Original Word: מְתוּשָׁאֵל
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Mthuwsha'el
Pronunciation: meh-thoo-sha-EL
Phonetic Spelling: (meth-oo-shaw-ale')
KJV: Methusael
NASB: Methushael
Word Origin: [from H4962 (מַת - men) and H410 (אֵל - God), with the relative interposed]

1. man who (is) of God
2. Methusael, an antediluvian patriarch

Methusael

From math and 'el, with the relative interposed; man who (is) of God; Methusael, an antediluvian patriarch -- Methusael.

see HEBREW math

see HEBREW 'el

Word Origin
from math and el
Definition
"man of God," a desc. of Cain
NASB Translation
Methushael (2).

מְתוּשָׁאֵל proper name, masculine descendant of Cain (Babylonian form., mutu-ša-ili 'man of God,' Len^{Orig. ed. 2, i. 262 f. Eng. Tr. 268}); — Genesis 4:18 (twice in verse) (J), ᵐ5 Μαθουσαλα (i.e.מְתוּשֶׁלַח? so Di; otherwise Bu^{Urgesch. 125 f.})

Biblical Occurrences

Genesis 4:18 records the sole mention of Methushael within the canon: “Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.” (Berean Standard Bible). The verse is repeated in some textual traditions, resulting in two catalogued occurrences.

Genealogical Context

1. Line of Cain Methushael appears in the fifth generation from Cain: Cain → Enoch → Irad → Mehujael → Methushael → Lamech.
2. Transitional Figure He stands between Mehujael and the notorious Lamech, whose violent poetry (Genesis 4:23–24) epitomizes the moral decline of Cain’s lineage. Methushael therefore forms a bridge between an ancestor whose name recalls God and a descendant who rejects divine restraint.

Historical Setting in the Antediluvian World

Methushael belongs to the period before the Flood, a time marked by rapid cultural advances (Genesis 4:20–22) and accelerating corruption (Genesis 6:5). The genealogy that lists him showcases both of these trajectories: technological ingenuity flourished, yet so did violence and disregard for God. Methushael’s generation would have witnessed the spread of cities (4:17) and the rise of specialized crafts, while simultaneously living under the shadow of Eden’s exile.

Spiritual Insights and Ministry Implications

• Name Theology Although Scripture offers no narrative details of Methushael’s life, his name contains an explicit reference to God, reminding readers that even within a rebellious line, the awareness of the LORD had not been entirely extinguished.
• Generational Influence His place in the lineage warns that a theologically rich name is no safeguard against later apostasy; his son’s celebration of vengeance underscores how faith must be actively embraced, not merely inherited.
• Grace Amid Judgment By preserving this genealogy, the Holy Spirit testifies that God’s common grace operated among Cain’s descendants, allowing culture to develop and families to multiply, even as saving grace would later concentrate in the line of Seth (Genesis 4:26).

Intertextual Considerations

• Contrast with Methuselah Readers sometimes confuse Methushael with Methuselah of Seth’s line (Genesis 5:21–27). The near homophony highlights the parallel yet divergent destinies of the two families: one culminating in Lamech the sword-singer, the other in Noah the ark-builder.
• Typological Echoes The dual traditions of Lamech (Genesis 4; Genesis 5) illustrate that two very different legacies can coexist in the same generation—one marked by boastful violence, the other by expectant faith. Methushael’s placement throws the darker lineage into sharper relief.

Applications for Today

1. Heritage and Holiness A godly heritage should be treasured, yet each believer must personally respond to God’s call (Ezekiel 18:20).
2. Cultural Engagement The antediluvian world demonstrates that cultural achievement without spiritual submission breeds chaos; Christian ministry must hold truth and creativity together under Christ’s lordship.
3. Generational Prayer Methushael’s silent appearance prompts intercession that descendants will not merely bear names referencing God but will know Him intimately (3 John 4).

וּמְתוּשָׁאֵ֖ל ומתושאל מְת֣וּשָׁאֵ֔ל מתושאל mə·ṯū·šā·’êl məṯūšā’êl meTushaEl ū·mə·ṯū·šā·’êl ūməṯūšā’êl umetushaElInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts