LIFE SPANS: Genesis says Methuselah lived 969 years. Were the long life spans in Genesis real years? – Ask John Mackay Bible / People / Sceptics / Theology The original question was: The long life spans in Genesis such as Methuselah living 969 years – were they real years or were they using a different calendar? Answer by John Mackay There certainly are many long life spans listed in Genesis 1-11. Methuselah at 969 being the longest and most people lived around 900 years, with Noah being the last person recorded to live over 900 years when he died at 950 (Genesis 9:29). But there are also life spans after Noah that are long and show an interesting trend after the flood as man’s recorded life spans rapidly diminished. Noah’s son Shem lived only 600 hundred years and his son Arphaxad lived only 438 years, etc. By the days of Abraham, man’s life span was much reduced, with Abraham living only 175 years. Still a long time compared to us.

By the days of Moses (roughly 3,000 years ago) who lived a mere 120 years (Deuteronomy 34:7). We should note Moses was the man who wrote our life span would be around 70 – 80 years unless God blessed us with an extra strong body (Psalm 90:10) and that is still the average today 3 millennia later. So are the Genesis 1-11 ages real years or were they using a different calendar? We can answer the question about the calendar fairly easily by discovering how many days they had in a year. Many have suggested they were using Lunar calendars and therefore 969 actually represents 969 Lunar months not 969 years. This would make Methuselah only 74.5 of our years at his death. Of course this argument does begin to look a little silly when you start applying it to Abraham since it would mean that Abraham lived only around 14yrs years if his 175 represents Lunar months. So how long were the Genesis years? We have a very precise account of one year of Noah’s life between Genesis 6 and Genesis 10.

The year of the flood is the most detailed chronological year in the whole of the Old Testament as it represents a diary of events from Noah’s completion and boarding the Ark to his getting off the Ark. In Genesis 7 verse 11, it records that Noah was 600 years and 2 months and 17 days of age when the flood started. Then in Genesis 8:3-4, it records that when Noah was 600 years and 7 months and 17 days old, the Ark rested on the tops of the mountains and that this was 150 days after the flood had started. Given that we now have 2 comments on how long they had been on the boat, we now know that five of Noah’s months equals150 days. Therefore Noah’s months averaged 30 days each. It’s a simple matter therefore to realise that if 5 months equals 150 days, then 12 months roughly equals 360 days perhaps plus a few additions as we do for leap years, etc. So their year is provably, roughly the same as ours. Therefore, our friend Methuselah was 969 of our years – a really old man.

There is a second way of checking what these age numbers mean, as not only are their life spans mentioned, but the age at which many of these patriarchs actually had their first child. So if we compare before and after the flood you find Enoch who having fathered Methuselah when he was 65 years old. If you divide that by 13 (the number of lunar months in a year) or even by 12 the number of calendar months – it would make Enoch roughly 5 years old when he had a son. It becomes even more ridiculous when you realise that Abraham’s grandfather Nahor had Terah at 29 years old. If these were only months Nahor would have only been 2.5 years old when he had his first child. An obvious impossibility. One last comment is perhaps worth making. Many so called evangelicals want to dismiss Genesis as real history until the days of Abraham, so they can avoid issues such as the long life spans.

But with Abraham listed as living 175 years (Genesis 25:7), his son Isaac 180, and in the next generation Jacob 147 years (Genesis 35:28, 47:28), you can’t escape the issue at all. In the present world no one on record is living that long, so we have to face the issue head on! Long ages are faithfully recorded in Genesis as is a diminishing trend to the present. Man has devolved not evolved. It is interesting to note the rapid decline in ages after Noah’s flood. But when you plot these you notice a second rapid decline that occurs after the tower of Babel (Gen 11 ff). It is most likely that the post flood decline is due to the total change in climatic conditions that occured as a result of Noah’s flood i.e. the effect of the coming of winter and summer (Genesis 8:22) along with the loss of so much carbon due to flood burial, and the as yet un-regrown plant life on planet earth which always has a major impact on climatic conditions.

