Lamech
descendant of Cain
Son of Methusael in the line of Cain, who took two wives, Adah and Zillah, fathered Jabal, Jubal, Tubal-cain and Naamah, and spoke a boast about avenging himself.
1 passage
Lamech's Two Wives, Children, and Song of Vengeance
18Enoch had a son named Irad. Irad was the father of Mehujael. Mehujael was the father of Methusael. Methusael was the father of Lamech.
And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.
This is a family list. Each name is the son of the name before it. Lists like this show how many years went by.
19Lamech married two wives. One was named Adah. The other was named Zillah.
And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
In those days some men married more than one wife. The Bible tells us this happened; it does not say it was good.
20Adah had a son named Jabal. He was the father of people who live in tents and keep animals.
And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.
"Father of" here means the first one to do something. People after him lived in tents and kept animals too.
21His brother's name was Jubal. He was the father of all who play the harp and the flute.
And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.
The King James Bible says "organ," but this is not a church organ. It was a simple pipe you blow into, like a flute.
22Zillah also had a son, Tubalcain. He taught everyone who made things out of brass and iron. Tubalcain's sister was named Naamah.
And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.
Tubalcain worked with metal. He heated it in fire and hammered it into tools. Brass here means bronze, a hard metal.
23Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah, "Hear my voice. Wives of Lamech, listen to my words. I have killed a man for wounding me. I have killed a young man for hurting me.
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.
Lamech is singing a little song to his wives. He is bragging about hurting someone who hurt him.
24If Cain is paid back seven times, then Lamech will be paid back seventy-seven times."
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
Lamech is saying he will pay people back even harder than Cain. Seventy-seven times means much, much more.
Every passage here is the King James text. Nothing on this page retells the story; it only puts the pieces in order.