1998 BC
Noah died at the remarkable age of 950, having lived 350 years after the Flood. His longevityβsecond only to Methushelah among the antediluvian patriarchsβdemonstrates the extended lifespans that characterized the pre-Flood and early post-Flood eras. Noah's death marks the end of an era, closing the chapter on the hero who preserved humanity through God's most devastating judgment.
Noah's post-Flood life was not without its failures. Genesis 9:20-21 records that 'Noah, a man of the soil, began to vineyard. He drank of the wine and was intoxicated, and lay uncovered in the midst of his tent.' His son Ham saw his father naked and told his brothers, who covered Noah with a garment carried backward so as not to see. Noah awoke and cursed Ham's son Canaan, while blessing Shem and Japheth. This episode, often called 'the drunkenness of Noah,' shows that even the most faithful among us remain subject to the weaknesses of fallen human nature.
Despite his failure, Noah remained a hero of faith. The Book of Hebrews includes him in the great cloud of witnesses: 'By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household' (Hebrews 11:7). Key Scripture: Genesis 9:28-29; 9:20-27; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20