Add to this the collapse of the waters above which allowed massive amounts of high energy radiation that hadn’t previously entered earth’s habitat, along with radiation from newly escaped heavy metals such as Uranium that were now near the surface from the escaped fountains of the deep, so our mutation rate really increased. All these factors would have compounded to reduce man’s life span. But there is a second factor occurring that would show up in a few generations probably related to human breeding patterns. Present day breeding programs shows that whenever a gene pool is reduced, and a new population breed from a very restricted part of a previously much larger gene pool, then one effect of inbreeding is to produce a drop in life span. So starting from one family after the flood (Noah’s three sons) which produced offspring which later all intermarried, mankind has definitely been inbreeding since Noah’s day. This then was further compounded when each group separated at Babel and suddenly there was a new squeeze on the gene pool. Each family group leaving Babel now represented an even smaller fraction of Noah’s gene pool. In addition to producing very distinct family characteristics which would eventually give rise to the separate human racial groups, a second effect would have been to further reduce life spans.

Now we are some 4,000 years in later 2012 and it pays to remember Moses’ warning concerning our much shorter life spans; “Lord teach us to number our days.” (Psalm 90:12) The reason is simple: It won’t be long before even the youngest reader of this answer has to stand before God and give an account. Make sure you are ready. For the real history of the human race see the Creation Research DVDs The Devolution of Man, The Origin of the Races and Real Roots These all available at the Creation Research webshop Were you helped by this answer? If so, consider making a donation so we can keep adding more answers. For USA tax deductible donations click here . For UK tax deductible donations click here . For Australia and rest of world click here . How Did Methuselah Die? | The Institute for Creation Research How Did Methuselah Die? Evidence for Creation › Evidence from Scripture › Assessable Results › Accurate Predictions One of the favorite characters in the Old Testament is Methuselah, who lived 969 years ( Genesis 5:27 ), longer than anyone else recorded.

His father was Enoch, of whom it is said he "walked with God" (5:24) but who was taken to heaven without dying at 365 years. Methuselah's son Lamech died a few years before the Flood at 777 years (5:31) after bearing Noah. When Methuselah was born, his godly father must have prophetically known of coming things for his son's name means "when he dies, judgment," and interestingly enough, Methuselah died in the same year God judged the sinful world with the great Flood of Noah's day. There are many details of the Flood account about which we can only speculate, but perhaps Noah was given up to 120 years of warning that the Flood was coming (6:3), and we are told he was a "preacher of righteousness" ( 2 Peter 2:5 ) during the building, yet only "eight souls were saved" ( 1 Peter 3:20 ). Why didn't he influence more people? His faithful obedience in building a huge boat on dry land must have been both attention-getting and a source of conviction to the surrounding sinful people.

We might suspect that Lamech and Methuselah espoused the same testimony, yet only the eight close family members boarded the Ark. Since Methuselah died the same year of the Flood, some have wondered if he was likewise an unbeliever and perished in the Flood waters. Of his spiritual condition we know little, other than that he was the son of godly Enoch, and his son Lamech prophesied with spiritual insight at the birth of Noah ( Genesis 5:29 ). Here are a few more hints to ponder. God had promised that "the seed of the woman," Eve (3:15) would one day destroy Satan, and ever since Satan, in his hatred for God and His image in man, had schemed to thwart God's plan (4:7, 6:2). Furthermore, man thought of "only evil continually" (6:5) and "the earth |was| filled with violence through them" (6:13). If left unchecked, there soon would be no survivor of Eve remaining. Certainly the violence took the lives of many. Animals became violent and bloodthirsty. Wars must have been rampant as man's sinful nature had full sway.

Would we not be correct in assuming that the violence was directed toward believers most of all? Perhaps Noah had many more converts over the years, and the only ones left were the eight mentioned. And this may have been what happened to Methuselah. Perhaps he was the last martyr, and when he was killed, God's patience was over. In order to preserve mankind, and in particular Eve's lineage through whom the Redeemer would one day come, God's justice was finally unleashed. *Dr. John D. Morris is the President of the Institute for Creation Research. Cite this article: John D. Morris, Ph.D. 2006. How Did Methuselah Die? . Acts & Facts. 35 (12). Why Did Methuselah Live the Longest? | The Cripplegate Why Did Methuselah Live the Longest? November 17, 2011 by Nathan Busenitz A Short Reflection on the Man Who Lived the Longest Anyone who’s ever played Bible trivia knows that Methuselah lived longer than anyone else. He died at the ripe old age of 969. But have you ever wondered why?

