(29) All the days of Noah.--While Noah attained to the same age as the antediluvian patriarchs, 950 years, human life was fast diminishing. The whole life-time of Shem was 600 years; that of Peleg, a few generations afterwards, only 239. After him only one man, Terah, is described as living more than 200 years, and of his age there is great doubt. (See Note on Genesis 11:32.) Thus before Shem's death the age of man was rapidly shortening, and things were settling down to that condition in which they are set before us in profane literature.

9:24-29 Noah declares a curse on Canaan, the son of Ham; perhaps this grandson of his was more guilty than the rest.And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years,.... He lived twenty years more than Adam did, and within nineteen of Methuselah, and his age must be called a good old age; but what is said of all the patriarchs is also said or him:

and he died: the Arabic writers say (w), when the time of his death drew nigh, he ordered his son Shem by his will to take the body of Adam, and lay it in the middle of the earth, and appoint Melchizedek, the son of Peleg, minister at his grave; and one of them is very particular as to the time of his death; they say (x) he died on the second day of the month Ijar, on the fourth day (of the week), at two o'clock in the morning.

(w) Elmacinus, p. 12. Patricides, p. 11. apud Hottinger. Smegma, p. 254. (x) Patricides, ib. p. 256.