Q&A: Genesis
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Genesis
Question
How can one explain the fact that from Adam to our forefather Abraham, people lived for hundreds of years?
Answer
I don’t know. And in general, I’m not sure that it really was as described. Not everything that appears there is a factual description in the plain sense. There are surprising correspondences and parallels among the dozens of generations there (chapter 4 and chapter 5), which may hint that this is not an ordinary factual account.
Discussion on Answer
In the same way that one can explain how a serpent speaks human language.
It may be that the intention is to distinct tribes that identified themselves by the name of the tribal chief. After 100+ years, the person from whom another identifiable tribe split off was born.