Putting aside all of the environmental factors of a pre-Flood world (where lifetimes lasted a lot longer than they do today), I’m convinced the answer has more to do with the character of God than the physical constitution or health consciousness of Methuselah. When Methuselah was born, the text of Genesis 5 indicates that his father Enoch began to walk with God in earnest (Gen. 5:21–22). Many commentators believe that it was during the time of Methuselah’s birth that God revealed to Enoch the reality of the coming Flood—which is why Enoch spent the next three centuries warning the world around him of God’s impending retribution (Jude 14-15). Methuselah’s name can be translated as either “man of the javelin” or “man of the sending forth.” It is likely, especially given the context of Genesis 5–6, that his name referred to the reality of God’s coming judgment—a global Flood that would be sent forth with sudden force and destruction. The further implication is that divine wrath would not fall until after Methuselah died.

(Some scholars even render the meaning of his name as “his death shall bring forth.” ) Methuselah lived 969 years. If you add up the length of time between Methuselah’s birth and Noah entering the ark (187+182+600), it is also 969 years. That means, in the very year Methuselah died, the Flood was sent forth like a javelin on the earth. So why did God allow Methuselah to live for so many years—longer than anyone else in human history? I believe it was as an illustration of His incredible patience. The fact that Methuselah lived almost 1,000 years demonstrates the longsuffering nature of God. From the time God revealed the reality of that judgment to Enoch, it was almost a millennium before raindrops of wrath started to fall in the days of Noah. Methuselah’s long lifetime fits with Peter’s depiction of God’s patience in 2 Peter 3. After discussing the Flood (in vv.

5-6), the apostle writes in verses 8-9: But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. So, next time someone asks you, What’s the name of the oldest man in the Bible? Don’t just answer “Methuselah” as if his age were merely some trivial factoid. Instead, consider the fact that 969 years is a really long time—not just for any one man to live, but for a holy God to be patient with a rebellious planet. Genesis 5:27 Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died. Matthew Henry Commentary 5:25-32 Methuselah signifies, 'he dies, there is a dart,' 'a sending forth,' namely, of the deluge, which came the year that Methuselah died.

He lived 969 years, the longest that any man ever lived on earth; but the longest liver must die at last. Noah signifies rest; his parents gave him that name, with a prospect of his being a great blessing to his generation. Observe his father's complaint of the calamitous state of human life, by the entrance of sin, and the curse of sin. Our whole life is spent in labour, and our time filled up with continual toil. God having cursed the ground, it is as much as some can do, with the utmost care and pains, to get a hard livelihood out comfort us. It signifies not only that desire and expectation which parents generally have about their children, that they will be comforts to them and helpers, though they often prove otherwise; but it signifies also a prospect of something more. Is Christ ours? Is heaven ours? We need better comforters under our toil and sorrow, than the dearest relations and the most promising offspring; may we seek and find comforts in Christ. Methusela Lived How Long? Index To Questions Skeptics Ask > Methuselah Also See Did Methuselah Die During the Global Flood?

( below ) Please Note: Each coloured link within the articles will lead you to a related topic on a different page of this site. However while the text is part of the original article, the links are not. The authors of these articles may or may not agree with the views expressed on those pages, or anything else on this site.. ***************** Adam lived 930 years - "And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died." (Gen 5:5) Seth lived 912 years - "And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died." (Gen 5:8) Methuselah lived 969 years - "And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died." (Gen 5:27) Did people in the Old Testament really live as long as the Bible states, or were biblical years different from ours? The Bible is not alone in claiming life spans much longer than we can imagine. Ancient Mesopotamian records contain some corroborative evidence. Stories from the ancient Akkadian and Sumerian cultures declare that their most ancient kings lived thousands of years each.

The "Weld-Blundell Prism " for example, written about 2170 B. C., speaks of eight pre-flood rulers each reigning for several thousand years. One school of thought claims that the ancient calendar made the year a month, or one lunar period. Others assert that a year equals one growing season of three or four months. One group says that a year in the bible was actually three months from Adam till Abraham, eight months till Joseph's time, and twelve months thereafter. No scriptural evidence has been presented for any of these ï¿½theoriesï¿½ and nothing in the Bible indicates that pre-flood years were significantly shorter than ours. References to agriculture indicate that the ancients counted years similarly to the way we do. Some early Mesopotamian records (circa 1500 B. C.) indicate a calendar of twelve months, each month 30 days long. We have no record of any ancient society counting a shorter year. The Mesopotamians were fully aware that their twelve 30-day months fell short of a year by a little more than five days.

