Methusael

Biblical Record

Methusael appears once, in the genealogy of Cain in Genesis 4:17–24. Genesis 4:18 records, "and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech." The genealogy runs from Cain through Enoch, Irad, Mehujael, and Methusael to Lamech, placing Methusael in the fifth generation of Cain's line. Scripture says nothing about his life, deeds, or lifespan. His son Lamech took two wives, and among their children were Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-cain (Genesis 4:19–22).

Significance Within Scripture

Methusael is included in the genealogy as a link in the line of Cain. The genealogy carries the beginnings of civilization, including the building of cities, the raising of livestock, and the crafting of musical instruments and iron tools, forward to the children of Lamech. Methusael is not mentioned in the New Testament. His name is also absent from the genealogy of Jesus in Luke 3, which follows the line of Seth.

Interpretation and Discussion

The meaning of his name is uncertain. Some scholars interpret it as "man of God," but this reading is not settled.

Although his name resembles that of Methuselah in Seth's line in Genesis 5, the two are different individuals. The two genealogies share some identical names, such as Enoch and Lamech, as well as similar ones, such as Irad and Jared. For this reason, some scholars hold that the two genealogies branched off from a common tradition. Traditional interpretation, by contrast, reads them as two distinct lines of descent. The text offers no account of Methusael's character or faith.

In the Korean Church

Sermons or teaching devoted specifically to Methusael are reportedly rare. Readers typically encounter him while reading Cain's genealogy in Genesis 4 during reading through the Bible. On such occasions, teachers sometimes take care to distinguish him from Methuselah to prevent confusion.