Patriarch (biblical)

The Patriarchs are the men from whom the Hebrews and related nations descend. By some definitions this includes Isaac, Jacob, and all their sons. The stricter definition includes Abraham and his two brothers Nahor and Haran, their ancestors in the House of Shem, the three sons of Noah (Shem, Ham, and Japheth), and the ancestral line from Noah to Adam. The lives of these men form an unbroken chronological line that begins at creation and extends to the entry of Abraham into Canaan.
 
== Biblical Genealogy ==
:Main Article: Biblical genealogy
The year of creation is 1 AM (Anno Mundi, year of the world). James Ussher calculated the date of creation as October 23, 4004 BC. This date fell on the Sunday nearest the autumnal equinox.James Ussher, The Annals of the World, Larry Pierce, ed., Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2003 (ISBN 0890513600), pgh. 1 Pierre Simon Laplace, as quoted by Martin Anstey, observed that this date occurred in a year when the equinoxes were aligned with the major axis of the orbit of the earth around the sun.Anstey, Martin. The Romance of Biblical Chronology. London: Marshall Bros., 1913, pp. 48-49. Cited in Jones, Floyd N. The Chronology of the Old Testament, Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2004 (ISBN 9780890514160), pp. 26-27
Adam was created on the sixth day, and gives the dates of the birth of Adam's descendants, each expressed as a year in the life of his father. continues the line beginning with Shem and proceeding to Abraham, Nahor, and Haran. and give further details to fix the birth of Abraham and the time of his entry into Canaan.
=== Generations of Adam ===
: Main Article: Generations of Adam
Name 	Born 	Age of parenthood	Life span	Died 	Name means 	Authority
Adam 	4 Eitanim 1 AM28 October 4004 BC	130 yr 	930 yr 	930 AM (3074 BC) (summer) 	man 	
Seth 	130 AM (3874 BC) (summer) 	105 yr 	912 yr 	1042 AM (2962 BC) (summer) 	placed, appointed 	
Enos 	235 AM (3769 BC) (summer) 	90 yr 	905 yr 	1140 AM (2864 BC) (summer) 	mortal man, sick, frail, miserable	
Cainan 	325 AM (3679 BC) (summer) 	70 yr 	910 yr 	1235 AM (2769 BC) (summer) 	sorrow, dirge, elegy 	
Mahalaleel	395 AM (3609 BC) (summer) 	65 yr 	895 yr 	1290 AM (2714 BC) (summer) 	Blessed God 	
Jared 	460 AM (3544 BC) (summer) 	162 yr 	962 yr 	1422 AM (2582 BC) (summer) 	shall come down 	
Enoch 	622 AM (3382 BC) (summer) 	65 yr 	365 yr 	987 AM (3017 BC) (summer)Note: Enoch did not die; he was translated, the first man to experience such a thing.	teaching, commencement 	
Methuselah	687 AM (3317 BC) (summer) 	187 yr 	969 yr 	1656 AM (2349 BC) (fall) 	his death shall bring 	
Lamech 	874 AM (3130 BC) (summer) 	182 yr 	777 yr 	1651 AM (2353 BC) (summer) 	lament, despairing 	
Noah 	1056 AM (2948 BC) (summer) 	500 yr 	950 yr 	2006 AM (1998 BC) (summer) 	rest 	
=== Sons of Noah ===
: Main Article: Sons of Noah
Name 	Born
Japheth	1556 AM (2448 BC)
Shem 	1558 AM (2446 BC)
Ham 	1560 AM (2444 BC)
=== House of Shem ===
: Main Article: House of Shem
Name 	Born 	Age of parenthood	Life span	Died 	Name means 	Authority
Shem 	1558 AM (2446 BC) (summer)	100 yr 	600 yr 	2158 AM (1846 BC) (summer)	renown, prosperity, name	
Arpachshad 	1658 AM (2346 BC) (summer)	35 yr 	438 yr 	2096 AM (1908 BC) (summer)	healer, releaser 	
Salah 	1693 AM (2311 BC) (summer)	30 yr 	433 yr 	2126 AM (1878 BC) (summer)	mission, sending 	
Eber 	1723 AM (2281 BC) (summer)	34 yr 	464 yr 	2187 AM (1817 BC) (summer)	one that passes, anger 	
Peleg 	1757 AM (2247 BC) (summer)	30 yr 	239 yr 	1996 AM (2008 BC) (summer)	division 	
Reu 	1787 AM (2217 BC) (summer)	32 yr 	239 yr 	2026 AM (1978 BC) (summer)	his friend, his shepherd	
Serug 	1819 AM (2185 BC) (summer)	30 yr 	230 yr 	2049 AM (1955 BC) (summer)	branch, layer, twining 	
Nahor the Elder	1849 AM (2155 BC) (summer)	29 yr 	148 yr 	1997 AM (2007 BC) (summer)	hoarse, dry, hot 	
Terah 	1878 AM (2126 BC) (summer)	70 yr 	205 yr 	2083 AM (1922 BC) (fall) 	breathe, scent, blow 	
=== Sons of Terah ===
Name 	Born 	Died 	Name means
Haran 	1948 AM (2056 BC)	2082 AM (1922 BC)	
Nahor 	2006 AM (1998 BC)	 	hoarse, dry, hot
Abraham	2008 AM (1996 BC)	2183 AM (1821 BC)	father of a multitude
== Biblical Chronology ==
: Main Article: Biblical chronology
The Biblical genealogy provides the basis for the chronology of events described in the Bible. This chronological record is precise and detailed from the first day of creation to the life of Terah, father of Abraham. From Abraham to Jesus, the dates are in dispute.
== References ==
== See Also ==
* Bible
* Biblical chronology dispute
Category:Book of Genesis Persons