לֶ֫מֶךְ (le.mekh)
le.mekh
Lamech
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 10 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Lamech, meaning "powerful" or "cast down," appears ten times in Scripture across Genesis and I Chronicles. It identifies two distinct figures in the biblical lineage: a descendant of Cain who lived before the Flood and the father of Noah. In Genesis 4:18, he is introduced as the son of Methushael and husband to Adah and Zillah, marking him as the fifth generation from Cain.
This first Lamech is notable for his polygamous household and his role as the father of key cultural pioneers. His sons Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-cain are credited with establishing animal husbandry, musical arts, and metalworking, respectively, while his daughter Naamah completes the family record. The name’s root suggests strength or perhaps a downward casting, reflecting the complex legacy of this early patriarch.
The second Lamech appears in Genesis 5:28 as the father of Noah. Here, the name carries a different theological weight, as his father Lamech (Methushael's descendant) names him Noah, expressing hope that he will bring relief from the ground's curse. I Chronicles 1:3-4 later confirms this lineage, linking the antediluvian line to the post-Flood world through this pivotal ancestor.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Lamech appears in Scripture as a marker of two very different lineages. In Genesis 4, it identifies a descendant of Cain who boasts of violent vengeance, extending his pride far beyond God’s protection of Cain. This account reminds us that human strength, when divorced from reverence for God, can quickly turn into destructive arrogance and self-exaltation.
Yet the name also appears in the line of Seth, as the father of Noah. Here, it carries a note of hope, with his father expressing a desire for relief from the cursed ground. This contrast shows that history is not just a record of human failure but also of God’s preserving grace through faithful lines. We see how God works through ordinary families to bring about His purposes.
For your faith, this word invites reflection on where you place your trust. Do we rely on our own power and reputation, like the first Lamech? Or do we look forward to the relief and redemption that only God can provide, as hoped for in the line of Noah? It is a call to humility and hope.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 10 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Lamech10×
- and/ Lamech1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לָֽמֶךְ\׃3×
- לֶ֔מֶךְ3×
- לֶ֜מֶךְ1×
- לֶ֗מֶךְ1×
- לֶ֖מֶךְ1×
- לֶ֕מֶךְ1×
- וְ/לֶ֖מֶךְ1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 4:23
Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice. You wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, for I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for bruising me.
This verse captures Lamech’s arrogant boast of personal vengeance, highlighting his departure from God's order.
-
Genesis 5:28
Lamech lived one hundred eighty-two years, then became the father of a son.
Here Lamech is the father of Noah, linking the name to a future hope for relief from human toil.
-
Genesis 4:24
If Cain will be avenged seven times, truly Lamech seventy-seven times.”
Lamech claims seventy-sevenfold vengeance, showing how pride escalates beyond divine limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Lamech mean?
Are there two different people named Lamech in the Bible?
Why is Lamech significant in Genesis?
Every Occurrence (10 verses across 2 books)
Genesis 9 verses
Irad was born to Enoch. Irad became the father of Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became…
Genesis 4:19Lamech took two wives: the name of the first one was Adah, and the name of the second one was Zillah.
Genesis 4:23Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice. You wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, for I have slain a…
Genesis 4:24If Cain will be avenged seven times, truly Lamech seventy-seven times.”
Genesis 5:25Methuselah lived one hundred eighty-seven years, then became the father of Lamech.
Genesis 5:26Methuselah lived after he became the father of Lamech seven hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of other…
Genesis 5:28Lamech lived one hundred eighty-two years, then became the father of a son.
Genesis 5:30Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and became the father of other sons and…
Genesis 5:31All the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years, then he died.