Methuselah

The following is a stained glass window depicting Methuselah, ca. 12th century in the Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England:

Photo by Robert Scarth, hosted by Wikimedia Commons under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license

Stained glass is not just highly decorative, it’s a medium which has been used to express important religious messages for centuries. Literacy was not widespread in the medieval and Renaissance periods and the Church used stained glass and other artworks to teach the central beliefs of Christianity. In Gothic churches, the windows were filled with extensive narrative scenes in stained glass — like huge and colorful picture storybooks — in which worshipers could ‘read’ the stories of Christ and the saints and learn what was required for their religious salvation. (Source: Victoria and Albert Museum )

Enoch

The name that is transliterated as “Enoch” in English means “initiated,” “initiating,” “teacher,” “dedicated,” “consecrated.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

In Finnish Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying “taken away” (referring to Genesis 5:24). (Source: Tarja Sandholm)


“Enoch” in Finnish Sign Language (source )

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with the sign for “disappear.” (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Enoch” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Enoch .

complete verse (1 Chronicles 1:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Chronicles 1:3:

  • Kupsabiny: “Enoch. Enoch produced Methuselah who produced Lamech who came to produce” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Enoc, Metusela, Lamec, and Noe.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Enoch’s son was Methuselah. Methusalah’s son was Lamech. Lamech’s son was Noah.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on 1 Chronicles 1:3

Enoch, Methuselah, and Lamech represent the seventh, eighth, and ninth generations of humankind. Regarding the relationship of these three persons, see the comments on 1 Chr 1.1. Enoch was the son of Jared and was sixty-five years old when his son Methuselah was born (Gen 5.21).

Methuselah, who lived for 969 years (Gen 5.27), was 187 years old when his son Lamech was born (Gen 5.25).

Lamech was 182 years old when his son Noah was born (Gen 5.28).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Chronicles 1:3

1:3 Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech.

Enoch ⌊was the father of⌋ Methuselah. ⌊Methuselah was the father of⌋ Lamech. ⌊Lamech was the father of Noah.⌋
-or-
Enoch ⌊had a son named⌋ Methuselah. ⌊Methuselah had a son named⌋ Lamech. ⌊Lamech had a son named Noah.⌋

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