Age of Abraham
Reese’s Chronology Bible
Scripture
Event/Description
2234 b.c.
2097 b.c.
Gen. 11:24
Terah, Abram’s father, is born. Gen 11:24–26 Nahor lived 29 years and fathered Terah. After he fathered Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and fathered other sons and daughters. Terah lived 70 years and fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
1978 b.c.
Gen. 11:25
Death of Nahor, Abram’s uncle
1969 b.c.
Gen. 9:28–29
Death of Noah
2164 b.c.
0
1967 b.c.
Gen. 11:26–27
Abraham (Terah’s son) and Lot (Haran’s son) born in Ur of the Chaldeans. Abram would be the 43rd generation from Adam. Gen 11:26 Terah lived 70 years and fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
1961 b.c.
1963 b.c. (Klassen)
Gen. 11:28
Death of Haran, brother of Abram
Reese occasionally supplies 2 dates in his Chronological Bible; the first is his and the second is Klassen’s.
1957 b.c.
Birth of Sarai
1927 b.c.
Gen. 11:29–30
Marriage of Abram to Sarai
1907 b.c.
1927 b.c. (Klassen)
Gen. 11:28, 31
Abram’s family travel from Ur to Haran, although their original intention had been to go to the land of Canaan. Gen 11:28, 31 Haran died in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans, during his father Terah's lifetime. Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (Haran's son), and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram's wife, and they set out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there.
1892 b.c.
Gen. 11:32
Death of Terah, Abram’s father. Gen. 11:32 Terah lived 205 years and died in Haran.
2089 b.c.
75
1892 b.c.
Gen. 12:1–4
Abraham leaves for Promised Land from Haran, after being so instructed by God. Gen 12:4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.
Reese actually gives the date of Terah’s death as April 1–4, 1892 b.c. and the date of Abram leaving Haran as April 5, 1892 b.c.
1891 b.c.
1892 b.c. (Klassen)
Gen. 12:10–20
Abraham & Sarah in Egypt (Goshen, Memphis), return to the Land of Promise (Genesis 12:10-31:1)
1891 b.c.
Gen. 13:1–4
Abram returns to Bethel in the land of Canaan, returning as a very wealthy man.
1891 b.c.
1889 b.c. (Klassen)
Gen. 13:5–13
Abram and Lot separate from one another.
Gen. 13:14–17
God renews His covenant with Abram.
Gen. 13:18
Abram moves to the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron.
1884 b.c.
1888 b.c.
(Klassen)
Gen. 14:5–13
Lot is taken captive.
Gen. 14:14–16
Abram delivers Lot.
1883 b.c.
Gen. 14:17, 21–24
Abram speaks with the King of Sodom after his victory.
Gen. 14:18–20
Abram’s meeting with Melchizedek, which would be in Salem (Jerusalem).
Reese suggests that this is Shem, a theory which several people have; which theory I reject.
1882 b.c.
Gen. 15:1–21
God’s covenant with Abram is given in greater detail.
85
1882 b.c.
1881 b.c. (Klassen)
Gen. 16:1–14
Sarah gives Hagar, her Egyptian slave girl, to Abram in order to sire a son. Gen 16:3 So Abram's wife Sarai took Hagar, her Egyptian slave, and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife for him. This happened after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan 10 years.
2078 b.c.
86
1881 b.c.
Gen. 16:15–16
Ishmael born to Abraham and Hagar in the land of Canaan. Gen 16:16 Abram was 86 years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.
(2065 b.c.)
99
1868 b.c.
Gen. 17:1–8
God renews His covenant with Abram and renames him Abraham. Gen 17:1 When Abram was 99 years old, the LORD appeared to him, saying, "I am God Almighty. Live in My presence and be devout.
(2065 b.c.)
99
(1868 b.c.)
Gen. 17:9–14
Circumcision is given as a sign of the covenant and of Abraham’s faith in his covenant with God.
(2065 b.c.)
99
(1868 b.c.)
Gen. 17:15–19
Sarai’s name is changed to Sarah and Isaac, a future son, is promised the Abraham and Sarah. Gen 17:17 Abraham fell to the ground, laughed, and thought in his heart, "Can a child be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, give birth?"
(2065 b.c.)
99
(1868 b.c.)
Gen. 17:20
Ishmael’s destiny is foretold.
(2065 b.c.)
99
(1868 b.c.)