With variations from one society to another, the ancients typically celebrated a set of festival days every few years or so to make up the difference. If we accept the idea that one-year actually equaled one month of our time, Enoch would have been five years old when his son Methuselah was born! The age of all the patriarchs at the birth of their children would be equally ridiculous. After the fall, the genetic line of Adam and his descendents was very pure, so their health would have been incredible. Living that long would not have been a problem. Also, some theologians think that there was a canopy of water that engulfed the entire earth and that it was released at the time of the flood. "In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of the sky were opened," (Gen 7:11). This would account for the fossil record, which indicates sub-tropical vegetation all over the earth at some time in earth's past.

In such a moist atmosphere growth would have been greatly stimulated (for both man and animals), the oxygen content could have been much higher than present day conditions, man could have been stronger with greater endurance tending to longevity. No rain is recorded in the Bible until after the flood which seems to support this idea. This is, however, a theory but it is evident from the Bible that after the flood the lifespan of people was greatly reduced. . "Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years," (Gen 6:3). This all seems to explain why there is a steady progression of declining ages of men as their distance from the Creation increases. Adam lived 930 years, his son Seth lived 912 years. Lamech, his son, lived 777 years. Noah (Lamechï¿½s son) lived 950 years. Shem, his son, lived 600 years. Shem's son (Arphaxad) lived 438 years. Arphaxad's son Salah lived 403 years.

Skipping a few generations to Abraham the count goes down to 175 years. A few generations later Moses lived 120 years, which is not an unknown age for people to live to in our own time. Also Adam was commanded by God to limit his diet to vegetables (Genesis 1:29) but Noah was permitted (after the flood) to eat meat (Genesis 9:2-3). A diet, which includes meat introduces a sufficient concentration of heavy elements into the body as to prove life-threatening after a few hundred years, but is negligible as a health threat up to the age of 120 (except in cases of extreme industrial pollution). Did Methuselah Die During the Global Flood? by Brad Harrub, Ph.D. In Genesis chapter 5, Moses recorded the genealogy of Adam. The name that commonly stands out in that list is Methuselah. Methuselah is the oldest person recorded in Scripture, and his name is often used today when referring to something or someone very old. In verse 21 of that chapter, we learn that Methuselah was the son of Enoch.

We are then informed: Methuselah lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and begot Lamech. After he begot Lamech, Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years; and he died. Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years and had a son (vss. 25-28). Lamechï¿½s son was Noah. The Bible records in Genesis 7:6 that Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters were on the Earth. In light of this information, we can take the age of Methuselah when Lamech was born (187), add to that Lamechï¿½s age when he begot Noah (182) and the age of Noah when the floodwaters came (600), and determine that Methuselah was 969 years old the year the Flood occurred [187+182+600=969].

Since Genesis 5:27 indicates this was the age at which Methuselah died, it is logical to conclude that he died the year of the Flood. However, the Bible does not indicate that he died as a result of the Flood. [Remember, his father was Enoch, one of a select few who walked with God and was taken directly by God, not experiencing death. Thus, Methuselahï¿½s father was a very righteous man, who undoubtedly set a proper example for his son.] While the exact meaning of Methuselahï¿½s name is unknown, many scholars have suggested that it means: ï¿½When he dies, it shall be sent,ï¿½ implying that the Flood would result when Methuselah died (Morris, 1976, p. 160). But, here again, we cannot be certain and should not be dogmatic. REFERENCE Morris, Henry (1976), The Genesis Record (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker). Copyright © 2006 Apologetics Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

This article is to be found at For catalog, samples, or further information, contact: Apologetics Press Why Did Methuselah Live So Long? | The Cripplegate Why Did Methuselah Live So Long? April 15, 2014 by Nathan Busenitz A Short Reflection on the Man Who Lived the Longest Anyone who’s ever played Bible trivia knows that Methuselah lived longer than anyone else. He died at the ripe old age of 969. But have you ever wondered why? Putting aside all of the environmental factors of a pre-Flood world (where lifetimes lasted a lot longer than they do today), I’m convinced the answer has more to do with the character of God than the physical constitution or health consciousness of Methuselah. When Methuselah was born, the text of Genesis 5 indicates that his father Enoch began to walk with God in earnest (Gen. 5:21–22).

