How Old is the Earth According to the Bible?
Last modified on December 31st, 2023 / Contact Brian Davis for comments.  Use Resolution 800x600 or finer.  Counter
starting
from
Scripture
(NIV)
we find this timeline (values rounded to the closest year)
The cumulative uncertainty typically indexes up by +1 year due to the uncertainty of each father's age.  Adam could have been exactly 130 years old when Seth was born, or 130 years plus 364 days.
Year
cumulative
uncertainty
from
Adam
from
Jesus'
Birth
Genesis 5:1
This is the written account of Adam's line.
-0 / +0
0
4414 BC
Genesis 5:3
Seth born when Adam is 130
-0 / +1
130
4284 BC
Genesis 5:6
Enosh born when Seth is 105
-0 / +2
235
4179 BC
Genesis 5:9
Kenan born when Enosh is 90
-0 / +3
325
4089 BC
Genesis 5:12
Mahalalel born when Kenan is 70
-0 / +4
395
4019 BC
Genesis 5:15
Jared born when Mahalalel is 65
-0 / +5
460
3954 BC
Genesis 5:18
Enoch born when Jared is 162
-0 / +6
622
3792 BC
Genesis 5:21
Methuselah born when Enoch is 65
-0 / +7
687
3727 BC
Genesis 5:25
Lamech born when Methuselah is 187
-0 / +8
874
3540 BC
Genesis 5:28
Noah born when Lamech is 182
-0 / +9
1,056
3358 BC
Genesis 7:11
Flood starts when Noah is 600
-0 / +9
1,656
2758 BC
Genesis 8:13
 Ark comes to rest when Noah is 601 (actually only 87% of a year)
-0 / +9
1,657
2757 BC
sub-total Earth creation to Ark landing lasted for 1,657 years, -0 / +9
Genesis 11:10
Arphaxad born 2 years after the flood
-0 / +10
1,659
2755 BC
Genesis 11:12
Shelah born when Arphaxad is 35
-0 / +11
1,694
2720 BC
Genesis 11:14
Eber born when Shelah is 30
-0 / +12
1,724
2690 BC
Genesis 11:16
Peleg born when Eber is 34
-0 / +13
1,758
2656 BC
Genesis 11:18
Reu born when Peleg is 30
-0 / +14
1,788
2626 BC
Genesis 11:20
Serug born when Reu is 32
-0 / +15
1,820
2594 BC
Genesis 11:22
Nahor born when Serug is 30
-0 / +16
1,850
2564 BC
Genesis 11:24
Terah born when Nahor is 29
-0 / +17
1,879
2535 BC
Genesis 11:26
Abram, Nahor, & Haran born when Terah is 70
-0 / +18
1,949
2465 BC
Genesis 21:5
Isaac born when Abram (now Abraham) is 100
-0 / +19
2,049
2365 BC
Genesis 25:26
Jacob (a.k.a. Israel) born when Isaac is 60
-0 / +20
2,109
2305 BC
Genesis 47:9
Jacob (a.k.a. Israel) enters Egypt at the age of 130
-0 / +21
2,239
2175 BC
sub-total Patriarch Period lasted for 582 years, -0 / +12
Exodus 12:40
Israel leaves Egypt 430 years later, to the day
-0 / +21
2,669
1745 BC
Joshua 24:29
Joshua dies at 110 years
(Since he was Moses' helper for 40 years, let's assume Joshua was at least 20 years old when they left Egypt.  Also, assume that his reign was at least 20 years in the promised land.)
Let's guess this period lasted 75, +/-15
-15 / +36
2,744
1670 BC
Judges 2:10
The entire generation that crossed into the promised land dies.
(This must have been at least 40 years, but perhaps as much as 90 years (less than 20 years old would not count as the adult generation, and Joshua lived 110 years).)
Let's guess this period lasted 65, +/-25
-40 / +61
2,809
1605 BC
sub-total The Slavery to the Loyal Generation Period lasts 570 years, -40 / +40
Judges 3:8
Israel is oppressed by King Cushan-Rishathaim for 8 years
-40 / +62
2,817
1597 BC
Judges 3:11
Israel lives in devotion to the Lord under Judge Othniel for 40 years
-40 / +63
2,857
1557 BC
Judges 3:14
Israel is oppressed by King Eglon for 18 years
-40 / +64
2,875
1539 BC
Judges 3:30
Israel lives in devotion to the Lord under Judge Ehud & Judge Shamgar for 80 years
-40 / +65
2,955
1459 BC
Judges 4:2
Israel is oppressed by King Jabin for 20 years
-40 / +66
2,975
1439 BC
Judges 5:31
Israel lives in devotion to the Lord under Prophetess Deborah for 40 years
-40 / +67
3,015
1399 BC
Judges 6:1
Israel is oppressed by the Midianites for 7 years
-40 / +68
3,022
1392 BC
Judges 8:28
Israel lives in devotion to the Lord under Judge Gideon for 40 years
-40 / +69
3,062
1352 BC
Judges 9:22
Israel is oppressed by King Abimelech for 3 years
-40 / +70
3,065
1349 BC
Judges 10:1
Israel lives in devotion to the Lord under Judge Tola for 23 years
-40 / +71
3,088
1326 BC
Judges 10:3
Israel lives in devotion to the Lord under Judge Jair for 22 years
-40 / +72
3,110
1304 BC
Judges 10:7
Israel is oppressed by the Philistines and the Ammonites for 18 years
-40 / +73
3,128
1286 BC
Judges 12:7
Israel lives in devotion to the Lord under Judge Jephthah for 6 years
-40 / +74
3,134
1280 BC
Judges 12:9
Israel lives in devotion to the Lord under Judge Ibzan for 7 years
-40 / +75
3,141
1273 BC
Judges 12:11
Israel lives in devotion to the Lord under Judge Elon for 10 years
-40 / +76
3,151
1263 BC
Judges 12:13
Israel lives in devotion to the Lord under Judge Abdon for 8 years
-40 / +77
3,159
1255 BC
Judges 13:1
Israel is oppressed by the Philistines for 40 years
-40 / +78
3,199
1215 BC
Judges 16:29
Israel lives in devotion to the Lord under Judge Samson for 20 years
-40 / +79
3,219
1195 BC
Judges 17
Israel has no Judge in force, and everyone does whatever they think is right in their own eyes.  Stories of Micah, attacks on the tribe of Benjamin by the other tribes, Mizpah, etc.
