Birth of Noah and Terah’s Sons
When calculating a chronology based on the Bible there are some difficulties. This is true in the case of Shem and Abram. The age of Shem and Abram’s fathers Noah and Terah is not necessarily determinate from scriptures.
In the case of Shem, Genesis 5:32.
32 And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
This is the first mention of Shem. At 500 years of age, Noah fathered Shem, Ham and Japheth. This tells the reader that Noah had three sons. Whether they were all born at the same time, prior to Noah reaching 500 years of age or the first son was born when Noah was 500 years of age cannot be stated for certain. It cannot be assumed that Shem was the oldest.
The Bible is not a history book nor is it to be taken as a literal source. The Bible is God’s word that teaches through the Spirit all the information that a disciple will need to navigate through the waters of life.
In calculating a chronology, adding years based on Genesis 5 is relatively easy, refer to Chronology. Then in Genesis 7:11 one can determine when the flood began.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
This would be a 100 years after Genesis 5:32. Noah stays on the ark 370 days. Then in Genesis 11:10.
10 These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:
So two years after the flood, Shem gives birth to Arphaxad. Therefore, Noah is 602 years old when Arphaxad is born. Additionally, it can be determined that Shem was not the first born although listed first in Genesis 5:32. Shem was born when Noah was 502 years of age. Either Ham or Japheth were firstborn.
There are cases in the Bible when first born is specifically stated as in Genesis 38:6
6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.
In the case of Abram, resolving issues with the chronology is not easily done. As a matter of fact, it may not even be possible.
Based on what is stated in Genesis 5:32, there is no reason to assume that Abram is first born in Genesis 11:26.
26 And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
If anything, Abram is more than likely the second born. There is a trend in the Bible that the spiritual blessing goes to the second born. This happened in the case of Abel, Isaac, Jacob, Ephraim, Perez and many more. This was even the case with Yeshua, 1 Corinthians 15:45.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
So Yeshua was the second born of the Father, God Yehovah. Yeshua received the greater spiritual blessing.
There is always the possibility that Abram was the third born. This would mirror what happened in the case of Cain, Abel and Seth.
There is nothing specified about Abram with the exception of Genesis 12:4.
4 So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
There is always the possibility that Terah was dead for several years prior to Abram leaving. Additionally, it is unknown how old Abram was when Terah left Ur or when Abram married Sarai. Although, Acts 7 has been used to prove that Abram left Charran when Terah died that cannot be stated with full certainty. The only thing that can be stated with certainty is Deuteronomy 29:29.
29 The secret things belong unto Yehovah our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
God knows, but has chosen not to reveal this to His people. As such, this leaves a gap in the chronology.
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