
32 After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.
Take note “Yr” is the abbreviation of Year. The respective “Year” shown in the above diagram is not the present day calendar year. It is referenced from the birth of Adam. The birth of Adam is taken as Year 0. The “Yr 2006” means 2006 years from the time Adam was born. It is not 2006 of our present day calendar.
2. From The Flood to Abram leaving Haran – 428 years
The Flood came when Noah was 600 years old (Genesis 7:6). Noah was in the Arc (or Boat) for 370 days . The bible also provides detailed information in Genesis 11 that tells us the timeline from the Flood to the time of Abraham.
In Genesis 11:10, it was stated that Shem (one of Noah’s son) had his son, Arphaxad, 2 years after the flood. If we use the information in Genesis 11:10-32, we will derive a length of 428 years from the time of the flood to the time Abram left Haran.
Bible References
How many days was Noah in the Arc?
Genesis 7: 6 stated that Noah was 600 years old when the Flood came. It came on the 2nd month, 17th day after Noah turned 600 years old (Genesis 7:11). Then the Bible stated that on the 2nd month, 27th day after Noah turned 601 years old, God told Noah and his family to leave the Ark. (Genesis 8:13-15). If we consider 1 month as 30 days during Noah’s time, the total number of days Noah was in the Arc was 370 days. However, if the calendar used during Noah’s time was a lunar calendar, then each month is not an exact 30 days. So 370 days can only be an estimate.
Genesis Chapter 11:10-32 (ICB):
The Story of Shem’s Family
10 This is the family history of Shem. Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, his son Arphaxad was born. 11 After that, Shem lived 500 years and had other sons and daughters.
12 When Arphaxad was 35 years old, his son Shelah was born. 13 After that, Arphaxad lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.
14 When Shelah was 30 years old, his son Eber was born. 15 After that, Shelah lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.
16 When Eber was 34 years old, his son Peleg was born. 17 After that, Eber lived 430 years and had other sons and daughters.
18 When Peleg was 30 years old, his son Reu was born. 19 After that, Peleg lived 209 years and had other sons and daughters.
20 When Reu was 32 years old, his son Serug was born. 21 After that, Reu lived 207 years and had other sons and daughters.
22 When Serug was 30 years old, his son Nahor was born. 23 After that, Serug lived 200 years and had other sons and daughters.
24 When Nahor was 29 years old, his son Terah was born. 25 After that, Nahor lived 119 years and had other sons and daughters.
26 After Terah was 70 years old, his sons Abram, Nahor and Haran were born.
The Story of Terah’s Family
27 This is the family history of Terah. Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. Haran was the father of Lot. 28 Haran died while his father, Terah, was still alive. This happened in Ur in Babylonia, where he was born. 29 Abram and Nahor both married. Abram’s wife was named Sarai. Nahor’s wife was named Milcah. She was the daughter of Haran. Haran was the father of Milcah and Iscah. 30 Sarai was not able to have children.
31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (Haran’s son) and his daughter-in-law Sarai (Abram’s wife). They moved out of Ur of Babylonia. They had planned to go to the land of Canaan. But when they reached the city of Haran, they settled there.
32 Terah lived to be 205 years old. Then he died in Haran.
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Take note that although Genesis 11:26 said that Terah was 70 years hold when he had his sons, Abram was not born when Terah was 70. This is because Genesis 12:4 stated that Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. Acts 7:4 stated that Abram left Haran after his father, Terah died. Genesis 11:32 stated that Terah lived to be 205 years old. So if Abram was 75 years old when his father died at 205, then Terah must be 130 years old when Abram was born.
______________________
Genesis 12:4 (ICB):
4 So Abram left Haran as the Lord had told him. And Lot went with him. At this time Abram was 75 years old.
Acts 7:4 (ICB):
So Abraham left the country of Chaldea and went to live in Haran. After Abraham’s father died, God sent him to this place where you now live.
How many years from the Flood to Abraham?
Length of time of the Flood = 1 year 10 days
From after the Flood to Arphaxad =2 years
From Arphaxad to birth of Terah = 220 years
From birth of Terah to Abram leaving Haran = 205
If you sum up all the above, you will get 428 years and 10 days.
3. From Abram leaving Haran to the children of Israel leaving Egypt – 645 years.
From Abraham to the time the children of Israel began to live in Egypt was 215 years.
Then in Exodus 12:40, it was stated that the children of Israel lived 430 years in Egypt. If you add this 430 years to the 215 years, it means from the time Abram left Haran to the time the children of Israel left Egypt is 645 years.
How we calculate the 215 years from Abram leaving Haran to Jacob meeting Pharaoh
How the 215 years were computed:
Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. He was 100 years old when Isaac was born (Genesis 21:5). Jacob and Esau was born when Isaac was 60 years old (Genesis 25:26). Jacob was 130 years old when he met Pharaoh in Egypt(Genesis 47:9). This is the time when the children of Israel began to live in Egypt. Calculating from the time Abraham left Haran to this moment when Jacob met the Pharaoh, the length of years is 215 years (25 +60 + 130 =215).
Bible References
All of the following scriptures are in ICB translation.
Genesis 21:5
5 Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born.
Genesis 25:26
26 When the second baby was born, he was holding on to Esau’s heel. So that baby was named Jacob.[a] Isaac was 60 years old when they were born.
