“If one argues, on whatever grounds, that the long life spans of the patriarchs are impossible or that the narratives themselves report nonhistorical, secondary episodes, then clearly one cannot say anything very meaningful about either chronology or history. To reject the only data available is to reject any realistic hope of reconstructing early Hebrew history. In line with the historiographical principles followed in this book, the biblical record stands on its own merits unless there are unassailable external factors that militate against it.” (Merril 96)
For the greater part, I agree with this quote by Eugene H. Merril. I would argue that “unassailable external factors” are not really a problem. Perhaps we will find a better text of scripture at some point, but that is a matter of the biblical record itself, not “unassailable external factors.” However, he is right. We will lose history if we question the bare “facts” that are given in scripture.
Yet Merril has already undermined his own position. Concerning the genealogy from Shem to Abraham, Merril says, “Clearly, Shem preceded Abram by many more years than a strict reading will permit.” (Merril 43) He gives two reasons. The first reason: Abram lived to a good old age of 175. If he had been aware that Shem lived to 600, this would not be said. The 2nd reason is that there would not have been enough time for people to lose the fear of God. He gives these reasons so that he can question the numbers given in Genesis 11.
These are not “unassailable” external factors. In Genesis 6, God said “his days shall be 120,” usually understood to mean that man’s life will be limited to 120 years. It takes a while for this to come into effect. Abraham could have been happy for 175 years in light of this truth. Besides he could have been comparing himself to his contemporaries. Further, Moses is probably writing or editing this for an audience that doesn’t live that long anymore either. They don’t live near as long as Abraham did. They would see an Abraham that had definitely been blessed with a relatively long life.
As for the question of people losing their fear of God so quickly, this does not seem to be that uncommon in the history of God’s people. We need only think of the book of Judges, where the people repeatedly fall away every forty years or so. We can think of Adam, where the next generation is involved in fratricide.
Besides, there is evidence that the fear of God is not completely gone. Melchizedek is a God-fearer in Genesis 14. Abraham tells Abimelech “there is no fear of God in this place,” which suggests there were other places that might have had some fear of God left. Merril makes a huge assumption when he says everybody has lost the fear of God. It is an assumption based on silence, not the witness of scripture.
The greatest foolishness is that Merril has already undermined biblical chronology before he starts. He stands firm on the great ages and the events that surround the patriarchs, but he has undermined that position before he got there. He has questioned the ages given to the men of the genealogy of Genesis 11.