-1

Possible Duplicate:
Rationalist Position on Bible Ancients' Long Lives

The bible states that Abraham has lived for 175 years, Yishmael lived for 137 years, and so on and so forth.

Now, either they really lived that long (which given that 100 years ago people rarely lasted past 60, doesn't sound very likely), or they counted years differently.

Anyone knows how did they count years, and subsequently, how long did Abraham really did live?

Improve this question
4
  • 1
    Using you logic, "given that 100 years ago people rarely lasted past 60", it would be unlikely that many people today would live into their eighties, nineties, or even one-hundreds, but many do. In fact, except in third world countries, today someone who dies before reaching sixty is considered to have died young. How does life expectancy a hundred years ago reflect on that of biblical times?
    – Tamir Evan
    Nov 3, 2012 at 20:55
  • 1
    @TamirEvan: Well, the longevity of us humans has is a direct result of the food we eat, the hygiene rules we follow, and the medicine we have. Not so long ago, before the industrial revolution, most of these... sucked. Hence, people didn't last for very long. I can only image what it would be like in biblical times. With no drugs, no hospitals, near zero hygiene. I find it hard to believe that people nearly 5000 years ago lasted that long.
    – Madara's Ghost
    Nov 3, 2012 at 21:21
  • 2
    duplicate judaism.stackexchange.com/q/4977/759
    – Double AA ♦
    Nov 3, 2012 at 23:54
  • @DoubleAA: Thanks, I was looking for that but couldn't find it!
    – Madara's Ghost
    Nov 4, 2012 at 16:06

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
0

count the days. based on the cycle of seasons

(cant have winter-summer-winter in one year only)

Improve this answer
1
  • 2
    Huh? I don't understand your answer. Please elaborate.
    – Madara's Ghost
    Nov 3, 2012 at 19:47

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .