Bible Dictionary · L
Lamech
The strikerdown; the wild man. (1.) The fifth in descent from Cain. He was the first to violate the primeval ordinance of marriage (Gen 4:18–24). His address to his two wives, Adah and Zillah (Gen 4:23, Gen 4:24), is the only extant example of antediluvian poetry. It has been called “Lamech’s sword-song.” He was “rude and ruffianly,” fearing neither God nor man. With him the curtain falls on the race of Cain. We know nothing of his descendants.
(2.) The seventh in descent from Seth, being the only son of Methuselah. Noah was the oldest of his several sons (Gen 5:25–31; Luke 3:36).
Named in the Bible
11 verses
- Genesis 4:18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.
- Genesis 4:19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
- Genesis 4:23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.
- Genesis 4:24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
- Genesis 5:25 And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech:
- Genesis 5:26 And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:
- Genesis 5:28 And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:
- Genesis 5:30 And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:
- Genesis 5:31 And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.
- 1 Chronicles 1:3 Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech,
- Luke 3:36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,
From Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897), by Matthew George Easton.
