Methuselah | |
|---|---|
 Stained glass window of Methuselah from the southwest transept of Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England | |
| Died | Died the year of the flood before it started, allegedly aged 969 |
| Known for | Exceptionally long life |
| Spouse | Not mentioned |
| Children | Lamech and other sons and daughters |
| Father | Enoch |
Methuselah (US: /məˈθuːzˌlɑː/; Hebrew: מְתוּשֶׁלַח Məṯūšélaḥ, in pausa מְתוּשָׁלַח Məṯūšālaḥ, "His death shall send" or "Man of the Javelin" or "Death of Sword";[1] Greek: Μαθουσάλας Mathousalas)[2] was a biblical patriarch and a figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He is claimed to have lived the longest life, dying at 969 years of age.[3] According to the Book of Genesis, Methuselah was the son of Enoch, the father of Lamech, and the grandfather of Noah. Elsewhere in the Bible, Methuselah is mentioned in genealogies in 1 Chronicles and the Gospel of Luke.
His life is described in further detail in other texts such as the Book of Enoch, Slavonic Enoch, and the Book of Moses. Bible commentators have offered various explanations as to why the Book of Genesis describes him as having died at such an advanced age; some believe that Methuselah's age is the result of a mistranslation, while others believe that his age is used to give the impression that part of Genesis takes place in a very distant past. Methuselah's name has become synonymous with longevity, and he has been portrayed and referenced in film, television and music.
- ^ Klein, Reuven Chaim (2019-10-22). "Bereishis: The Sword of Methusaleh". Times of Israel. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Newadvent2015was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Twain, Mark, ed. (1995). The Bible According to Mark Twain: Writings on Heaven, Eden, and the Flood. University of Georgia Press. p. 350. ISBN 9780820316505. Retrieved September 2, 2018.