Pronunciation and Origin
This name is pronounced meh-tu-sheh-lahh (the "hh" is pronounced hard like the "ch" in the name "Bach") in Hebrew. This name is a combination of two words - metu and shelahh.
Traditional Meaning According to Strong’s Concordance
Strong's dictionary defines the name Methuselah as "man of the dart". This is based on the root words:
- Metu (from mat, Strong’s #4962) – “man”
- Shelach (Strong’s #7973) – “weapon” or “missile”
An Alternate Hebrew Interpretation
But, there is another possible meaning for this name. The word metu may be derived from the word mot meaning death and the "u" is a suffix that means "their" - "their death". There is no way to know for certain if the final vowel in metu was an "o" or an "u" as the vowel pointings that make that distinction are of fairly recent origin. If it was originally an "o" then the suffix would change to "his" - "his death".
The word shelach (missile or weapon) is the noun form of the verb shalach meaning "to send" (a missile or weapon that is sent). Shelach has the more literal meaning of "to send something".
This gives us potential translations such as:
- Their death sends
- His death sends
These phrases sound like incomplete sentences—until we consider the historical context.
A Prophetic Connection: Methuselah and the Flood
It is interesting to note that the year Methuselah died, the flood was sent. His name may actually contain a prophetic message:
"his death will send"
This may imply that Methuselah’s very name served as a divine clue or warning: His death would mark the sending of judgment—the great flood described in Genesis.