Timeline of the Patriarchs

Here, we have two timelines of the biblical patriarchs, beginning at the time of Adam to the death of Joseph, son of Jacob, as presented in Genesis.

The first table simply shows the genealogy of Genesis, from a single family line, from Adam to Joseph. The second table presents the history of Genesis, which for example shows the date of when the Flood occurred or when God revealed his covenant to Abraham.

• Genesis Genealogy

• The Genesis Chronicle

• Problem of Dating the period between Genesis and Exodus

Genesis Genealogy

The Genesis Genealogy shows the generations of patriarchs from Adam to Jacob and Joseph.

Due to figures – the number of years – being different in the Masoretic Text and the Septuagint Bible, I have displayed both. So the chart is divided into two – Masoretic and Septuagint.

Most English translations, including the King James Version, are based on the Masoretic Text. The Masoretic Text was written in Hebrew, and codified around the 7th century CE. The oldest extant manuscript of the Masoretic Text is the Aleppo Codex, dating to the 9th century CE.

The Septuagint Translation was written in Koine Greek, in Alexandria, Egypt, during the Hellenistic period (3rd century BCE to 2nd century BCE), when Alexandrian Jews thought to make scriptures available to a wider audience.

Age	In this column, it displayed the age of the end of his life. For example, Adam died at the age of 930.
Age of siring next patriarch	This column when a patriarch have a son that will carry the line, his age. This is what I call the “generation” number. For example, Adam was 120 years old when he became father of Seth. This number is very helpful in my calculation of the timeline.
Year (Birth – Death)	This chronological years or the date, starting the time of Adam’s creation. There are 2 numbers here, date of Birth and date of Death. Using the 2nd column (Age of siring next patriarch), I can work out the date in years of each generation. Example for birth: calculating age of Adam at Seth’s birth, is 130. To calculate the date for Enosh’s birth, I simply add Seth’s age (which is 105) to Adam’s (130), so it will give me a date of year 235. So calculating the date of birth, is simply culumination of generation (2nd column). Example for death: to get the date of when the person die, is simply using the Birth number, and adding the person age. Using Seth, we know he was born on the year 130, so we simply add 912 to the birth date, hence we get the date of death 1042.

Patriarchs	Masoretic			Septuagint			Sources (Genesis)
	Age	† Age of siring next patriarch	Year (Birth-Death)	Age	† Age of siring next patriarch	Year (Birth-Death)
Adam	930	130	0 – 930	930	230	0 – 930	5:3-5
Seth	912	105	130 – 1042	912	205	230 – 1142	5:3-8
Enosh	905	90	235 – 1140	905	190	435 – 1340	5:6-11
Kenan	910	70	325 – 1235	910	170	625 – 1535	5:9-14
Mahalalel	895	65	395 – 1290	895	165	795 – 1690	5:12-17
Jared	962	162	460 – 1422	962	162	960 – 1922	5:15-20
Enoch	365	65	622 – 987	365	165	1122 – 1487	5:18-24
Methuselah	969	187	687 – 1656	969	167	1287 – 2256	5:21-27
Lamech	777	182	874 – 1651	753	188	1454 – 1642	5:25-31
Noah ‡	950	502	1056 – 2006	950	502	1642 – 2592	5-28-32; 7:6, 11; 9:24, 28-29
Shem	600	100	1558 – 2158	600	100	2144 – 2744	5:32; 11:10-11
Arpachshad	438	35	1658 – 2096	565	135	2244 – 2809	11:10-13
Kainan				460	130	2379 – 2839	11:12-13 (only in Septuagint)
Shelah	433	30	1693 – 2126	460	130	2509 – 2969	11:12-14
Eber	464	34	1723 – 2187	504	134	2639 – 3143	11:14-17
Peleg	239	30	1757 – 1996	339	130	2773 – 3112	11:16-19
Reu	239	32	1787 – 2026	339	132	2903 – 3242	11:18-21
Serug	230	30	1819 – 2049	230	130	3035 – 3265	11:20-23
Nahor	148	29	1849 – 1997	208	79	3165 – 3373	11:22-25
Terah	205	70	1878 – 2083	205	70	3244 – 3449	11:24-32
Abraham (Abram)	175	100	1948 – 2123	175	100	3314 – 3489	11:26-27, 29-31; 12-4; 16:16; 17:1, 17, 24; 21:3-4; 25:7-8
Issac	180	60	2048 – 2228	180	60	3414 – 3594	17:18, 25; 21:3-4; 25:20, 26; 35:28
Jacob	147	91	2108 – 2255	147	91	3474 – 3621	25:21-26; 35:28-29; 47:28
Joseph	110	36	2199 – 2309	110	36	3565 – 3675	30:22-24; 41:45-46, 50; 50:26

The generation in years (or the Age of siring next patriarch) is vital for calculating the date in the second table (The Genesis Chronicle). Without it, it would be impossible to find when the Flood occured.

