Who is…
Methuselah
also known as: Mathusala, Mathusale
Hebrew: מְתוּשֶׁלַח —transliteration: Methuselah (or Methushelach) —pronounced: meh-tu-sheh-lahh
Greek: Μαθουσάλα —transliteration: Mathousala
Noah’s grandfather, Methuselah, was the most elderly man of whom we have any record. He is a descendant of Adam’s son Seth. Methuselah was apparently a righteous man and was granted 969 years of life (Genesis 5:27). His name is mentioned in 7 Bible verses (Genesis 5:21-27; 1 Chronicles 1:3; Luke 3:37).
He is a son of Enoch, and a godly patriarch. His father Enoch was a very righteous man and was apparently taken directly to Heaven, without physically dying.
Methuselah lived before the Flood and died in the year of the Flood.
What does Methuselah’s name mean?
Keep in mind that ancient Biblical Hebrew consists of consonants only, no vowels and no marks (diacritics) indicating the vowel sound. So the vowels have to be deduced or guessed. And this particular name is very old—prediluvian. We do not know what original language was used in his time; the multiplication of languages occured after the Flood, at the Tower of Babel.
The exact meaning of Methuselah’s very ancient name is not certain. Bible scholar and scientist Dr. Henry Morris said it may mean, “When he dies, judgment”—referring to the worldwide flood judgment. Similarly, Cornwall and Smith say his name means, “When he is dead, it shall be sent” (“it” referring to the Deluge) (Cornwall and Smith, Exhaustive Dictionary of Bible Names).
The facts around his life, plus the possible meaning of Methuselah’s suggests that Methuselah’s very godly father, Enoch, received a prophecy from God when his son was born, thus the name.
Methuselah’s great age may be further evidence of God’ “long-suffering… in the days of Noah” (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 3:9).
Relatives
- Father: Enoch, son of Jared
- Mother: Unknown
- Wife: Unknown
- Son: Lamech—the others sons are not named or numbered
- Daughters: Existed, but are not named or numbered
- Grandson: Noah (there were likely other grandsons and granddaughters)
- Great-grandsons: Shem, Ham, Japheth (any other great grandsons—either pre-Flood or post—remain unnamed and unnumbered)
- Great great-grandsons: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, Tiras, Cush, Mizraim, Put (Phut), Canaan, Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, Aram (Genesis 10:1-22)
In Christ’s lineage
Methuselah is in the genealogy of Mary, mother of Jesus (below) and of Joseph, the adoptive father of Jesus.
Jesus ← Mary ← Heli ← Matthat ← Levi ← Melchi ← Janna ← Joseph ← Mattathiah (Mattathias) ← Amos ← Nahum ← Esli ← Naggai ← Maath ← Mattathiah (Mattathias) ← Semei ← Joseph ← Judah ← Joannas (Joanna) ← Rhesa ← Zerubbabel ← Shealtiel ← Neri ← Melchi ← Addi ← Cosam ← Elmodam ← Er ← Jose (Joshua, Jesus) ← Eliezer ← Jorim ← Matthat ← Levi ← Simeon ← Judah ← Joseph ← Jonan ← Eliakim ← Melea ← Menan (Menna) ← Mattathah ← Nathan ← KING DAVID ← Jesse ← Obed ← Boaz ← Salmon ← Nahshon ← Amminadab ← Ram ← Hezron ← Perez ← Judah ← Jacob ← Isaac ← ABRAHAM ← Terah ← Nahor ← Serug ← Reu ← Peleg ← Eber ← Shelah ← Cainan ← Arphaxad ← Shem ← NOAH ← Lamech ← METHUSELAH ← Enoch ← Jared ← Mahalalel (Mahalaleel, Maleleel) ← Cainan ← Enosh (Enos) ← Seth ← ADAM (created by God).
More information
- Are human souls immortal?
- Who is Enoch? and what is his significance?
- What and who is a patriarch?
- What is the Global Flood?
- Scientific answers to questions about the worldwide Flood