Methusael is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Methusael was a descendant of Cain, mentioned in the genealogies recorded in Genesis. He appears in the line of Cain’s descendants, a lineage that Scripture traces through Cain’s son Enoch, then Irad, then Mehujael, and then Methusael. The brief record of his life is found in Genesis 4:18, which states, “And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.” This single verse is the only place in the King James Bible where Methusael is named.
The setting of Methusael’s appearance is the early period of human history following the fall, when Cain’s descendants were building a civilization apart from the line of Seth. The genealogy in Genesis 4 is often called the line of Cain, and it stands in contrast to the godly line of Seth introduced in Genesis 4:25-26 and expanded in Genesis 5. Methusael belongs to this Cainite branch, and his name is preserved as a link in that chain.
Scripture says nothing else about Methusael beyond his parentage and his son. He was the son of Mehujael and the father of Lamech. That Lamech is the same Lamech who later spoke to his wives Adah and Zillah and who is associated with the early developments of civilization in Genesis 4:19-24. Beyond this genealogical notice, the Bible records no deeds, words, or character of Methusael. He is remembered simply as one generation in the line of Cain.
The Name
The name Methusael is Hebrew in origin, and its meaning is not clearly recoverable with certainty. Suggestions have been offered based on possible roots, but no single meaning is well established. What can be said plainly is that Scripture does not explain the name, and the text itself gives no interpretation of it. Rather than assign a meaning that cannot be verified, it is honest to acknowledge that the precise significance of Methusael’s name remains uncertain.
A Closing Thought
Methusael’s life is summed up in a single verse, a reminder that most of us will not be remembered by many words. Yet his name is written in Scripture, not because of greatness or goodness, but because he belonged to a story larger than himself. This can comfort us: God does not overlook the quiet and the forgotten. Even when our lives seem small and our days unrecorded by the world, we are known to the One who numbers our days and writes our names in His book.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- Genesis 4:18 — And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.