Genesis 11:32

two hundred and five years For this figure the Samaritan version gives 145, obviously in order to make the year of Abram's departure from Haran (when Abram was 75 years old; see Genesis 12:4) coincide with the year of Terah's death, since Abram was born (Genesis 11:26) in Terah's 70th year. It is this tradition which is followed by Stephen, Acts 7:4.

In this Table it is possible to follow the different chronologies of the Massoretic, Samaritan, and Septuagint Text (L = Lucian).

(a) The Samaritan Text (except in the case of Shem, Nahor, and Terah) adds 100 years to the ages at the birth of the firstborn: in the case of Nahor, it adds 50.

The Septuagint Text does the same.

(b) The Samaritan Text (except in the case of Shem, Eber, Nahor, and Terah) deducts 100 years from the ages subsequent to the birth of the firstborn; in the case of Eber it deducts 160 years; in the case of Nahor it deducts 50 years; in the case of Terah it deducts 60 years.

The Septuagint Text adds in the case of Arpachshad 27 years; and of Nahor 10 years; and deducts in the case of Shelah 73 years, and of Eber 60 years.

(c) In chap. 11 only nine generations are recorded, as against ten in chap. 5. The Septuagint, by inserting Cainan, secures the number ten.

(d) It will be noticed that the ages of the Shemite Patriarchs become greatly diminished in duration after Eber.

(e) The difficulty, occasioned by Genesis 11:32 (Terah's death in Haran at the age of 205), and by Genesis 12:4 (Abram's departure from Haran at the age of 75, when Terah was 145 years old (cf. Genesis 11:26)), is obviated in the Samaritan Text, according to which Terah died at the age of 145, the year of Abram's departure.