Methuselah Lived 969 Years: Experts Debate If That's A Possibility

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According to the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), Methuselah was a patriarch who lived for 969 years, as stated in Genesis 5:27. He is remembered in legend and tradition as the longest-lived human.

Some have interpreted his age as literally 969 solar years, while others suggest it may have been a mistranslation of 969 lunar months or tenths of years, making his age range from approximately 78 to 97 years.

Others believe the story of Methuselah's long life was a myth used to create a sense of a distant past between Adam and Noah, with various other interpretations also existing.

The book of Genesis does not provide much information about Methuselah, only mentioning his lineage according to Genesis 5. He was the great-great-great-great-grandson of Seth, the child of Adam and Eve, who was born over a century after Cain.

Methuselah was the father of Lamech and the grandfather of Noah. According to the biblical story, his ancestors were long-lived, all living between 895 and 962 years, except for his father Enoch, who lived to be 365.

There is also a Methushael mentioned in the genealogy of Cain in Genesis 4, who also had a son named Lamech. Due to this and other similarities, some scholars have suggested that the genealogies of Seth and Cain were one list later separated into two.

Methuselah is only mentioned in the Hebrew Bible in the book of Genesis, except for a brief mention in 1 Chronicles 1:3, where his name appears in the lineage of Saul.

The New Testament also makes a single reference to him in the Gospel of Luke, specifically in 3:23-38, where the lineage of Joseph, the husband of Mary and earthly father of Jesus, is traced back 75 generations.

This lineage includes notable figures such as David, Saul, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob before reaching Methuselah and ultimately Seth and Adam.

Do you think Methuselah lived 969 years? If not, how do you explain the biblical account of his age? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. Remember to follow me to read more of my content.