מְתוּשָׁאֵל (me.tu.sha.el)
me.tu.sha.el
Methushael
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
Methushael is a proper name found only once in the Hebrew Bible, appearing in Genesis 4:18 as part of Cain’s genealogy. The sources identify him as the son of Mehujael and the father of Lamech, placing him fourth in descent from Cain. His name translates to "man of God" or "who is of God," a theophoric element that links his identity directly to the divine.
Although he has no recorded deeds or dialogue, his inclusion in the lineage highlights the continuity of Cain’s line before the Flood. The name itself stands out because it combines a human element with a reference to God, even within a family line marked by violence and separation from Abel’s branch. This single mention preserves his place in the ancient record without adding further narrative detail.
Translators consistently render the name as Methushael or Methusael, maintaining the phonetic structure of the Hebrew. The brevity of his appearance underscores how biblical genealogies often serve to map relationships rather than provide biographical sketches. His significance lies in his position within the family tree, connecting Mehujael to Lamech and preserving the historical thread of this specific ancestral line.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Methushael appears in Genesis 4:18 as a link in Cain’s family line. His name means “man of God,” which is striking given his ancestors’ violent history. This title reminds us that even in broken lines, God remains present and sovereign over human history.
His brief mention shows how Scripture values every person in its record. We do not know his deeds, but his inclusion preserves the continuity of this lineage until Lamech. For believers, this highlights God’s faithfulness to maintain order and memory, even in difficult chapters of the Bible.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ Methushael1×
- Methushael1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מְת֣וּשָׁאֵ֔ל1×
- וּ/מְתוּשָׁאֵ֖ל1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 4:18
Irad was born to Enoch. Irad became the father of Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became the father of Lamech.
This verse places Methushael as the father of Lamech, showing his role in continuing Cain’s line despite its troubled history.