Genesis 11:10 Contradictions and Paradoxes

According to Moses, this verse tells us about Shem, who was a man that lived a long time ago. It says that Shem had a son named Arphaxad when he was 100 years old, just two years after a big flood happened on the Earth.

Contradiction with Genesis 5:32

This verse lists the age of Noah as 500 years when his sons were born, which contradicts the timeline of Shem's age provided in Genesis 11:10.

Genesis 5:32: And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Contradiction with Genesis 10:21

This verse implies Japheth is the elder son of Noah, which contradicts Genesis 11:10's attention to Shem as if implying seniority in lineage importance.

Genesis 10:21: Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were [children] born.

Contradiction with Genesis 11:26

Terah was 70 years old when he begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran, presenting a similar generational timeline issue as the one in Genesis 11:10, where generations might overlap differently.

Genesis 11:26: And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Contradiction with Genesis 11:32

Terah's lifespan of 205 years complicates the chronological understanding if juxtaposed directly with Genesis 11:10, where Shem's lineage is tracked with specific ages, potentially conflicting with Terah's generational placement.

Genesis 11:32: And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

Contradiction with Hebrews 7:3

This verse describes Melchizedek as having no genealogy, whereas Genesis 11:10 places emphasis on detailed genealogy, contradicting the practice of detailed ancestral tracking.

Hebrews 7:3: Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. [without descent: Gr. without pedigree]

Contradiction with Genesis 5:3

The age of Adam when Seth was born provides a separate lineage timeline that complicates the strict generational order presented in Genesis 11:10.

Genesis 5:3: And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat [a son] in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

Contradiction with Genesis 5:6

This verse lists the age of Enos at the birth of his son, Cainan, which may conflict with similar lifespans extending genealogies into overlapping ranges seen in Genesis 11:10.

Genesis 5:6: And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos: [Enos: Heb. Enosh]