**Methuselah** was born in Year 687, sixty-five years after Enoch [(in Bereishit Rabbah it is printed 65, which is an error)], and lived 969 years [(in Seder HaDorot 65 it is written 969, which is an error)]. He was completely righteous and studied 900 orders of Mishnah [(Yalkut Bereishit section 42)]. The Mekhilta writes: Why was his name called Shelach? Because he had a sword inscribed with the Explicit Name, and with it he killed 500 harmful spirits and demons each day.

When he died, this was taken with him. This is Methuselah, meaning "he died and it was sent with him." Shelach means sword, as in "may his sword pass through" (Job 36) [thus ends Seder HaDorot, end of Bereishit]. And in Yalkut Reuveni, Bereishit 25, it brings in the name of Seder HaDorot that with it he felled a thousand harmful spirits, and this sword belonged to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Esau gave the birthright in exchange for this sword. [I do not know where this is found; perhaps this is the meaning of what Jacob said "which I took with my sword," meaning the aforementioned sword].

**And Enoch walked** with God after he fathered Methuselah, and he served HaShem and despised the evil ways of mankind. He clung to the discipline of HaShem with knowledge and understanding and separated himself from mankind for many days and years. After many days and years, while praying to HaShem in his house and chamber, an angel of HaShem called to him from heaven and said "Here I am." The angel said to him: "Go out from your house where you have hidden yourself and go to all mankind to teach them the way and the deeds they should do." He went out and taught them and gathered mankind and informed them of the discipline of HaShem.

They proclaimed and announced in all places: Whoever desires to know the ways of HaShem, let him come to Enoch. All mankind gathered and he reigned over all mankind, and they bowed down to him on the ground and heard his words. He taught them the wisdom of God and His ways, and they served HaShem all the days of Enoch. All the kings of mankind, the first and the last, their princes and their judges came to Enoch and bowed down to him and asked that he reign over them.

They all gathered, some 330 kings and princes, and made Enoch king. He taught them and made peace among them all, and he reigned over all mankind for 243 years. He did righteousness and justice for all his people [(Sefer HaYashar)]. Seder HaDorot writes [(62)] that Enoch wrote divine matters, but they were not accepted as authentic.

He was the first to compose books on astronomy and had great wars with the sons of Cain. In Sefer Mikach [(Parashat Bereishit)] it is written that it is recorded in the Book of the Signs of the Prophets that Enoch was a great sage and pious man who brought the peoples under the service of God, who first extracted the wisdom of the stars, and who legislated for the inhabitants of the seven climates each the religion appropriate to the nature of that climate.

He commanded that they make festivals and offerings at specific times according to the power of the star ruling that climate. He commanded some that they should not eat certain foods and permitted them to others, that they should guard against lying with menstruating women and the impurity of the dead, that their intention should be for the perpetuation of civilization. He divided the masses into twelve watches: priests, kings, commoners, and many other poor matters.

He calculated the year and transmitted it to Noah [(see Year 956)]. These are the descendants of Enoch: Methuselah, Elisha, Elimelech, and their sisters Malkah and Naamah [(Sefer HaYashar)].