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Methusael

biblical_person theological_term standard

Methusael is a man named in Cain’s genealogy in Genesis 4:18. He is identified as the son of Mehujael and the father of Lamech, with no further narrative given in Scripture.

At a Glance

Methusael is a genealogical person in Genesis 4:18, listed in the line of Cain.

Key Points

Description

Methusael is a brief genealogical figure in Genesis 4:18. The passage identifies him as the son of Mehujael and the father of Lamech, placing him in the line of Cain. Beyond this family connection, Scripture records no deeds, speech, or direct theological significance associated with him. Accordingly, Methusael should be understood as a minor biblical person known only through genealogy rather than as a doctrinal or thematic figure.

Biblical Context

Methusael appears in the genealogical list of Cain’s descendants in Genesis 4. The surrounding passage traces the developing family line from Cain through several generations to Lamech and his children.

Historical Context

Genealogies in Genesis preserve family lines that help locate people within the unfolding biblical narrative. Methusael’s name appears in a pre-flood Cainite genealogy, but no historical details beyond the biblical record are supplied.

Jewish and Ancient Context

Ancient Jewish readers generally treated such names as part of the sacred ancestral record, though Methusael himself is not given a major interpretive role in the canonical text.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

The Hebrew form is a proper personal name transliterated as Methusael.

Theological Significance

Methusael has little direct theological significance in Scripture beyond his place in the Cainite genealogy. His mention helps preserve the biblical record of early human family lines and the spread of Cain’s descendants.

Philosophical Explanation

As a biblical person rather than a doctrine, Methusael illustrates how Scripture often preserves ordinary historical names without additional explanation. The value of the entry lies in factual identification, not in speculative interpretation.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not build doctrines or symbolic systems around Methusael’s name. The text gives only genealogical identification, so interpretation should stay within the limits of Genesis 4:18.

Major Views

There are no major interpretive disputes about Methusael in the biblical text itself. Discussion is usually limited to genealogy, name form, and textual genealogy charts.

Doctrinal Boundaries

Methusael should not be treated as a theological category, a moral example, or a typological figure without explicit biblical warrant.

Practical Significance

For Bible readers, Methusael is a reminder that Scripture’s genealogies preserve real people and real family lines, even when the narrative does not expand on them.

Related Entries

See Also

Data

Machine-readable JSON for Methusael

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