The Genesis Chronicle

Below is a simplified timeline of the Genesis. Notice that the year 0 is the creation of Adam and Eve. This can be compared with the current timeline (and work backwards with the Jewish Era or JE). Also, most dates are an approximate calculation.

From the previous table of years and dates, I was able to work out when the Flood would have occurred.

Noah was born in the year 1056. This figure comes from totaling all of the generations of years since Adam. The Flood happened when Noah was 600, so the date would be 1656. This date actually coincides with the death of Methuselah (Noah’s grandfather) who died at the age of 969.

Note that the dates and years in this table are all based on the numbers obtained from the Masoretic Text.

Year (Jewish Era)	Current Timeline Estimate	Events	History
0	3760 BC	Creation of Adam and Eve (Genesis 2). Possible date of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:22-24).
130	3630 BC	Birth of Seth (Genesis 5:3-4).
622	3138 BC	Birth of Enoch (Genesis 5:18-19).
687	3073 BC	Birth of Methuselah (Genesis 5:21-22).	Historical flood between Shuruppak and Kish, c. 2900 BC.
930	2830 BC	Death of Adam (Genesis 5:5).	Etana of Kish, fl. 2800 BC.
987	2773 BC	Ascension of Enoch to the heaven (Genesis 5:23-24).
1042	2718 BC	Death of Seth (Genesis 5:8).
1056	2704 BC	Birth of Noah (Genesis 5:28-29).	Gilgamesh, Uruk, fl. c. 2700-2650 BC. Djoser, 3rd Dynasty, Egypt. Khufu, 4th Dynasty, Egypt. Great Pyramids of Giza built.
1556	2204 BC	Vision of Noah (Genesis 6:11-22). Noah began construction of the Ark.	Sargon the Great, c. 2334–2279 BC, Agade; established Akkadian dynasty. Unas, d. 2325 BC, 5th Dynasty, Egypt.
1558	2202 BC	Birth of Shem (Genesis 5:32).
1651	2109 BC	Death of Lamech (777) (Genesis 5:31).	3rd Dynasty of Ur, c. 2112–c. 2004 BC.
1656	2104 BC	Death of Methuselah (Genesis 5:27). Noah and his family boarded the Ark. The Great Flood (Genesis 7 & 8).	Ur-Nammu, 2113-2095 BC. Shulgi, 2095-2047 BC. Sesostris I, 1908–1875, 12th Dynasty, Egypt.
1830	1930 BC	Possible date of God confounding those building the Tower of Babel, according to the Book of Jubilees.
1948	1812 BC	Birth of Abraham, possibly in Ur (Genesis 11:26-27).	Sesostris II, 1844–1837 BC, 12th Dynasty. Amenemhet III, 1818–1770 BC, 12th Dynasty.
1958	1802 BC	Birth of Sarah.	Hammurabi, c. 1792–1750 BC, Babylon.
2006	1754 BC	Death of Noah (Genesis 9:28-29).	Sebeknefru, c. 1760–1756 BC, 12th Dynasty.
2023	1737 BC	Abraham left Haran with Sarah and Lot, after his vision of God. (Genesis 12:1-8) Abraham migrated to Bethel in Canaan (Genesis 12:8).
2024-2033?	1736-1727 BC?	Abraham fled to Egypt during the famine in Canaan (Genesis 12:10-20). Abraham defeated the army of Chedorlaomer and 3 other kings. (Genesis 14:1-17) Melcizedek blessed Abraham. (Genesis 14:18-24)
2033	1727 BC	Abraham received the covenant from God (Genesis 15:8).	13th dynasty in Egypt (c. 1773-1650 BC).
2034	1726 BC	Abraham sired a son Ishmael by his concubine Hagar. (Genesis 16:16)
2047	1713 BC	Circumcision of Abraham (99) and Ishmael (13). (Genesis 17:24-25) Possible year of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorroh (Genesis 19:1-29).
2048	1712 BC	Birth of Issac. Abraham is 100 and Sarah is 90. (Genesis 21:1-7)
2083	1677 BC	Death of Terah at Haran (Genesis 11:32).
2085	1675 BC	Sarah died at Hebron; she is buried at Machpelah Cave, near Mamre. (Genesis 23:1-2)
2088	1672 BC	Issac married Rebecca, daughter of Bethuel. (Genesis 25:20)
2108	1652 BC	Birth of Jacob and Esau; Issac was 60 (Genesis 25:26).	Ammisaduqa, c. 1646–c. 1626 BC, Babylon.
2123	1637 BC	Death of Abraham ; he was buried at Machpelah Cave, beside Sarah (Genesis 25:7-11).	Hyksos seized control of Egypt, c. 1630 BC and established the 15th Dynasty (1630-1521 BC).
2158	1602 BC	Death of Shem (Genesis 11:11).
2171	1589 BC	Death of Ishmael.
2180-2200	1580-1560 BC	Jacob lived in Mesopotamia, working for his uncle, Laban, son of Bethuel (for 20 years: Genesis 31:38).
2187	1573 BC	Jacob married Leah and Rachel, daughters of Laban (Genesis 29:14-30).
2190	1570 BC	Birth of Levi; Jacob was 82. (Genesis 29:34)
2191	1569 BC	Birth of Judah; Jacob was 83. (Genesis 29:35)
2199	1561 BC	Birth of Joseph; Jacob was 91. (Genesis 30:22-24)
2200	1560 BC	Jacob and his family return to Canaan. Jacob receives the name Israel at Peniel (Genesis 32:22-32). Reconcilation of Jacob and Esau.
2216	1544 BC	Jacob’s sons sold Joseph into slavery (Genesis 37:12-36). Became slave of Potiphar, an Egyptian captain of the palace guards.	Ahmose, c. 1539–1514 BC, Egypt; founder of the 18th Dynasty (1539-1292 BC).
2228	1532 BC	Death of Rachel (Genesis 35:16-20). Death of Issac , in Mamre (Genesis 35:27-29).
2229	1531 BC	Joseph became governor of Egypt (Genesis 41:45-46). Joseph married Asenath, daughter of the priest Potiphera of Heliopolis (Genesis 41:50). Beginning of the Seven Years of Plenty.
2236	1524 BC	Beginning of the Seven Years of Famine (Genesis 41:53-57).
2238	1522 BC	Jacob and his family moved to Goshen in Egypt. (Genesis 47:9)	Ahmose’s capture of Avaris, 1521 BC.
2244	1516 BC	Seven Years of Famine ended.	Ahmose capture Hyksos’ stronghold, Sharuhen, in Palestine, c. 1518 BC. Amenhotep I, c. 1514–1493 BC, Egypt.
2255	1505 BC	Death of Jacob at Goshen (Genesis 49:33); he is buried at Machpelah Cave.
2309	1451 BC	Death of Joseph (Genesis 50:22-26).	Hatshepsut, 1479-1458 BC. Thutmose III, 1479–1426 BC.
2327	1433 BC	Death of Levi (Exodus 6:16).

