nemo

I was wondering if anyone could help me evaluate/locate references for the theory stated at this site.
<a href="http://www.noahs-ark-flood.com/ages.htm" target="_blank">http://www.noahs-ark-flood.com/ages.htm</a>

I'd always heard (and explained) such things using the "fish story" description of ancient times.

Interestingly, the pre-deluvian life spans were used at one time as part of the idea of a continued decline in mankind since some golden era (Romans had a similar history of ages of the world mapped onto metals)

So I would find it quite amusing if it all turned out to be just a slip in the translation.

Marduk

I guess it's possible that it could be an error in translation but it could also be part of the tradition of who had the oldest civillization Egypt or Sumer. They both liked to brag about the age of their Kingdoms and the longevity of their ancestors. Many of the 'Kings' in the Sumerian King list were gods or demigods, as were the oldest of the Egyptian Kings. Those were from the days when "The gods not man lived on earth" They created man to be their servants.
<a href="http://www.piney.com/Atrahasis.html" target="_blank">http://www.piney.com/Atrahasis.html</a>

spin

There is nothing literally wrong with the ages. They may not be acceptable to us, but they were constructed the way they are found. Enoch for example lived 365 years, representing the 365 days of the solar year. Methuselah lived 969 years according the account, for if he had lived longer one would have to explain how he survived the flood. As it is he died in the year of the flood.

When did they stop using these long ages for people? Check out Gen 11:10-32 to see that they continued up to the time of Abraham, and even he was 175 years old. But you'll note that they have become shorter and shorter. Isaac lived 180 years.

The numbers were intentional.

nemo

So in your opinion the traditional explanations hold, and this interesting idea of mistranscription of more reasonable ages has no basis...

Still, wish I could locate some references for what they are claiming. Perhaps none exist.

As for shortening ages, could be explained in mistranslation theory too, as an attempt to connect between the incredible ages of the ancestors, and short lifespans of today.

Marduk

"So in your opinion the traditional explanations hold, and this interesting idea of mistranscription of more reasonable ages has no basis..."

It might, but what about Gen. 6 where mans age is fixed at 120 years, would this then be 12 years?
I think when the monotheists rewrote these old mesopotamian tales to fit their worldview they kept the ages but couldn't very well have guys like Enoch & Noah be 'gods' or part god like Gilgamesh.
Even Genesis still refers to these tales of supermen, gods, giants, Atlanteans, Aliens whatever you'd like to call them, again Gen. 6 "There were giants in the earth in those days" give a nod to the same stories the Sumerians & Egyptians and others had of those good old antedeluvian days.