Methuselah
Who was Methuselah? Enoch's son and Noah's grandfather, who lived 969 years according to the Bible, the longest life on record. When he died and where he appears.
- Age at death
- At 969 (The Bible: Genesis 5:25-27)
- Manner of death
- In the year of the Flood (from the ages) (The Bible: Genesis 5:25, Genesis 5:28, Genesis 7:6)
Methuselah appears in the genealogy of Adam in Genesis 5 as the son of Enoch, the father of Lamech and the grandfather of Noah. People usually look him up as the longest-lived man, and the Bible gives a clear number: 969 years. No story is told about him; what we know comes from brief lines in the genealogies. Even so, he links his father Enoch, who walked with God, to his grandson Noah and the Flood. His name also appears in the list in 1 Chronicles and in Luke's genealogy tracing Jesus back to Adam.
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- Egypt
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How old was Methuselah when he died?
Methuselah died at the age of 969 (Genesis 5:27), the longest lifespan recorded for anyone in the Bible. He became the father of Lamech at 187 and lived another 782 years, having other sons and daughters as well (Genesis 5:25-26). His father was Enoch and his grandson was Noah.
When did Methuselah die?
Adding up the ages in Genesis, Methuselah died in the very year the Flood came. He was 187 when Lamech was born (Genesis 5:25), Lamech was 182 when Noah was born (Genesis 5:28), and Noah was 600 when the Flood began (Genesis 7:6): 187 + 182 + 600 = 969, exactly Methuselah's lifespan. The text does not say whether he died just before or during the Flood, or how he died.
Whose son was Methuselah, and how was he related to Noah?
Methuselah was the son of Enoch (Genesis 5:21). He was the father of Lamech, and Lamech was Noah's father, so Methuselah was Noah's grandfather (Genesis 5:25-29). His father Enoch is the man who walked with God and whom God took away (Genesis 5:24).
Did anyone in the Bible live longer than Methuselah?
No. Of everyone whose lifespan the Bible records, Methuselah lived the longest (969 years). He is followed by Jared (962) and Noah (950) (Genesis 5:20; 9:29), while Adam lived 930 years (Genesis 5:5).