In the Bible, the phrase “three scores and ten” refers to the age of a person, specifically, 70 years old. The phrase appears several times in the Old Testament, particularly in Psalms and the book of Genesis.
The expression “three score” is an archaic way of saying “three times twenty,” or sixty. Adding “ten” to “three score” results in a total of seventy. This is because in ancient times, people typically counted using a base of twenty, which may have been related to the number of fingers and toes that humans possess.
The phrase “three scores and ten” appears in several places in the Bible, including Psalm 90:10, which reads, “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”
This passage suggests that the average lifespan of a human being is around 70 years. However, if someone is particularly strong or fortunate, they may live to be 80. Even so, their old age will be marked by labor and sorrow, and their life will end soon enough.
Psalm 90 is traditionally attributed to Moses, and it reflects on the brevity of human life in comparison to the eternal nature of God. The psalmist laments the fleeting nature of human existence, and calls on God to teach people to “number our days” so that we may gain wisdom and live with purpose.
The phrase “three score and ten” also appears in Genesis 47:9, when Jacob, the father of Joseph, stands before Pharaoh in Egypt. Pharaoh asks Jacob how old he is, and Jacob replies, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”
Here, Jacob says that he has lived to be 130 years old, which is almost double the “three score and ten” that is considered to be the average human lifespan. However, Jacob also reflects on the hardships of his life, and suggests that his longevity has not been a blessing.
In both of these instances, the phrase “three score and ten” is used to reflect on the brevity and fragility of human life. It suggests that even if someone is lucky enough to live to an advanced age, their life will still be marked by labor, sorrow, and mortality.
Throughout the Bible, there are many references to the importance of numbering one’s days and using one’s time wisely. In Psalm 90, the psalmist prays that God would “establish the work of our hands,” and in Ephesians 5:15-16, Paul writes, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”
These passages suggest that even though human life is fleeting and fragile, it is also precious and valuable. The phrase “three score and ten” serves as a reminder that we should use our time wisely and make the most of the limited years we have on earth.
In conclusion, the phrase “three score and ten” is an archaic way of saying “seventy years old.” It appears several times in the Bible, and is used to reflect on the brevity and fragility of human life. Even if someone is fortunate enough to live to an advanced age, their life will still be marked by labor, sorrow, and mortality.