home  time line intro part 2b

Up to Abram Leavnig

*Some scholar's do not agree with this. They argue that the verse shows the sons listed in order of dignity, not birth. For those that agree with them, see the alternate version of the time line.

So from the flood until Abram's birth, or actually until he is almost 50 years old, there are no deaths in the patriarchal lineage. That covers almost 340 years! All of his father's born since the flood are alive until he is 48 years old!

In a period of ten years (very short by the standards of the day) three key figures pass away, including the greatly revered Noah. (There are those today that claim he is the person thought of when we mention 'Father Time'.) Also, compared to what they have become accustomed to, both Peleg and Nahor die young.

Here's another speculation: Abram lived not far from Babylon, not far from where Noah's ark came to rest, not far from where the Tower went up. Did Abram know these there men? Was he dwelling on their deaths when God spoke to him about leaving for a distant land? Did his grief play a part in what God did with him? Or were these deaths the reason for Teran's move to Haran? We are not told why Teran left for Canaan, nor why he stopped in Haran?

Remember that Teran was the one to take his family from the land of the Chaldeans to the land of Ur. Abram and Sarai were already married when they went to Ur, as Sarai accompanied her in-laws on the trip. Once they reached Haran, they stopped, and Teran never completed the journey he started!

Abram left at age 75. According to this version of the time line, he left only 18 years after Noah died. Noah, who had lived forever (compared to everyone else) and who is remembered in some cultures to this day as "Father Time" because of that life span, (see the story on "Noah") must have caused quite a stir when he died.

Abram's father, who lived until he was 205, lived for another 60 (205-(70+75)) years after Abram left home.

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