Topical Encyclopedia
Name Meaning: The name Methuselah is often interpreted to mean "man of the dart" or "man of the spear," though some suggest it could mean "when he dies, it shall be sent," possibly referring to the flood.
Biblical References: Methuselah is a prominent figure in the genealogical records of the Bible, specifically in the Book of Genesis. He is mentioned in
Genesis 5:21-27,
1 Chronicles 1:3, and
Luke 3:37.
Genealogy and Lifespan: Methuselah is a descendant of Adam through the line of Seth. He is the son of Enoch and the father of Lamech. Methuselah is most famously known for his extraordinary lifespan. According to
Genesis 5:27 , "So Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died." This makes him the longest-lived human recorded in the Bible.
Family Lineage: Methuselah's father, Enoch, is noted for his close walk with God and for being taken by God without experiencing death (
Genesis 5:24). Methuselah's son, Lamech, is the father of Noah, who plays a crucial role in the biblical narrative of the Flood. Methuselah's position in the genealogy places him in the line of the patriarchs leading to Noah, and subsequently, to the post-Flood world.
Historical and Theological Significance: Methuselah's long life has intrigued scholars and theologians for centuries. His lifespan, which nearly reaches a millennium, is often seen as a symbol of the antediluvian (pre-Flood) world, where human longevity was significantly greater than in subsequent generations. Methuselah's death is traditionally understood to have occurred in the same year as the Great Flood, which some interpret as a divine marker or warning of the impending judgment.
Cultural Impact: Methuselah's name has become synonymous with longevity and is often used in literature and popular culture to denote extreme old age. His life serves as a testament to the early chapters of Genesis, where the effects of sin had not yet fully diminished human vitality.
Theological Reflections: Methuselah's life and death are often reflected upon in the context of God's patience and mercy. His extended lifespan is seen as a period during which humanity had the opportunity to repent before the judgment of the Flood. Methuselah's presence in the biblical narrative underscores the themes of divine forbearance and the eventual fulfillment of God's promises and warnings.
Legacy: Methuselah's legacy is preserved through his descendants, particularly Noah, who becomes the central figure in the account of the Flood. Through Noah, Methuselah's lineage continues, ultimately leading to the establishment of a new covenant with humanity and the preservation of God's creation.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Methuselah(man of the dart), the son of Enoch, sixth in descent from Seth, and father of Lamech. (Genesis 5:25-27)
ATS Bible Dictionary
MethuselahSon of Enoch, and father of Lamech. He lived 969 years, a longer life than any other on record, and died within the year before the deluge,Genesis 5:21,22.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Man of the dart, the son of Enoch, and grandfather of Noah. He was the oldest man of whom we have any record, dying at the age of nine hundred and sixty-nine years, in the year of the Flood (
Genesis 5:21-27;
1 Chronicles 1:3).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
METHUSELAHme-thu'-se-la, me-thu'-se-la (methushelach, "man of the javelin"): A descendant of Seth, the son of Enoch, and father of Lamech (Genesis 5:211 Chronicles 1:3Luke 3:37). Methuselah is said to have lived 969 years; he is therefore the oldest of the patriarchs and the oldest man. It is doubtful whether these long years do not include the duration of a family or clan.
Greek
3103c. Mathousala --Methuselah, a patriarch... 3103b, 3103c. Mathousala. 3104 .
Methuselah, a patriarch. Transliteration:
Mathousala Short Definition:
Methuselah. Word Origin
...3103. Mathousala -- Matthat, an Israelite
... Part of Speech: Proper Noun, Indeclinable Transliteration: Mathousala Phonetic Spelling:
(math-oo-sal'-ah) Short Definition:Methuselah Definition: (Hebrew...
1802. Enoch -- Enoch, a patriarch
... Proper Noun, Indeclinable Transliteration: Enoch Phonetic Spelling: (en-oke') Short
Definition: Enoch Definition: Enoch, son of Jared and father ofMethuselah....
2984. Lamech -- Lamech, a patriarch and an ancestor of Christ
... Noun, Indeclinable Transliteration: Lamech Phonetic Spelling: (lam'-ekh) Short
Definition: Lamech Definition: (Hebrew), Lamech, son ofMethuselah and father of...
