methuselah

Methuselah is a figure in the Hebrew Bible, listed in Genesis 5 as the son of Enoch, the father of Lamech, and the grandfather of Noah. He belongs to the antediluvian line of patriarchs whose lifespans are recorded in the Genesis genealogies. His name and position within the lineage are noted, but the narrative provides little detail about his deeds.

Methuselah is traditionally regarded as the longest-lived person in the Bible, with a lifespan given as 969 years. This record has made his name a byword for extreme longevity in Jewish and Christian cultures, and the term “Methuselah” is sometimes used metaphorically to denote a very old person or thing.

The meaning of the name is debated. In Hebrew, Methuselah is usually parsed as something like “man of the dart” or “his death shall bring.” Some interpreters connect the name to prophetic expectations about the Flood, suggesting that his death would herald the biblical judgment.

In the biblical narrative, Methuselah’s own activities are not elaborated; the emphasis is on his place in the lineage leading to Noah. Enoch is described as having walked with God and then was not; Methuselah continues the genealogical line until Noah, whose era is associated with the Flood.

Outside the Hebrew Bible, Methuselah appears mainly in later Jewish and Christian literature, sometimes as a symbol of longevity, piety, or divine patience. The character’s prominence lies in the longevity record and his position in the Noah-era genealogy rather than in extensive biographical action.