Many commentators believe that it was during the time of Methuselah’s birth that God revealed to Enoch the reality of the coming Flood—which is why Enoch spent the next three centuries warning the world around him of God’s impending retribution (Jude 14-15). Methuselah’s name can be translated as either “man of the javelin” or “man of the sending forth.” It is likely, especially given the context of Genesis 5–6, that his name referred to the reality of God’s coming judgment—a global Flood that would be sent forth with sudden force and destruction. The further implication is that divine wrath would not fall until after Methuselah died. (Some scholars even render the meaning of his name as “his death shall bring forth.” ) Methuselah lived 969 years. If you add up the length of time between Methuselah’s birth and Noah entering the ark (187+182+600), it is also 969 years. That means, in the very year Methuselah died, the Flood was sent forth like a javelin on the earth.

So why did God allow Methuselah to live for so many years—longer than anyone else in human history? I believe it was as an illustration of His incredible patience. The fact that Methuselah lived almost 1,000 years demonstrates the longsuffering nature of God. From the time God revealed the reality of that judgment to Enoch, it was almost a millennium before raindrops of wrath started to fall in the days of Noah. Methuselah’s long lifetime fits with Peter’s depiction of God’s patience in 2 Peter 3. After discussing the Flood (in vv. 5-6), the apostle writes in verses 8-9: But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. So, next time someone asks you, What’s the name of the oldest man in the Bible? Don’t just answer “Methuselah” as if his age were merely some trivial factoid.

Instead, consider the fact that 969 years is a really long time—not just for any one man to live, but for a holy God to be patient with a rebellious planet. Just Genesis : The Life Spans of Methuselah and Lamech The Life Spans of Methuselah and Lamech Diagram copyright 2000 Alice C. Linsley “What is the significance of the long life spans listed in Genesis?” "How could Methuselah have lived 969 years? Or his son, Lamech, 777 years?" "Why do the chiefs after the flood have shorter life spans?" It is not easy to answer these questions because there are discrepancies in the number of years assigned to these Afro-Asiatic chiefs, and there is still much that we don’t understand about the number symbolism of the people from whom we receive the chronologies of chapters 4, 5 and 11. The discrepancies between the Septuagint, the Masoretic, and the Samaritan texts have been discussed at length in various commentaries (see especially Cassuto).

I find it interesting that the Septuagint and the Masoretic (Hebrew) records agree except in the case of Lamech the Younger (Noah's father). The Septuagint assigns Lamech a total of 753 years, whereas the Samaritan Pentateuch assigns him only 653 years. The Jerusalem Bible, following the Masoretic Text , assigns Lamech 777 years. Other discrepancies exist also. For example: the Septuagint places the name ‘Cainan’ between Arphaxad and Shelah in Genesis 11, but this name doesn't appear in the Masoretic Text or Samaritan Pentateuch. In his extraordinary Commentary on Genesis, Umberto Cassuto wrote, "What is the cause of the divergences between the three texts, and which recension has preserved the original figures? Much has been written on this subject, and the answer remains in dispute" (Vol. 1, p. 265). Cassuto himself believed that the original figures are preserved in the Masoretic chronology. Those are the numbers I will use.

Consider the life span assigned to each of these pre-flood patriarchs in Genesis 5: Seth – 912 years Lamech the Younger – 777 years Now compare the life spans of those who lived after the flood in Genesis 11: Shem – 600 years Nahor the Elder (Terah's father) – 148 years Terah – 205 years Various explanations have been offered to make sense of the patriarchs’ longevity. They include: · People lived longer in ancient times. · God shortened the lifespan due to sin. · Those who recorded the lists honored their forefathers by ascribing to them length of days. · The numbers are symbolic and intended to convey information about each patriarch. · The number symbolism is based on a numerological system that requires fuller investigation. Let us briefly examine each of these possible explanations. Evidence for Exceptional Longevity among Ancient Peoples Studies in Paleoanthropology indicate that the life spans of ancient peoples living in an area extending from North Africa to Turkey and Mesopotamia was about 32 years.

This data applies to peoples in the Late Paleolithic - 30,000 to 9,000 B.C., the Mesolithic - 9,000 to 7,000 B.C. and the Early Neolithic - 7,000 to 5,000 B.C. One might argue that the men listed in Genesis 11 enjoyed extraordinary longevity by divine providence. Were this the case we would want to know why God’s providence is limited to a specific place, time, and people. The singularity of the extraordinary longevity of these Afro-Asiatic chiefs must then be regarded as a miracle and is therefore beyond scientific explanation. While I believe in miracles, I find this explanation unlikely, unnecessary, and without biblical support. God Shortened the Life Spans Genesis 6 hints that God shortened the average life span of humanity. The Lord said, “My breath shall not abide in man forever, since he too is flesh; let the days allowed him be one hundred and twenty years.” (Gen.