Problem of Dating the period between Genesis and Exodus

When it comes to dating the interval between Genesis and the Exodus, we have a problem. It would seem simple enough, considering that there are short generations between Levi and Moses.

In various translations of the Bible, Exodus 12:40-41 says that the Israelites lived in Egypt for 430 years:

The length of time that the Israelites lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years; at the end of four hundred and thirtieth year, to the very day, all the ranks of the LORD departed from the land of Egypt.

Exodus 12:40-41 (JPS)

Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.
And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.

Exodus 12:40-41 (KJV)

If the above passages are correct, then the length of time that the Israelites were in Egypt, from the time that Jacob settled in Egypt until Moses left Egypt with his fellow-Israelites, would be 430 years. This would seem incredibly excessive, given that there were only one or two generations between Levi and Moses.

We know that Jacob arrived in Egypt in 2238 JE. That would mean Moses’ arrival in Mount Sinai with the Israelites was in the year 2668 JE.

Unfortunately, the Genesis provided no date or year as to when Jacob had each of his 12 sons, nor how old Jacob was, with each birth. It would be difficult to work these dates out, but not impossible.

Here are the ages and dates that we do know about Jacob, Joseph and Levi:

• Jacob (and Esau) was born when Isaac was 60 years old (2108 JE) – Genesis 25:26.

• Jacob served Laban for 20 years – Genesis 31:38; seven years before he married Leah and Rachel.

• Joseph was 30 when he served the king – Genesis 41:45-46.

• Jacob arrived in Egypt at age 130 (2238) – Genesis 47:9.

• Jacob died in Egypt, at age 147 (2255) – Genesis 47:28.

• Joseph died at age 110 – Genesis 50:26.

• Levi died at age 137 – Exodus 6:16.

To work out what age Joseph was, we need to work out when Jacob arrived, and when the famine began. Fortunately it mentioned that 2 years after the 7-year of famine began, Jacob came to Egypt at age 130, which it was in the year 2238 JE. Since 7 years of plenty plus 2 of 7 years of famine, we worked out Joseph's age at 2238, 39 years old. So freedom of slavery and 1st year of service (and marriage) at age 30, would mean this happened in the year 2229 JE (because 2238 minus 9 years make 2229).

