Methuselah
Methuselah (US: /məˈθuːzˌlɑː/; Hebrew: מְתוּשֶׁלַח Məṯūšélaḥ, in pausa מְתוּשָׁלַח Məṯūšālaḥ, "His death shall send" or "Man of the Javelin" or "Death of Sword"; Greek: Μαθουσάλας Mathousalas) was a biblical patriarch and a figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He had the longest lifespan of all those given in the Bible, having died at the age of 969. 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.
Methuselah | |
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Stained glass window of Methuselah from the southwest transept of Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England | |
| Born | 687 AM |
| Died | 1656 AM (aged 969) |
| Known for | Exceptionally long life |
| Spouse | Edna |
| Children | Lamech and other sons and daughters |
| Parent |
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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.