13 A New Cycle
The Metonic cycle of about 6939 days was discovered in the last decade of the 5th century BC (410 or so) by a person named Meton. Too late for Moses to be aware of it, but I could attempt to compare it to the Babylonian luni-solar calendar of 8 years that was around 600 years earlier in 1000 BC that I previously mentioned in chapter nine.
The months in 8 years of luni-solar is 99 (12 + 12 + 13 + 12 + 12 + 13 + 12 + 13).
16 years is 198 months.
19 years is 235 months, with the last 3 years comprising another 37 months ( 12 + 12 + 13).
The first 16 years could fit into the earlier pattern of 2922 days per 8 years cycle for a total of 5844 days, but the last 3 years are more of an approximation.
Meton’s cycle is based more on the exact correspondence between 19 years solar and 235 months lunar.
19 (365.2422) = 235 (29.53) = 6939.
If you also add up all the years with an extra 13th month of 30 days, the total is 7. This signifies 210 days.
210 is a special number. Half of it is 105, the age of Seth when he became a father.
If you double the age of Adam when he became a father at 130, the result is 260.
Adding 260 + 105 = 365, the number of days in a solar year.
The next father was 90 years. 90 x 4 = 360.
Is there some special significance to these otherwise chaotic numbers? All of these numbers related to the father’s ages at the births of a son probably have something to do with an association with the moon cycles. Even though the study of the lunar calendar is far beyond my own interests in developing a 480 days calendar, I can briefly say that the ancient lunar calendar was actually comprised of 6 yearly values and not just two. These would be 353, 354, 355, 383, 384, and 385. If you are interested in this subject it is possible to construct an ancient lunar calendar using these six values for a year. You may want to check with your library or the internet to find out more about this subject. Don Roth at www.biblicalcalendarproof.com has set up some charts and graphs to assist you in this endeavor. Although I do not agree with the proof itself in regard to the duration of the Great Flood, Don’s information on the calendar is outstanding. You can also read this message to Don from myself to see where our viewpoints differ.