What Was The Year Of Creation?

Q

Please let me know what you show as the year since creation. The Jews say this is year 5774, but the New King James Bible says 4004 BC, plus 2013 since Jesus Christ for 6017 years. Who is correct?

A

I don’t think anyone knows the year of creation for certain. Some scholars say it was 4004 BC based on Bishop James Ussher’s 17th Century book, The Annals of the World, a chronological history from Creation to 70 AD. John Lightfoot, Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University, renowned Hebrew Scholar, and a contemporary of Ussher’s, agreed with his calculations.

According to the Hebrew calendar this is the 5774th year since the creation, but there are those who claim this total is not accurate due to the belief that when the Israelites were under subjugation by a foreign power their calendar did not advance. They say this introduced an error of 181 years or more into the count. If they’re correct that would make it at least year 5955. I think it’s safe to say we’re somewhere near the 6,000th anniversary of the creation, but I don’t think anyone knows exactly how near.