Historical Narratives and Human Lifespan in Semitic Scriptures: A Review

Abstract

This paper presents a review of historical narratives and human lifespan as depicted in Semitic scriptures, specifically the Old Testament and the Quran. It explores how these traditions construct and preserve sacred history through genealogies, prophetic lineages, and accounts of early human settlements. Drawing from the disciplines of Semitology and hermeneutics, this study examines how historical legacy was shaped and transmitted across religious cultures. A central focus is the portrayal of human lifespan—particularly the longevity attributed to figures such as Adam, Noah, and other patriarchs. These records are analyzed scientifically more than a theological or symbolic contexts, through the lens of pre-calendar historical frameworks. The study considers how the absence of standardized timekeeping in early civilizations may have influenced the representation of age in ancient texts. It also investigates the emergence and evolution of calendar systems—lunar, lunisolar, and solar—and how varying time-reckoning methods across civilizations affected the recording of lifespans and historical events. The historical narratives of the Old Testament and Quran are compared with contemporary epics of Mesopotamia, highlighting shared stories and unique theological interpretations across cultures.