6:3) Were we to take this literally we would expect the life span of the patriarchs in Genesis 11 to be no more than 120 years, yet all exceed that number. This suggests that the number 120 is symbolic. The directional poles are critical to the interpretation of the number symbolism of the ancient Afro-Asiatics. The number 1 is associated with North and always represents the Creator God. The number 2 represents the Generative Word (Logos). The Word goes forth from God, and by the Logos all things are created. Zero is a placeholder and a symbol of eternity. The zero makes this a 3-digit number and 3 represents oneness or unity. With this in mind, the symbolism of the number 120 seems to be that the life span of each human is up to God, who by the Logos, makes oneness or unity. This sounds like a Messianic promise. Honoring the Forefathers by Ascribing Length of Days The Assyrian Kings List provides evidence that ascribing long lives to noble persons was not a common practice. The ancient oriental kings expected to be shown honor yet their regnal years are, by all appearances, historical.

This is borne out by the similarity found between the different inscriptions that speak of these kings’ reigns. The Babylonian kings, on the other hand, attributed life spans even to tens of thousands of years to each ruler. These mythic lengths of life reflect the Babylonian view that their kings were demi-gods born of the Diety by noble females. But the Hebrews rejected this view, regarding even the most exalted among them as mere mortals. The Scriptures speak of the sinfulness and failings of Israel's leaders. We remember that Moses and David were both guilty of murder. Were it the case that the large numbers reflect a way of honoring the forefathers, we would expect Abraham to have lived a very long life since he is the principal Patriarch and the progenitor of Jews, Arabs and other Semites. Yet we are told that Abraham lived only 175 years (Gen. 25:7). The Numbers are Symbolic and Convey Information That the numbers are not to be taken literally is supported by the assignment of 930 years to the mythological first Father, Adam (often paired with the historical first father, Nok or 'Enoch', as in Psalm 8:4).

Were I to interpret the significance of 930 based on the mystical numerology of Ten Sefirot , it would be this: The creature will enjoy the consummation of his faith at the end of time. This makes Adam a type of Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten, who will enter the bridal chamber at the end of days. Paul may have had this in mind when he wrote: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the first fruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at his coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father…” (1 Corinthians 15:22-24a) And this: “And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15:45) I draw on the Cabalistic Ten Sefirot, not because I believe it accurately represents the number system of Abraham's people, but because it has affinity to the older Afro-Asiatic numero-cosmology.

Conclusion This exploration of the Genesis chronologies indicates that the numbers are symbolic and must be interpreted in the context of the Afro-Asiatic numero-cosmology. What is being communicated is not entirely clear because we still have much to learn about the numerology of Abraham's people. The view that the numbers are symbolic is supported by the numerical discrepancy surrounding Lamech the Younger. Some might not view him as especially righteous because he was named after his maternal grandfather who bragged to his wives about killing a man. Yet Lamech was Noah's father and Noah found favor with God. The different numbers pertaining to Lamech the Younger are (Septuagint) 753, (Samaritan) 653, and (Hebrew) 777. No other man in the chronology has such a discrepancy in total number of years. Again, Lamech is the lightening rod who draws our attention and provokes questions. The Elder Lamech is the seventh generation from Adam and Nok. Lamech the Younger is the seventh generation from Noah and is assigned 777 years.

According to Cassuto, the name Lamech is related to the Mesopotamian word ‘lumakku’, meaning “priest” (Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1, p. 233). Cassuto also points out that all the numbers pertaining from Adam to Noah "are either exact multiples of five, or else multiples of five with the addition of seven" and the years assigned to Methuselah's life are "twice augmented by seven, one septennium having been added to his age when his eldest son was born, and another to the remaining years of his life" (op. cit., p. 260). This observation provides a clue to our understanding of the numero-cosmology of Abraham's people. Key numbers were 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9. The number five has the factors of 2 and 3 and is therefore a symbol of the kinship pattern of Abraham's people as revealed in the Bible. Each chief had 2 wives. These wives were essential to the establishment of the chief's territory.