Strong's Hebrew
4968. Methushelach -- perhaps "man of the dart," a descendant of...... perhaps "man of the dart," a descendant of Seth. Transliteration: Methushelach Phonetic
Spelling: (meth-oo-sheh'-lakh) Short Definition:
Methuselah.
...Methuselah.
...Library
OfMethuselah's Age, which Seems to Extend Fourteen Years Beyond...
... Book XV. Chapter 11."OfMethuselah's Age, Which Seems to Extend Fourteen
Years Beyond the Deluge. From this discrepancy between...
The Answer to the Question Raised.
... Seth, Seth begat Enos, Enos begat Cainan, but Cainan begat Mahalaleel, but Mahalaleel
begat Jared, Jared begat Enoch, Enoch begatMethuselah,Methuselah begat...
Whether, in Computing Years, we Ought to Follow the Hebrew or the...
... This is a sufficiently plausible account of the difficulty regardingMethuselah's
life, and of that other case in which there is a difference in the total of...
Christian Morals. Part iii.
... histories of those longevous generations, when men might have been properly historians,
when Adam might have read long lectures untoMethuselah, andMethuselah...
Of the Different Computation of the Ages of the Antediluvians...
... ForMethuselah, whom Enoch begat, lived, before he begat his successor, not 100
years less, but 100 years more, according to the Hebrew reading; and in our mss...
What is Man?
... 2. Now, what a poor pittance of duration is this, compared to the life of
Methuselah! "AndMethuselah lived nine hundred and sixty...
Chapter v
... Enos> 90 235 815 905 1140 Kenan> 70 325 840 910 1235 Mahalalel> 65 395 830 895 1290
Jared> 162 460 800 962 1422 Enoch> 65 622 300 365 (987)Methuselah> 187 687...
The Pentateuch.
... In respect to the age ofMethuselah when Lamech was born, there is a difference
of twenty years between the Vatican and the Alexandrine manuscripts....
Concerning the Genuineness of "The Prophecy of Enoch. "
... great-grandfather's "grace in the sight of God," [105] and concerning all his
preachings; [106] since Enoch had given no other charge toMethuselah than that...
C. The Genealogy of Jesus. Ch. 3:23-38
... of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of
Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son ofMethuselah, the son...
Thesaurus
Methuselah (7 Occurrences)... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
METHUSELAH.
...Methuselah is said to have lived 969
years; he is therefore the oldest of the patriarchs and the oldest man.
...Methuselah's (1 Occurrence)
...Methuselah's (1 Occurrence). Genesis 5:27 And all the years ofMethuselah's life
were nine hundred and sixty-nine: and he came to his end. (BBE)....
Methu'selah (6 Occurrences)
Methu'selah.Methuselah, Methu'selah.Methuselah's .... Methu'selah (6 Occurrences).
Genesis 5:21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begotMethuselah....
Enoch (18 Occurrences)
... (2.) The son of Jared, and father ofMethuselah (Genesis 5:21; Luke 3:37). His
father was one hundred and sixty-two years old when he was born....
Lamech (11 Occurrences)
... With him the curtain falls on the race of Cain. We know nothing of his descendants.
(2.) The seventh in descent from Seth, being the only son ofMethuselah....
Begetteth (52 Occurrences)
... sons and daughters. (YLT). Genesis 5:21 And Enoch liveth five and sixty years,
and begettethMethuselah. (YLT). Genesis 5:22 And Enoch...
Patriarchs (6 Occurrences)
... See CHRONOLOGY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. 2. Divergences between the Three Texts: Divergence
exists in the case of Jared,Methuselah and Lamech only....
Antediluvian
... See CHRONOLOGY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. 2. Divergences between the Three Texts: Divergence
exists in the case of Jared,Methuselah and Lamech only....
Eighty (36 Occurrences)
... (WEY). Genesis 5:25Methuselah lived one hundred eighty-seven years, and became
the father of Lamech. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)....
Daughters (246 Occurrences)
... Genesis 5:22 Enoch walked with God after he became the father ofMethuselah three
hundred years, and became the father of sons and daughters....
Resources
Who was Lamech in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Enoch in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgQuestions about People in the Bible (All) | GotQuestions.orgMethuselah: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
