The Second Year

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By Daniel Gregg

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Genesis 11:10 states, "Shem was an hundred years old, and caused to be birthed Arphaxad the second year after the deluge."

The word MABUL in Hebrew is translated "deluge." It means an outpouring of water. For this reason the deluge is limited to the 40 days and 40 nights of rain. It does not refer to the presence of the waters on the earth for over a year.

The first day that there was no rain was Sivan 27, 1657 AM = 2483 BC (Jul 10). This was day 91 of the solar year. The part year from day 91 of 2483 BC to the last day of this year, day 365 (April 10, 2482 BC) is a partial year counting as the first year after the deluge.

The second year after the deluge equals year 1658 of the world. So the first year after the deluge is counted after the end of the 40 days and 40 nights in the part year that remeains to year 1657. Then the second year after the deluge is normalized to 1658.

By calculating this way, the rule that a part of a period may be counted with a whole number, even though it is still a part is maintained. And there is no ambiguity about when to count the zero (birth) year of Arphaxad.