Man living at the time before the Flood
Lamech, a descendant of Cain, was the first polygamist mentioned in the Bible.
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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.
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4 verses in 1 book · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H3929
Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methusael, and Methusael was the father of Lamech.
And Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah.
Then Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, listen to my speech. For I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me.
If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.