Methuselah
maleAntediluvianMeaning: “Man of the dart; or "when he dies, it shall come"”
The longest-lived person in the Bible, who reached 969 years; son of Enoch and grandfather of Noah, he died in the year of the flood.
Biography
Methuselah, the son of Enoch and grandfather of Noah, holds the record as the longest-lived human in Scripture — 969 years (Genesis 5:27). His life spans the patient centuries of God's warning before the flood.
The longest life
Genesis records his place in the godly line of Seth: he fathered Lamech, who fathered Noah (Genesis 5:25–29). Remarkably, the chronology shows Methuselah died in the very year the flood came — his extraordinary lifespan a picture, many have noted, of God's long-suffering patience while "the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah" (1 Peter 3:20).
A link in the line of promise
Methuselah appears in Luke's genealogy of Jesus (Luke 3:37), one of the ancient links in the chain of faith that runs from Adam through Noah to Christ.
Life Timeline
Becomes the father of Lamech
Dies at 969, the year of the flood
On the Bible timeline
Methuselah belongs to the Creation & the Early World era (Beginning – c. 2100 BC).
- c. 2400 BC (traditional)The Flood
- c. 2200 BCThe Tower of Babel
Family Tree
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Themes & lessons from Methuselah
Biblical themes that run through the passages where Methuselah appears.
People they appear with
Scripture Appearances
6 verses in 2 booksGenesis5 verses
Genesis 5:21
And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: Methuselah: Gr. Mathusala
Genesis 5:22
And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
Genesis 5:25
And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech:
Genesis 5:26
And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters: Lamech: Heb. Lemech
Genesis 5:27
And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.
1 Chronicles1 verse
1 Chronicles 1:3
Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech,
Frequently asked about Methuselah
Who was Methuselah in the Bible?
The longest-lived person in the Bible, who reached 969 years; son of Enoch and grandfather of Noah, he died in the year of the flood.
What does the name Methuselah mean?
The name Methuselah means “Man of the dart; or "when he dies, it shall come"”.
Who were Methuselah's children?
Methuselah's children include Lamech.
Who were Methuselah's parents?
Methuselah was the child of Enoch.
Where does Methuselah appear in the Bible?
Methuselah is mentioned 6 times across 2 books: Genesis, 1 Chronicles.
What can we learn from Methuselah?
The story of Methuselah touches on themes of methuselah, prophets, genealogy — explore each to study the lessons drawn from Methuselah's life.
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