From these figures and ages, we have worked out when Joseph was born, and that’s 2199 JE.

A year later (2200 JE), Jacob returned back to his father’s home at age 92. With these figures, we can map out Jacob’s age and associated dates, such as when the service to Laban began (2180 JE, at age 72) and dates of Jacob’s marriage (2187 JE, 79) and most of his children’s births.

It is trickier to work out the date of birth of each of Jacob’s sons (and his daughter) who were born in Haran. But since we now know the date of marriage and end of Jacob’s service to Laban, we can do some guess-work.

Let’s say that Jacob had a child each succeeding year, until Joseph was born. So Reuben, the eldest son of Leah was born a year later after the marriage, which would mean that Jacob was 80 when he had Reuben in 2188. Then Simeon in 2189, Levi in 2190, Judah in 2191, and so on.

Since we know which year Levi was born, we can now easily work out that he was 48 when he arrived in Egypt in 2238 JE; and died in the year 2327 JE, at age 137.

Unfortunately, we don’t have any information about when Levi’s son or grandson were born, nor that of his daughter.

What is known is that Levi had 3 sons – Gershon, Kohath and Merari (Genesis 46:11), and they were all born some time before they arrived in Egypt. And Kohath was the father of Amram, who was the father of Moses.

Levi’s daughter Jochebed is a complete mystery. All we know about her is that she married her nephew, Amram, and became the mother of Aaron, Miriam and Moses. We don’t know if she was born before or after Levi went to Egypt with his father and brothers.

And if we are to believe that the Israelites lived in Egypt for 430 years, then there are 261 years between the time of Levi’s death and Moses leading people out of Egypt to receive the Ten Commandments. This gap is huge.

(Calculation: 430 years – 80 – 89 = 261 years, because Levi lived in Egypt for 89 years.)

Even if Jochebed was born on the year of her father’s death in 2327, that mean Jochebed would be 261 years old when Moses was born, which is clearly impossible. Hence, the 430 years in Exodus 12:40 has to be wrong.

Even with the generations between Noah and the birth of Abraham (Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, and Terah), those nine generations amount to only 370 years. So how could two generations (Kohath and Amram) or one generation (Jochebed) make 261 years?

An alternative date can be given, if we accept Paul’s statement in Galatians 3:17.

What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.

Galatians 3:17 (NIV)

In other words, the 430 years began when Abraham received the covenant from God, per Genesis 15. It was the same year that Ishmael was born, when Abraham was 86, in the year 2034 JE. Paul’s letter is saying that the Law (Ten Commandments) came 430 years after Abraham’s covenant.

This mean the date for the Exodus and receiving the Ten Commandments would be in 2464 JE, instead of 2668 JE.

At the very least, using the new dates, Jochebed would be 137-year old when she gave birth to Moses. The age of 137 is better than 261 years, but it is still excessive, and improbable.

A third alternative, is using the same verse in Exodus – 12:40, but using a different translation of the bible – the Septuagint Bible. The Septuagint Bible was translated into Greek in Egypt, in the 3rd-2nd century BCE.

And the sojourning of the children of Israel, while they sojourned in the land of Egypt and the land of Chanaan, was four hundred and thirty years.

Exodus 12:40 (Septuagint Bible)

The Septuagint clearly indicate that the Israelites lived in both Canaan and Egypt for 430 years before their departure from Egypt with Moses, while the other translations of the same verse only indicated that the Israelites were in Egypt for 430 years.

And since every translation says either “Israelites”, “Israelite People” or “Children of Israel”, then Paul’s statement about the period of 430 years between the covenant of Abraham and Moses receiving new law, doesn't ring true, because technically, Abraham and Isaac were not “Israelites”.

And if Exodus includes both Canaan and Egypt in the 430 years, then it would have started when Jacob brought his family to Canaan, after his 20-year service to his father-in-law, Laban. This would put the date to the year 2200 JE. They stayed in Canaan for 38 years before they migrated to Egypt, in the year 2238 JE. So 430 years would mean that Moses left Egypt and brought the Israelites to Mount Sinai for the new law in 2630 JE.

The number of years between the death of Levi and the birth of Moses would be 223 years; and this number would still be too excessive.

If we were to accept the time that 430 years started with Abraham’s Covenant, then here are the following dates:

Jewish Era	Current Dating	Biblical Events	Historical Events
2033	1727 BC	God gave the Covenant to Abraham.	13th dynasty in Egypt (c. 1773-1650 BC).
2463	1297 BC	Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt.	Seti I (1296-1279 BC).
2503	1257 BC	Death of Moses . Beginning of the Canaan invasion, led by Joshua.	Ranesses II (1279-1212 BC). Battle of Kadesh, between Egyptians and Hittites (1274 BC).