During past times, people who existed during the period of the Old Testament all lived to be very old, with record-breaking ages. Here, is a shortlisted compilation of 10 characters from this category of people you probably didn’t know about. The interesting side to this is every single name ranked here are all males. There isn’t a single female here. These ten men all from the Book of Genesis are known as the Antediluvian Patriarchs because they were alive before the flood.
They each lived quite long, with the youngest on this list still considerably older than the person holding the title of Guinness world record’s oldest. With many still finding these ages hard to believe, this list will do justice to quell that doubt. Nonetheless, it is still up to you to decide to believe it or if not, your bible is always there for your reference.
10. Enoch (365)
Enoch, alongside Noah, is one of Adam’s most renowned descendants, and he is also believed to be the author of the book of Enoch. Also known as Enoch the scribe of judgment, he was the son of Jared, father of Methuselah, and great-grandfather of Noah. He did not live very long compared to others on this list, as he was taken away by God at 365 years, making him one of the few people taken to heaven by God without dying.
9. Lamech (777)
Lamech is known to be Noah’s father and died at 777 years old, just a few years before the occurrence of the Great flood in the Book of Genesis. Lamech was 182 when Noah was born and according to the Bible’s timeline, Adam was still alive for the first 56 years of Lamech’s life.
8. Mahalalel (895)
Mahalalel is mentioned eight times throughout the Bible, mostly in the Book of Genesis as part of Adam and Eve’s genealogy. His name is spelled Maleleel in the King James Version of the New Testament.
Another one of Adam’s descendants who lived hundreds of years, Mahalalel died when he was 895 years old. He is the son of Kenan, who had him at 70 years, and the father of Jared.
7. Enos (905)
Enos or Enosh (not Enoch), is the first son of Seth and the grandson of Adam. According to Genesis, Seth was 105 years when Enos was born. It is stated that Enos was 90 years old when his first son Kenan was born.
He lived to be 905 years old and outlived Adam, Seth, and Enoch. According to the Latter-day Saint Scripture (Mormon), Enos was ordained to the Priesthood when he was just 134 years old.
6. Kenan (910)
Kenan, son of Enos, and grandson of Seth is another descendant of Adam. Kenan’s mother was Noam, the wife, and sister of Enosh according to the Book of Jubilees (often called the Lesser Genesis). His wife was Mualeleth, also his sister. Like other characters on this list, he lived up to 900 years of age.
5. Seth (912)
Seth is the third son of Adam and Eve, born after the murder of his brother Abel. According to the account of his story in Genesis, he was born when Adam was 120 years of age. He is the first son in the line of Adam and Eves’s patrilineal descendants that lead up to Noah’s birth.
He is the fifth oldest man in the Bible and is revered for being the righteous son of Adam and Eve in Jewish and Islamic traditions.
4. Adam (930)
Adam is famous for being the first man ever created by God, and his name is often synonymized for man or mankind in the Book of Genesis. The story of Adam and Eve and their fall is common knowledge to many; they were both cast out of the Garden for their disobedience-eating out of the fruit from the tree of good and evil.
Adam was the father to Cain, Abel (who was murdered by his brother Cain), and Seth who sets the family line of Adam and Eve in motion. Adam lived to be 930 years old, just before the advent of the Genesis flood.
3. Noah (950)
Noah is one of the most prominent characters in the Bible, as his story is recounted in the era of the Biblical flood. I’m sure most people are already familiar with the basics of the story- God flooding the Earth due to the sins of mankind, and a new era starting from Noah, his family, and that ark filled with the different species of animals. Noah’s Ark story is one of many flood myths appearing throughout human culture and history. Noah is another direct descendant of Adam and Eve and one of the men in the Bible who lived to be over 900 years old. He is the son of Lamech, the grandson of Methuselah, and when he was 500 years old, Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
2. Jared (962)
Next on this list is Jared, the second oldest man in the Bible. His history can be found in Genesis 5:18-20. He is the Grandfather of Methuselah and a sixth-generation descendant of Adam and Eve. His father was Mahalalel, and among his sons and daughters, Enoch is the most recognized. He was 162 years when Enoch was born and lived to be 962 years.
The name Jared means “To descend”, and is widely popular in the regions of North America.
1. Methuselah (969)
Methuselah is the oldest recorded character in the Bible. In the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament; he is mentioned as the father of Lamech, the grandfather of Noah, and the son of Enoch. He plays a significant role in the Bible, being the link between the genealogical lines from Adam to Noah.
In most other versions of the Bible, Methuselah was recorded to be nearly 200 years of age when his son, Lamech was born; and he died sometime after the flood story. He is a popular Biblical figure, whose name is frequently used when referring to aged people or things.
We are now at the end of this article and you have to admit that it was a wild ride. I trust my Bible Scholars to know all the characters listed here and even more. Drop your comments down below, and share your thoughts if you will.