Genesis 47:9
9 Jacob said to him, “My life has been spent wandering from place to place. It has been short, filled with trouble. I have lived only 130 years. My ancestors lived much longer than I.”
Exodus 12:40
40 The people of Israel had lived in Egypt for 430 years.
4. From the time the children of Israel left Egypt to the time King Solomon built the first Temple in Jerusalem — 480 years
This length of 480 years is stated in 1 Kings 6:1.
1 Kings 6:1 (ICB)
So Solomon began to build the Temple. This was 480 years after the people of Israel had left Egypt. (This was the fourth year of King Solomon’s rule over Israel.) It was the second month, the month of Ziv.
5. From the start of construction of first Temple to Judah falling into captivity of Babylonians -439.5 years
After King Solomon, Israel was divided into two nation –Israel and Judah.
According to Wikipedia, Nebuchadnezzar II conquered Israel in 597 BC. The Temple was destroyed during the time when the Babylonian attacks Israel and Judah.
How the 439.5 years from Solomon to Babylonian captivity is computed?
| Scriptures | Kings | Full years |
| 1Kings 6:1,37 | Solomon (remaining years from start of Temple construction) | 36 |
| 1 Kings 14:21 | Rehoboam | 17 |
| 1 Kings 15:2 | Abijam | 3 |
| 1 Kings 15:9 | Asa | 41 |
| 1 Kings 22:42 | Jehosaphat | 35 |
| 2 Kings 8:17 | Jehoram | 8 |
| 2 Kings 8:26 | Ahaziah | 1 |
| 2 Kings 11:3 | Athaliah | 6 |
| 2 Kings 12:1 | Joash | 40 |
| 2 Kings 14:2 | Amaziah | 29 |
| 2 Kings 15:2 | Azariah | 52 |
| 2 Kings 15:32 | Jotham | 16 |
| 2 Kings 16:2 | Ahaz | 16 |
| 2 Kings 18:2 | Hezekiah | 29 |
| 2 Kings 21:1 | Manasseh | 55 |
| 2 Kings 21:19 | Amon | 2 |
| 2 Kings 22:1 | Josiah | 31 |
| 2 Kings 23:31 | Jehoahaz* | 0.25 |
| 2 Kings 23:36 | Jehoiakim | 11 |
| 2 Kings 24:8 | Jehoiachin* | 0.25 |
| 2 Kings 24:18 | Zedekiah | 11 |
| total | 439.5 |
6. From the Babylonian captivity to the completion of the second Temple – 81 years
According to the Bible, the children of Israel were in Babylonian captivity for 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11-12. 29:10).
After that, during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, the Temple was rebuilt. The rebuilding was initially met with opposition and paused for many years. Eventually, the Temple was completed in 516 BC.
Base on historical records, King NebuchadnezzarII conquered Israel in 597 BC. The second Temple was completed in 616 BC. So this length of time is 81 years.
How long did it take for the Jews to build the second Temple?
The construction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem was not a continuous process, but rather occurred in stages over a period of several decades.
According to historical records, the Persian king Cyrus the Great allowed the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple in 538 BCE. However, due to opposition and challenges from neighboring peoples and internal conflicts among the Jews themselves, construction did not begin until 520 BCE under the leadership of the Jewish governor Zerubbabel.
The initial construction was completed in 516 BCE, but the Temple was not yet fully finished. It underwent further renovations and additions by subsequent Jewish leaders, including Ezra and Nehemiah, over the following centuries.
Therefore, the overall timeline for the construction of the Second Temple spanned several decades, with the initial construction taking about four years from 520 BCE to 516 BCE, but subsequent renovations and additions occurring over several centuries.
7. From the Second Temple to the birth of Jesus Christ -510 years
According to Wikipedia, the second Temple existed for about 600 years from 516 BC to 70 AD. The Second Jewish Temple was completed in the year 516 BC, and Jesus is believed to have been born around around 1 BCE, 4 BC or 6 BC. Scholars have no definitive answer. It is believed that King Herod lived till around 4 or 5 BC, shortly after the birth of Jesus. So, the birth of Jesus could be around 6 BC. If we assume this, then the time between the completion of the Second Temple to the birth of Jesus was approximately 510 years years.
Conclusion
Total years from Adam to Jesus Christ is 4239.5 years. If the birth of Jesus is assumed to be 6 BC, then Adam existed 6268.5 years ago.
Give it a thought
If you think from historical records from modern day back in time — The start of modern day calendar was the year of the Lord Jesus Christ. 70 AD was the siege of Jerusalem where the second Temple was destroyed. 516 BC was recorded in history as the year the second Temple was completed. 597 BC was the year the Babylonians conquered Israel. So if you work from 70 AD back to 597 BC, it was recorded in the bible that the last king of Judah, Zedekiah was captured and killed (2 kings 6) by the Babylonians.
If you start from the other end— from the beginning of life as stated in the Bible, Adam existed 6268.5 years ago. This is close to what archeaologists have uncovered about the Sumerians (earliest civilization on earth). Then following all that was narrated in the Bible till the point where the last king of Judah, Zedekiah was killed, there is no conflict in timeline. Do you not think that the Bible is accurate?
Whereas, if you look at scientists’ theories on human evolution, genetics chromosomes, big bang theories, these theories are deduction by scientists wherein, there is yet to be a definitive conclusion to the debates.
Which do you think is more trustworthy?
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