Who Lived the Longest in the Bible?

Question: Who lived the longest in the Bible? And who is the person who lived the longest on earth?

Answer:

According to the Bible, the person who lived the longest was Methuselah, the son of Enoch, who was taken up by God. The Bible records that Methuselah lived 969 years, and no one else is recorded to have lived longer than him.

Genesis 5:25–27 (ESV)

“When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he fathered Lamech.

Methuselah lived after he fathered Lamech 782 years and had other sons and daughters.

Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.”

Other people who lived long lives in the Bible include:

Jared – 962 years (Genesis 5:20)
Noah – 950 years (Genesis 9:29)
Adam – 930 years (Genesis 5:5)
Seth – 912 years (Genesis 5:8)
Kenan – 910 years (Genesis 5:14)
Enosh – 905 years (Genesis 5:11)
Mahalalel – 895 years (Genesis 5:17)
Lamech – 777 years (Genesis 5:31)
Enoch – 365 years (Genesis 5:18–24)

After the Flood of Noah, human lifespan was reduced to 120 years, and even then, very few lived that long most lived far less.

Genesis 6:3 (ESV)

“Then the Lord said, ‘My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.’”

As time went on, human life expectancy continued to decrease from 120 years down to about 80 years.

Psalm 90:9–10 (ESV)

“For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh.

The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty;

yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.”

Why Has the Human Lifespan Continued to Decrease?

Is it because of climate change or changes in food?

The simple answer is: because of sin. Not the weather or diet but sin itself.

The very first thing that shortened human life from living forever to living 930 years was sin, beginning with Adam and Eve. It was not because they lacked a healthy diet or didn’t exercise. It was because of disobedience to God.

That same principle continues today. As sin increases, human life continues to shorten. Meanwhile, Satan tries to deceive people into thinking that long life comes only from healthy eating or exercise such as avoiding meat, fats, or following perfect fitness routines.

While those practices are good and beneficial for health, they do not guarantee long life. Many people who live very healthily die young, and others who do not follow those routines live long lives.

The true secret to a long and blessed life is to fear God and turn away from evil.

Keep His commandments and do His will then your life will be long, both in this world and in the one to come.