# Did people really lived that long in biblical times? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 26, 2000, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-people-really-lived-that-long-in-biblical-times/47209 "2000-12-26T04:33:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Robbespiere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Robbespiere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robbespiere)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-people-really-lived-that-long-in-biblical-times/47209/21 "2000-12-28T15:45:34Z")
Yes, they did live that long. And Santa has a flying sleigh pulled by eight flying reindeer. The Tooth Fairy puts coins under childrens’ pillows. Zeus hurls thunderbolts. The Moon is made of green cheese. There is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2000, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-people-really-lived-that-long-in-biblical-times/47209/22 "2000-12-28T16:18:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by curwin \* > \*\*a) According to Jewish tradition, Metushelach died 7 days before the flood, and in fact, God postponed the flood as long as Metushelach was still alive. > \*\* Why would he do that? IIRC, the only distinction Methuselah had was his age. He didn’t do anything spectacular; he was mentioned once in the Bible, because he sired one person in the long line of “begats.” and, > [@](#): > > Metushelach, who lived to 969, would be the equivalent of 96. > > Abraham, however, who lived to 180, would be the equivalent of 90. > > Metushelach became a father at 187, which would be the equivalent of 18. > > Abraham and Sarah became parents at about 100. The equivalent would be about 50. That also seems miraculous! Why are you using one formula to determine Methuselah’s age and another for Abraham and Sarah? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-people-really-lived-that-long-in-biblical-times/47209.md?page=1)