A very big guess is that this period lasts 30, +/-30
-70 / +109
3,249
1165 BC
1 Samuel 4:18
Israel lives in devotion to the Lord under Judge Ili for 40 years
-70 / +110
3,289
1125 BC
1 Samuel 6:1
Ark of the Covenant in Philistine possession for 7 months
-70 / +110
3,290
1124 BC
1 Samuel 7:2
Ark of the Covenant in the care of the men of Kiriath Jearim for 20 years
-70 / +111
3,310
1104 BC
1 Samuel 7:15
Samuel is Israel's last Judge
A guess is that he judged while the Ark was in Kiriath Jearim, and for an additional 20 +/-20
-90 / +131
3,330
1084 BC
sub-total Judges Period lasts 521 years, -50 / +70 (377 good years / 144 bad years; see 1 Kings 6:1 for more Israeli Calendar data)
1 Samuel 13:1
King Saul rules Israel for 42 years
-90 / +132
3,372
1042 BC
1 Kings 2:10
King David rules Israel for 40 years
-90 / +133
3,412
1002 BC
1 Kings 11:42
King Solomon rules Israel for 40 years
-90 / +134
3,452
962 BC
1 Kings 14:19
King Jeroboam rules Israel for 22 years
-90 / +135
3,474
940 BC
1 Kings 15:25
King Nadab rules Israel for 2 years
-90 / +136
3,476
938 BC
1 Kings 15:33
King Baasha rules Israel for 24 years
-90 / +137
3,500
914 BC
1 Kings 16:8
King Elah rules Israel for 2 years
-90 / +138
3,502
912 BC
1 Kings 16:23
King Omri rules Israel for 12 years
-90 / +139
3,514
900 BC
1 Kings 16:29
King Ahab rules Israel for 22 years
-90 / +140
3,536
878 BC
1 Kings 22:51
King Ahaziah rules Israel for 2 years
-90 / +141
3,538
876 BC
2 Kings 3:1
King Joram rules Israel for 12 years
-90 / +142
3,550
864 BC
2 Kings 10:36
King Jehu rules Israel for 28 years
-90 / +143
3,578
836 BC
2 Kings 13:1
King Jehoahaz rules Israel for 17 years
-90 / +144
3,595
819 BC
2 Kings 13:10
King Jehoash rules Israel for 16 years
-90 / +145
3,611
803 BC
2 Kings 14:23
King Jeroboam II rules Israel for 41 years
-90 / +146
3,652
762 BC
2 Kings 15:8
2 Kings 15:13
King Zechariah (0.5 years) and then King Shallum (0.1 years) rule Israel for 0.6 years
-90 / +146
3,653
761 BC
2 Kings 15:17
King Menahem rules Israel for 10 years
-90 / +147
3,663
751 BC
2 Kings 15:23
King Pekahiah rules Israel for 2 years
-90 / +148
3,665
749 BC
2 Kings 15:27
King Pekah rules Israel for 20 years
-90 / +149
3,685
729 BC
2 Kings 17:1
King Hoshea rules Israel for 9 years (this is Israel's last King)
-90 / +150
3,694
720 BC
2 Kings 18:1
King Hezekiah rules Judah for 29 years, starting in King Hoshea's 3rd year.  Net= 29-9+3=23
-91 / +151
3,717
697 BC
2 Kings 21:1
King Manasseh rules Judah for 55 years
-91 / +152
3,772
642 BC
2 Kings 21:19
King Amon rules Judah for 2 years
-91 / +153
3,774
640 BC
2 Kings 22:1
King Josiah rules Judah for 31 years
-91 / +154
3,805
609 BC
2 Kings 23:31
King Jehoahaz rules Judah for 0.25 years
-91 / +154
3,805
609 BC
2 Kings 23:36
King Jehoiakim rules Judah for 11 years
-91 / +155
3,816
598 BC
2 Kings 24:8
King Jehoiahin rules Judah for 0.25 years
-91 / +155
3,816
598 BC
2 Kings 24:18
King Zedekiah rules Judah for 11 years, after which the first temple is burned down and destroyed (2 Kings 25:9)
-91 / +156
3,827
587 BC
sub-total Kings Period lasts 497 years, -1 / +25
dates from the Life Application Bible
640 BC Josiah becomes Judah's king (basis to fix TimeLine to present)
627 BC Jeremiah becomes a prophet
605 BC Daniel taken captive to Babylon
538 BC first Jewish exiles return to Jerusalem
516 BC new temple completed in Jerusalem
458 BC Ezra returns to Jerusalem
445 BC Nehemiah builds Jerusalem wall
430 BC Malachi becomes a prophet
In the year 2024 AD
  • The earth is 6,438 (-91 / +156) years old, or
    • from 6,347 to 6,594 years old
  • The year of creation would be 4414 BC (-91 / +156) years, or
    • created between 4323 BC to 4570 BC
 -91 / +156 6,438
2024 AD
.
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