Definition: And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.
Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this passage from Genesis 5:17. It’s a really fascinating and slightly mysterious story about a woman named Mahalaleel. Here's what it means in simpler terms: The Basic Story: Mahalaleel was a beautiful woman. She lived for an incredibly long time – almost eight hundred ninety years! She died peacefully. In the end, she passed away naturally, without suffering any illness or accident. What it’s saying is that she lived exceptionally long and had a remarkably stable life. Let's unpack it a bit: “And all the days…” This means her life was marked by a continuous period of time. “…were eight hundred ninety and five years.” This is the key part. It’s a huge number – 809 years! That’s an astonishing amount of time. "...and he died." This simply states that Mahalaleel reached the end of her life. Why is this important? This story raises some theological questions: What was her life like? It suggests a very stable and peaceful existence for a long period. 809 years is an extraordinary amount of time. How did she achieve it? The Bible doesn’t give us a detailed explanation of how Mahalaleel lived so long. It’s a mystery! Interpretations & Possible Meanings: Different people have interpreted this story in various ways: A symbol of God's plan: Some believe it symbolizes God’s perfect and enduring plan for humanity. A record of the early human population: It could be a record of the first humans who lived on Earth for a long time. A story about resilience and longevity: It emphasizes the importance of living a good life and maintaining peace throughout one's years. In short, Genesis 5:17 tells us of a woman who lived extraordinarily long – nearly 809 years – and died peacefully. --- Do you want me to elaborate on any specific aspect of this story? For example, would you like to know: More about the context of the story in Genesis? Different interpretations of the meaning?