How long did people live
before and after the Flood?

Chart showing Life span of people before and after the Great Deluge
Chart courtesy of Arnold C. Mendez, Sr.
 
Life Spans
before the Flood
Life Spans
after the Flood
Biblical Patriarch Years lived Biblical Patriarch Years lived
Adam 930Shem600
Seth 912Arphaxad438
Enosh 905Salah433
Cainan 910Eber464
Mahalealel 895Peleg239
Jared 962Reu239
Enoch 365Serug230
Methuselah 969Nahor148
Lamech 777Terah205
Noah 950Abraham175
 Issac180
 Jacob147
 Joseph110
 Moses120
 Joshua110
 Eli98
 

The earth before the flood had lush tropical forests and large amounts of vegetation. The days were longer and the temperature was warmer. The general climate acted as a shield which kept out more harmful radiation from reaching the earth's surface than it does today.

There are many factors that could account for the lowering of the life spans after the flood. The Bible states that the flood would not only destroy the land dwelling air breathing animals but it would also destroy the earth (Genesis 6:13; 9:11). After the flood the earth was completely different than the earth before. There were widespread global differences. These would include changes in the climate, composition of the atmosphere, hydrologic cycle, geologic features, cosmic radiation reaching the earth, ozone concentration, ultra violet light, background radiation, genetics, diet, coupled with a host of other subtle and profound chemical and physiological changes. These changes caused a rapid decline of the longevity of post-flood humanity.

The average life span before the flood (ten generations) was 857 years.  After the flood, however, the average life span (for the ten generations from Shem to Abraham) was only 317 years!  In 2008 the average life expectancy of a person living in the United States was 78 years.

Additional Study Materials
from BibleStudy.org
What did
Noah's Ark look like?
How long did it take
to BUILD Noah's Ark?
What is the lineage
from Abraham to Jesus?
 
 
   
 
 
 
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