The chief's 2 first born sons were rivaled by a third "hidden" son , who is the sign of the Son whose dominion will last through all the ages. The numbers 2 and 3 are significant also because numbers were linked to language and the western Afro-Asiatic languages are generally bi-consonantal whereas the eastern Afro-Asiatic languages are generally tri-consonantal. With this in mind, we will consider the number symbolism of Methuselah, who is assigned 969 years. Here we have all factors of 3. The nine is 3 sets of 3 and the 6 is 2 sets of 3. The 9 represents consummation or the fullness of time and the 6 represents the dominion of human rulers. Methuselah's assigned days seem an omen of impending judgment, signifying the Deluge that destroyed the rule of the central African chiefs in and around Noah's homeland . It was the custom for the cousin bride to name her first-born son after her father.

Abraham's cousin bride Keturah named her first-born son 'Joktan' after her father, and Terah's cousin bride named her first born son 'Haran' after her father. (Haran is also a place name, just as Nahor is a place name. The Hebrew should not show the place name with a fricative het.) Similarly, Methuselah was the father of Lamech by Lamech's daughter Naamah (see diagram above). Lamech the Younger was the father of Noah. The number assigned to Lamech the Younger is 777 and it carries a message of hope. John Chrysostom commented on the unfathomable grace expressed through the story of the Elder Lamech. Here is what he said: “By confessing his sins to his wives, Lamech brings to light what Cain tried to hide from God and by comparing what he has done to the crimes committed by Cain he limited the punishment coming to Him.” (St. John Chrysostom’s Homilies on Genesis, Vol. 74, p.39.

The Catholic University Press of America, 1999.) Chrysostom’s interpretation is consistent with what is communicated throughout the Bible about God’s love and mercy, yet his view is not referenced in any Bibles. Instead, most Bible footnotes stress that God wiped out Cain’s line in the flood, a view which is not supported by the genealogical information in Genesis 4 and 5. The chronologies support Chrysostom's interpretation, as we will see by tracing the number 7 from Cain to Lamech the Younger. The number 7 represents new life, mercy and renewal. Cain murdered and tried to hide his crime from God. Cain deserved death, yet God showed him mercy by sparing his life. Cain was exiled from his people and God showed him grace by placing a mark on him as a protecting sign. Reflecting on this great mercy shown to his ancestor, Lamech challenges God to show him greater mercy. If grace was shown to Cain (7), then Lamech, the Elder, by confessing his sin, claims a double measure of grace (77).

Lamech, the Younger is assigned a triple measure of grace because he is said to have lived 777 years. Lamech the Younger is the son of Methuselah and Naamah, and the father of Noah. St. John Chrysostom recognized that the story of the 2 Lamechs is about God’s mercy shown to sinners. He placed the emphasis exactly where it should be. For more on the numero-cosmology of Abraham's people, go here . Posted by Methuselah in the Bible - Oldest Man Who Ever Lived By Jack Zavada Methuselah has fascinated Bible readers for centuries as the oldest man who ever lived. According to Genesis 5:27, Methuselah was 969 years old when he died. Three possible meanings have been suggested for his name: "man of the spear (or dart)," "his death shall bring...," and "worshiper of Selah." The second meaning may imply that when Methuselah died, judgment would come, in the form of the Flood . Methuselah was a descendant of Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve .

Methuselah's father was Enoch , his son was Lamech, and his grandson was Noah , who built the ark and rescued his family from the great Flood. Before the Flood, people lived extremely long lives: Adam, 930; Seth, 912; Enosh, 905; Lamech, 777; and Noah, 950. Enoch, Methuselah's father, was "translated" to heaven at age 365. Bible scholars offer a number of theories as to why Methuselah lived so long. One is that the pre-Flood patriarchs were only a few generations removed from Adam and Eve, a genetically perfect couple. They would have had unusually strong immunity from disease and life-threatening conditions. Another theory suggests that early in humanity's history, people lived longer to populate the earth.

As sin increased in the world, however, God planned to bring judgment through the Flood: Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years.” (Genesis 6:3, NIV ) Although several people lived to be over 400 years old after the Flood ( Genesis 11:10-24 ), gradually the maximum human lifespan went down to about 120 years. The Fall of Man and the subsequent sin it introduced into the world corrupted every aspect of the planet. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV ) Paul was speaking about both physical and spiritual death. The Bible does not indicate that Methuselah's character had anything to do with his long life. Certainly he would have been influenced by the example of his righteous father Enoch, who pleased God so much he escaped death by being "taken up" to heaven. Methuselah died in the year of the Flood . Whether he perished before the Flood or was killed by it, we are not told.