Gen. 17:21–22
The time that Sarah would give birth is revealed; at a set time in the next year. Gen 17:21 But I will confirm My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at a set time next year."
(2065 b.c.)
99
(1868 b.c.)
Gen. 17:23–27
Abraham obeys God and circumcises himself and the men with him. Gen 17:24 Abraham was 99 years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised, and his son Ishmael was 13 years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised.
(2065 b.c.)
(1867 b.c.)
Gen. 18:1–15
Jehovah and two angels come to Abraham and promise that Sarah would have a child in a year’s time. Gen 18:10, 14 The LORD said, "I will certainly come back to you in about a year's time, and your wife Sarah will have a son!" Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him. Is anything impossible for the LORD? At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a son."
(2065 b.c.)
(1867 b.c.)
Gen. 18:16–21
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is promised.
(2065 b.c.)
(1867 b.c.)
Gen. 18:22–33
Abraham intercedes on behalf of Sodom.
(2065 b.c.)
(1867 b.c.)
Gen. 19:1–23
The angels visit Lot and warn him of the coming destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
2065 b.c.
(1867 b.c.)
Gen. 19:24–29
Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela are destroyed by fire and possible volcanic eruptions. Reese suggests that this is when the Dead Sea is formed.
Gen. 20:1–18
Abraham lies again about his wife to King Abimelech in Gerar, in southern Judah. This chapter may be placed here in Genesis due to thematic elements rather than because it belongs here chronologically. However, we find Abraham there in the next chapter, which suggests that this chapter is correctly placed.
2064 b.c.
100
Gen. 21:1–7 1Chron. 1:34
Isaac born to Abraham. Isaac would be the 44th generation from Adam. Gen 21:5 Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
1867 b.c.
Gen. 19:30–38
Lot’s daughters bear sons to their father Lot.
1864 b.c.
Gen. 21:8–13
Conflicts arise between Isaac and Ishmael, Abram’s two sons.
Gen. 21:14–21
Hagar and Ishmael are both cast out, and they wander the desert of Beer-sheba (which is at the edge of southern Judah). Later, they move to the desert of Paran.
1864–1834 b.c.
Gen. 21:22–34
Abraham makes a covenant with Abimelech, which suggests that Abraham is still in or near Gerar. They will make a covenant in Beer-sheba. We are told that Abraham remains in the land of the Philistines for many days.
1841–1816 b.c.
Gen. 25:12–16 1Chron. 1:29–31
Ishmael’s children.
1834 b.c.
1829 b.c. (Klassen)
Gen. 22:1–19
Abraham is told by God to go to the land of Moriah to offer up his son Isaac to God as a sacrifice. This was a 3-day journey away. They then go to Beer-sheba, which could simply indicate that they are returning home to Beer-sheba.
Gen. 22:20–24
Abraham learns of his brother Nahor’s family.
137
1830 b.c.
Gen. 23:1–20
The death of Sarah. She dies in Kirjatharba, it is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. Gen 23:1 Now Sarah lived 127 years; these were all the years of her life. She is buried in a cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre; it is Hebron, in the land of Canaan, purchased by Abraham from the sons of Heth.
Gen. 24:1–67 Gen. 25:20
Isaac (Abraham’s son) and Rebecca. Gen. 25:20 Isaac was 40 years old when he took as his wife Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramæan from Paddan-aram, and sister of Laban the Aramæan. At this time, Isaac is living in the Negev. It is likely that Abraham lived there as well; or near to there.
1826 b.c.
Gen. 25:1–4 1Chron. 1:32–33
Abraham marries Keturah and they have a family.
2004 b.c.
160
1807 b.c.
Gen. 25:19, 21–26
Jacob & Esau born to Isaac. Gen 25:26 After this, his brother came out grasping Esau's heel with his hand. So he was named Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when they were born. Therefore, Abraham would be 160 years old.
Gen. 25:5–6
Isaac is the heir of all things that Abraham has (but, most importantly, of the covenant of God with Abraham).
1989 b.c.
175
1792 b.c.
Gen. 25:7–10
Abraham dies. Gen 25:7 This is the length of Abraham's life: 175 years. He is buried in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Nephron (this would be with Sarah).
1788 b.c.
Gen. 25:17
The death of Ishmael. Gen 25:17 This is the length of Ishmael's life: 137 years. He took his last breath and died, and was gathered to his people.