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Meaning, origin and etymology of the name Methusael


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Methusael Methusael

Methushael is the son of Mehujael, the son of Irad, the son of Enoch, the son of Cain. That means that Methushael is the fourth generation after Cain. This is significant because God's curses tend to mellow out after four generations (Deut 5:9).

Traditionally this name is explained as follows: From el (El 93) and mat (mat 1263), which is one of a few words to denote man or mankind, and used most often to indicate a male capable of combat. There is an obvious and grim connection with the word mut (mut 1169), to die; corpse.

However, in between mat and el stands the letter shin, which the traditional explanation ignores. But it is too dominant a letter to just show up and not alter meaning (such as is the case in some occurrences of waw, he and yod). Jones thinks it comes from the word Asher (asher 183) meaning to go straight on, but does not incorporate this idea in his final translation. Jones and NOBSE both read Man Of God.

The shin as particle is interrogative: who, which, or where, what? It's also used as conjecture: that, because. Or to indicate the genitive. Reading a particle for shin the name becomes: I'm A Mortal; Where's God?

Another solution shows when we depart from the idea that every el must relate to God. The word shaal (sha'al 2303) means to ask, inquire, borrow, beg (see Saul). Derivatives: sheela (she'la 2303a) means request, demand. sheol (she'ol 2303c), curiously enough is the famous word Sheol, meaning grave, pit, or in some applications, hell.
Then there is the word matay (matay 1266), which means when.

Methushael is a wonderfully poetic name with lots of meanings: Man Of God; I'm Mortal, Where's God?; Man Of Inquisition or Requested Man (the Man We Wanted). And it means When Requested.



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