Accomplishments of Methuselah: He lived to be 969 years old. Methuselah was grandfather of Noah, a "righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God." (Genesis 6:9, NIV ) Hometown: Ancient Mesopotamia, exact location not given. References to Methuselah in the Bible: Genesis 5:21-27; 1 Chronicles 1:3; Luke 3:37. Occupation: Children: Lamech and unnamed siblings. Grandson: Noah Descendant: Joseph , earthly father of Jesus Christ Key Verse: Genesis 5:25-27 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. And after he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Methuselah lived 969 years, and then he died. ( NIV ) (Sources: Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Trent C.

Butler, general editor; International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, James Orr, general editor; gotquestions.org ) New Testament People of the Bible (Index) Jack Zavada, a career writer and contributor for About.com, is host to a Christian website for singles. Never married, Jack feels that the hard-won lessons he has learned may help other Christian singles make sense of their lives. His articles and ebooks offer great hope and encouragement. To contact him or for more information, visit Jack's Bio Page . NOVA Online | Methuselah Tree | A Tree's Secret to Living Long Old as the hills, a bristlecone pine stands majestic on an exposed flank of California's White Mountains. Note: To protect its identity, neither this nor any other bristlecone shown in this article is the Methuselah Tree. A Tree's Secret to Living Long by Peter Tyson It's hard enough to accept that a tree that was a seedling before the Egyptian Pyramids went up is still alive today, as is the case with the Methuselah Tree, a bristlecone pine more than 46 centuries old. But it's truly baffling to learn under what conditions it has accomplished this extraordinary feat. Just ask Robert Mohlenbrock.

A decade or so ago, Mohlenbrock, a professor of botany at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, visited the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, part of California's Inyo National Forest. "At the time I thought that any organism that lived longer than the norm had to have optimal conditions going for it," he wrote in Natural History (5/85). For plants, that would mean moderate temperature, shelter from extreme weather, and plenty of moisture and nutrients. Mohlenbrock was in for a surprise. "When I stood looking at Methuselah," he wrote, "I knew I had been wrong." Though it was then midsummer, a bone-numbing wind tore right through him, Mohlenbrock recalled, and the scarce patches of soil at the roughly 10,000-foot elevation where Methuselah and other venerable bristlecones grow, appeared to contain little if any moisture. (A glance at the panoramas in Explore the Methuselah Grove will give you the idea.) How can bristlecones make it in such an unforgiving environment? Read on. So what's Methuselah's secret?

How can it and its kind survive, much less thrive, in conditions that would strike fear into the phloem of virtually all other plants? After decades of intense study, inaugurated in the 1950s by the legendary dendrochronologist Edmund Schulman, scientists are starting to get a grip on what makes bristlecone pines so Methuselah-like. (Or should we say "bristlecone-like?" After all, the biblical Methuselah, ancestor to Noah, was said to have lived 969 years, while the Methuselah Tree, thought to be the world's oldest living thing, has endured almost five times as long.) It turns out that the bristlecone pine has evolved survival strategies that might make other, less hardy plants, well, green with envy. These strategies help it cope with one of the most flora-unfriendly environments on the planet. Mountains of adversity Bristlecone pines come in two varieties. Pinus aristata, the Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine, lives in Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, while P. longaeva, the intermountain bristlecone pine, occurs farther west in California, Nevada, and Utah.

In California's White Mountains, the most ancient members of P. longaeva, including the Methuselah Tree, can be found high in the subalpine zone, from 9,500 feet to timberline at roughly 11,500 feet. Though appearing to be little more than a sapling, this bristlecone may be well over 100 years old. Here, in the rain shadow of the mighty Sierra Nevadas, which block weather approaching from the west, the average annual precipitation is less than 12 inches, and most of that falls as snow in winter. In summer, which can provide as few as six weeks of warmth for bristlecone pines to generate growth and reserves for overwintering, precipitable moisture ranks among the lowest recorded anywhere on Earth. Moreover, the soil the bristlecones cling to is not dirt as most plants know it but dolomite, a limestone substrate with few nutrients. With so little time to get energy from the sun, and so little energy to be had from the soil, growth is grindingly slow. A bristlecone pine may add to its girth no more than an inch per century.

So how does the bristlecone make it in a place so hostile to life that the only other tree that can survive there is the bristlecone-like limber pine? A place that in certain areas hosts but a few forlorn clumps of that symbol of Western fortitude, the sagebrush, and in others looks like the rocky, lifeless surface of Mars?

Question: How many years is Methuselah recorded as having lived?
Answer: 969