Lexical Definition
לֶמֶךְ Lemek (leh'-mek) Lamech N:N-M-P
from an unused root of uncertain meaning
Lamech.
- § Lamech = "powerful"
- Lemek, the name of two antediluvian patriarchs
1) the 5th lineal descendant from Cain, husband of Adah and Zillah, father of sons, Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-cain, and daughter, Naamah
2) father of Noah
See Greek: Λάμεχ
Extended Information
- A man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.4.18
- son of: Methushael (מְתוּשָׁאֵל); married to Adah (עָדָה) and Zillah (צִלָּה)
- father of: Jabal (יָבָל), Jubal (יוּבַל), Tubal-cain (תּוּבַל קַיִן), Naamah (נַעֲמָה)
Brown-Driver-Briggs
לֶ֫מֶךְ proper name, masculine (on original form compare LagBN 77; conjecture as to meaning BuUrgesch. 102, 129); — ׳ל Gen 4:19 + 7 t.; לָ֑מֶךְ Gen 4:18 + 2 t.; —
1. son of מְתוּשָׁאֵל (Cainite) Gen 4:18; Gen 4:19; Gen 4:23 (twice in verse); Gen 4:24 (all J).
2. son of מְתוּשֶׁלַח (Sethite) Gen 5:25; Gen 5:26; Gen 5:28; Gen 5:30; Gen 5:31 (all P), 1Chr 1:3. — ᵐ5 Ααμεχ.
לְמִן, לְמִנִּי see מִן 9 b. לְמַעַן see מען below ענה. לֹעַ see below I. לוּעַ.
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Genesis | 4:18 · 4:19 · 4:23 · 4:24 · 5:25 · 5:26 · 5:28 · 5:30 · 5:31 |
| 1 Chronicles | 1:3 |
Profile
Male • Son of Methushael • Descendant of Cain; first polygamist mentioned in the Bible
Man living at the time before the Flood
Lamech, a descendant of Cain, was the first polygamist mentioned in the Bible (Gen.4.18-24).
- A man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.4.18;
- only referred to as Lamech לֶמֶךְ;
- a son of Methushael מְתוּשָׁאֵל;
- husband of Adah עָדָה and Zillah צִלָּה;
- father of Jabal יָבָל, Jubal יוּבַל, Tubal-cain תּוּבַל קַיִן, Naamah נַעֲמָה.
Lamech was a descendant of Cain, the son of Adam and Eve (Gen.4.18). He was the father of Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-cain (Gen.4.20-22). Lamech is notable for being the first polygamist mentioned in the Bible, having married two women, Adah and Zillah (Gen.4.19). He is also known for his speech to his wives, in which he boasted about killing a man for wounding him and claimed that he would be avenged seventy-sevenfold, in contrast to the sevenfold vengeance promised to Cain (Gen.4.23-24). This speech suggests a progression of violence and a disregard for the sanctity of human life among Cain's descendants.
All entries for Lamech: לֶמֶךְ
Related Profiles:
- Methushael (father)
- Adah (spouse)
- Zillah (spouse)
- Jabal (child)
- Jubal (child)
- Tubal-cain (child)
- Naamah (child)