Chapters 9 & 10

BIRTH & DEATH OF THE PATRIARCHS

According to an opinion recorded in the Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 10b–11a), the three Jewish patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—were all born and died in the month of Nisan. This belief is rooted in the principle that the years of the righteous are “fulfilled,” meaning they complete their lives on the precise anniversary of their birth.

This tradition does not originate in the biblical text itself, but it reflects how ancient Jewish scholars understood God’s patterns of time, righteousness, and completion.

The Talmudic Discussion

The primary sources for this tradition appear in the Babylonian Talmud, most notably in the tractates Rosh Hashanah and Kiddushin.

Rosh Hashanah 10b–11a

This passage records a debate between Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua regarding the timing of creation and redemption.

• Rabbi Yehoshua teaches that:
  • The world was created in Nisan 
  • The patriarchs were born and died in Nisan 
  • The Exodus from Egypt occurred in Nisan
  • The final redemption will also take place in Nisan

This view connects Nisan to creation, redemption, and completion.

Kiddushin 38a — “Fulfilled Years”

This tractate explains the principle that righteous individuals live complete lifespans, dying on the same calendar date on which they were born.

Moses is cited as an example:

“I am one hundred and twenty years old this day.”
— Deuteronomy 31:2
The phrase “this day” is understood to mean that Moses died on his birthday. This principle is then extended by rabbinic tradition to the patriarchs.

Significance of Nisan 1

Nisan 1 (Rosh Chodesh Nisan) holds special importance in Jewish tradition as:

• The beginning of the liturgical year 
• The start of Spring (Aviv) 
• A moment of renewal and transition
   

Key events traditionally associated with Nisan 1 include:

• Sanctification of the New Moon
  The first of Nisan marks the formal beginning of the lunar calendar, given as a commandment to Israel (Exodus 12:1–2).
• Erection of the Tabernacle
  The Mishkan was first raised on Nisan 1, and priestly service officially began following the inauguration period (Exodus 40:2, 17).
• Cessation of Forced Labor in Egypt
  Some rabbinic traditions hold that Israel’s forced labor in Egypt ended on Nisan 1, with the Exodus following two weeks later on Nisan 15 (Passover).
   

Patriarchs’ Dates in the Month of Nisan

The Talmud indicates that the patriarchs were born and died in Nisan, though not all specific dates are recorded in the biblical text.

• Isaac
  Rosh Hashanah 11a explicitly states that Isaac was born on Passover (Nisan 15). 
• Abraham and Jacob
  While their exact days are not specified in the main Talmudic discussion, the principle of integral age implies that their births and deaths occurred on the same calendar date within Nisan.
   

Traditional Chronological Dates

Later rabbinic chronologies, particularly the Seder Olam Rabbah, provide detailed Hebrew calendar dates (Anno Mundi — “from Creation”), which are commonly cited in Jewish sources such as Chabad.org.

            (SEE CHART)

• “Fulfilled Years” Principle
  Rabbinic tradition holds that the righteous die on the anniversary of their birth.
• Isaac’s Date Is Explicit
  Isaac’s birth on Nisan 15 (Passover) is directly stated in the Talmud.
• Jacob’s Death on Nisan 1
  Jacob is commonly cited in tradition as having died on Nisan 1, reinforcing the theme of completion on a day of beginnings.
• Secular Dates Are Approximate
  BCE dates are derived by aligning Jewish chronology with historical records and may vary slightly among scholars, while Hebrew calendar dates remain consistent.
• Source Authority
  These details come from post-biblical Jewish tradition, not direct Scripture, and are presented as interpretive insight rather than doctrinal mandate.
   

Conclusion

According to Jewish tradition, the patriarchs lived and died within the month of Nisan, the month of beginnings.

Whether viewed as historical chronology or theological pattern, this tradition reinforces a consistent theme:

God completes the lives of the righteous at appointed times.

Birth, fulfillment, and completion are not random.
They occur within God’s calendar.

References — Chapter 9

• Babylonian Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 10b–11a
• Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 38a
• Exodus 12:1–2
• Exodus 40:2, 17
• Deuteronomy 31:2 
• Seder Olam Rabbah 
• Chabad.org, Patriarchal Chronologies
   

FLOODWATERS RECEDED

According to Scripture, the floodwaters began to recede in a measurable and observable way on the first day of the first month in Noah’s 601st year.

“And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry.”
— Genesis 8:13¹
 

While the waters had receded enough for the ground to be visible, the earth was not yet fully dry or ready for habitation.

The Timeline of the Flood’s End

Scripture provides a clear, step-by-step timeline:

Waters Receded

• In Noah’s 601st year, on the first day of the first month, the floodwaters had receded enough for Noah to remove the covering of the ark and observe the ground.
• The surface was visible, but the soil was still soft and unstable.
   

Ground Completely Dry

• The earth did not fully dry until the twenty-seventh day of the second month.
   

“Then God spoke to Noah, saying, ‘Go out of the ark…’”
— Genesis 8:15–16²

This marked the moment when the land was firm enough for life to resume.

The Ark’s Resting Place

• Earlier in the process, the ark had come to rest on the mountains of Ararat, approximately eight months after the flood began (Genesis 8:4).³
• Even after the ark rested, the waters continued to recede gradually.
   

Full Duration of the Flood

• The total time Noah and the ark’s occupants spent aboard was just over one year.
• From the beginning of the flood to their exit from the ark, 371 days passed.⁴
   

Throughout this entire period, Noah waited for God’s command before leaving the ark, even after the ground appeared dry.

Why the First Day of the First Month Matters

The detail in Genesis 8:13 is deliberate.

The first day of the first month marks:

• A visible end to judgment 
• The beginning of restoration 
• The threshold of a new world
   

Creation had been wiped clean, and God once again began the process of renewal at the start of His calendar.

Just as the original creation began with separation of waters and dry land (Genesis 1:9–10), the post-flood world re-emerges in the same ordered way.

A New Beginning, Not Yet a Departure

Although the ground was visible on the first day of the first month, Noah did not act prematurely.

• The earth was not yet fully dry
• God had not yet given the command 
• Obedience required waiting, not assumption
   

This reinforces a consistent biblical principle:
God determines not only the moment of renewal, but the moment of release.

Conclusion

The floodwaters receded on the first day of the first month.

A new world stood ready—but only at God’s appointed time.

Once again, Scripture shows that:

• Judgment ends according to God’s calendar
• Restoration begins at the beginning
• New life emerges on God’s schedule
   

Nisan is not named explicitly here, but the pattern is unmistakable.

God resets creation at the start.

References — Chapter 10 (NKJV)

1. Genesis 8:13 
2. Genesis 8:15–16 
3. Genesis 8:4 
4. Genesis 7:11; Genesis 8:14