Knowing the Time of Life
Genesis 47:8
And Pharaoh said to Jacob, How old are you?


When Mr. Moggridge (universally known as Old Humphrey) was a lad, his father taught him how to know what o'clock it was. When the boy could tell the time, his father said, "I have taught you to know the time of the day; I must now teach you how to find out the time of your life. The Bible describes the years of man to be threescore and ten or fourscore years. Now, life is very uncertain, and you may not live a single day longer; but if we divide the fourscore years of an old man's life into twelve parts, like the dial of the clock, it will allow almost seven years for every figure. When a boy is seven years old, then it is one o'clock in his life; and this is the case with you: when you arrive at fourteen years, it will be two o'clock with you; and when at twenty-one, it will be three o'clock, should it please God thus to spare your life. In this manner you may always know the time of your life, and looking at the clock may perhaps remind you of it. My great grandfather, according to this calculation, died at twelve o'clock; my grandfather at eleven, and my father at ten. At what hour you and I shall die, Humphrey, is only known to Him to whom all things are known."



Parallel Verses
KJV: And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou?

WEB: Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How many are the days of the years of your life?"




How Old Art Thou?
Top of Page
Top of Page