Lamech (descendant of Cain)
Lamech (/ˈleɪmɪk/;[1] Hebrew: לֶמֶךְ Lémeḵ, in pausa לָמֶךְ Lā́meḵ) is a figure appearing in the Old Testament's Book of Genesis, where he is the seventh generation from Adam and father of Jabal, the first breeder of livestock, Tubal-Cain, the first metalworker, Jubal, the first musician, and Naamah. This Lamech appears in the Yahwist genealogy (the line of Cain); the Priestly source has another Lamech who is the father of Noah.[2]
This Lamech is distinguished as an insolent man in the Abrahamic texts.[3]
Character
[edit]Lamech is generally characterized in a poor light in the verses that mention him, highlighting him as viciously murderous.[4]
Polygamy
[edit]Lamech is the earliest instance of polygamy in the Abrahamic narrative. Biblical verse Genesis 4:19 states
Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah.
Lamech is recorded taking on two wives simultaneously.
Murder
[edit]Furthermore, biblical verse Genesis 4:23-24 states
Lamech said to his wives:
Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words.
I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me.
If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.
Here Lamech admits to killing a young man in retaliation for striking him. Lamech further boasts of his wrath of vengeance as eleven times worse than Cain's wrath of vengeance.
Comparative religion
[edit]The Adam progeny list is comparable to the ancient Mesopotamian tradition of seven pre-flood heroes who originate arts and culture.[2]
Family tree
[edit]- ^ a b c Genesis 4:1
- ^ Genesis 4:2
- ^ Genesis 4:25; 5:3
- ^ Genesis 4:17
- ^ Genesis 4:26; 5:6–7
- ^ a b c d Genesis 4:18
- ^ Genesis 5:9–10
- ^ Genesis 5:12–13
- ^ Genesis 5:15–16
- ^ a b Genesis 4:19
- ^ Genesis 5:18–19
- ^ Genesis 4:20
- ^ Genesis 4:21
- ^ a b Genesis 4:22
- ^ Genesis 5:21–22
- ^ Genesis 5:25–26
- ^ Genesis 5:28–30
- ^ a b c Genesis 5:32
See also
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ "the definition of Lamech". Dictionary.com.
- ^ a b Rogers 2000, p. 784.
- ^ Feddes, David (2013-07-17). "Lamech - Bible School Insights". Christian Leaders Institute. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
But Lamech was too arrogant to fear anything, and he considered himself a greater avenger than God.
- ^ Hess, Richard S. (1991). "Lamech in the Genealogies of Genesis" (PDF). Bulletin for Biblical Research. BBR 1 (1): 22.
Further, Lamech's character culminates the murderous trait characteristic of this line
Bibliography
[edit]- Rogers, Jeffrey S. (2000). "Lamech". In Freedman, David Noel; Myers, Allen C. (eds.). Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. Eerdmans. ISBN 9781250088703.
