blessing, and the parade of diminishing age in early Genesis represents a biblical view that humanity has declined.
With Moses , our tradition reaches a plateau and has been there ever since. In the biblical period after Moses , only three individuals reach an age higher than 100: Job lives 140 years after his troubles(42:16), but the Talmud expresses some doubt about this(B.B. 15b); Johoiadah, the high priest, reaches 130(2 Chron. 24:15); and Joshua, 110(Josh. 24:29). None of the nineteen kings of Israel for whom ages are recorded reach 70, and many of them die much earlier. The life span mentioned by the psalmist is“three score years or by reasons of strength, four score years.” In summary, we have no biblical definition of“old age.” Levites are considered qualified for duty from 25 to 50(Num. 8:23), but this service involves physical work. Twenty and upward, without a limit, is considered appropriate for military service(Num. 1:3), and 20 to 60 is given as the working life of a male or female for the sake of valuation for vows(Lev. 27:3).
DID THE BIBLE CONSIDER OLD AGE GOOD?
Only occasionally does a biblical figure question the blessing of a long life. The eighty-year old Barzillai, a member of David's household, questions his usefulness: