Who is…
Lamech

also known as: Lemek

Hebrew: לֶמֶךְ —transliteration: Lemek —occurrences: 11 (10 times in Genesis, and once in 1 Chronicles 1:3-4)

The original meaning of this very ancient name is unknown. It is from an unused root of uncertain meaning. A number of widely varying possible meanings have been suggested by researchers, including: man of prayer; powerful; youth; strong young man; conqueror; one who overthrows; destroyer; the strikerdown.

This was the name of two patriarchs who lived before the biblical Flood (pre-Flood, antediluvian).

Lamech, son of Methushael

This Lamech is a Cainite. He had two sons, Jabal and Jubal, by his wife Adah. His other wife Zillah bore him a daughter named Naamah and son Tubal-Cain.

Lamech was a vengeful man who told his wives…

“Adah and Zillah,
Hear my voice,
You wives of Lamech,
Give ear to my word,
For I have killed a man for striking me;
And a boy for wounding me;
If Cain is avenged 7-fold,
Then Lamech 77-fold.” —Genesis 4:23-24 excerpt

“The 5th in descent from Cain. Lamech was the first [known] to violate the primeval ordinance of marriage (Genesis 4:18-24). His address to his two wives, Adah and Zillah (Gen. 4:23, 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.” —Matthew G. Easton

Lineage: Adam and Eve → Cain → Enoch → Irad → Mehujael → Methushael → Lamech → Jabal and Jubal, and Naamah and Tubal-Cain

Relatives

Lamech, son of Methuselah and father of Noah

This Lamech is a Sethite and son of the world’s oldest known man and patriarch Methuselah. Lamech’s father was 187 years at his birth.

Noah was the oldest of Lamech's several sons (Genesis 5:25-31; Luke 3:36) and was born when Lamech was 182 years old.

Now he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will give us rest from our work and from the pain of our hands arising from the ground which Yahweh has cursed.” —Genesis 5:29 LSB

Lamech was 777 years old when he died (Genesis 5:31), and was the 7th in descent from Seth. He is the only son of Methuselah that is mentioned in the Bible, and Lamech is included in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Luke 3:36).

Lineage from the 1st Adam to the 2nd Adam: God → ADAM → Seth → Enos / Enosh → Cainan → Mahalalel / Mahalaleel → Jared → Enoch → Methuselah → Lamech → NOAH → Shem → Arphaxad / Arpachshad → Shelah → Eber / Heber (father of the Hebrews) → Peleg → Reu → Serug → Nahor → Terah → Abraham → Isaac → Jacob → Judah → Perez → Hezron → Ram → Amminadab → Nahshon → Salmon → Boaz → Obed → Jesse → KING DAVID and Queen Bathsheba → Prince Nathan → Mattathah → Menan / Menna → Melea → Eliakim → Jonan → Joseph → Judah → Simeon → Levi → Matthat → Jorim → Eliezer → Jose (Joshua, Jesus) → Er → Elmodam → Cosam → Addi → Melchi → Neri → Shealtiel → Zerubbabel → Rhesa → Joannas / Joanna → Judah → Joseph → Semei → Mattathiah / Mattathias → Maath → Naggai → Esli → Nahum → Amos → Mattathiah / Mattathias → Joseph → Janna → Melchi → Levi → Matthat → Heli → MARY, mother of Jesus → The 2nd Adam, JESUS THE CHRIST, the God-Man (wholly God and wholly human)

More information

Article Version: January 12, 2026