Interesting Facts

• Lamech was the son of Methuselah.
• He married Ashmua (also called Betenos), who was the daughter of Elishaa the son of Enoch (his uncle).
• His marriage to Ashmua/Betenos occurred when he was 180 years old.
• He fathered Noah with his wife Ashmua/Betenos.
• He gave Noah the name Menachem, stating that Noah would comfort them in their works and the toil of the cursed earth.
• He died at the age of 777 years.
• He did not walk with all his heart in the ways of his father.

Genealogy

• Lamech was the son of Methuselah.
• His father, Methuselah, was the son of Enoch (from Seth’s line).
• Enoch’s father was Jared.
• Jared’s father was Mahalalel.
• Mahalalel’s father was Cainan.
• Cainan’s father was Enos.
• Enos’s father was Seth.
• Seth was the son of Adam.
• Lamech married Ashmua, daughter of Elishaa, who was the son of Enoch (Lamech’s uncle). She is also called Betenos, the daughter of Baraki’il, the daughter of his father’s brother.
• His son was Noah. The sources do not mention any other children from this marriage before Noah’s birth.

Historical Context

Lamech lived in a period marked by increasing lawlessness and corruption on the earth following the descent of the Watchers and the subsequent birth and destruction of the Giants. While the initial extreme violence of the Giants had ceased, the moral fabric of humanity continued to deteriorate. God had already declared his intention to destroy mankind due to their wickedness. Lamech’s lifetime also coincided with the righteous life and eventual ascension of his grandfather Enoch. Enoch’s teachings and separation from the wicked world likely provided a contrasting example of piety during Lamech’s life. Despite this heritage of righteousness through Enoch and Methuselah, the sources indicate that even during Lamech’s time, men did not fully adhere to the ways of the Lord. The continued corruption ultimately led to God’s decision to send the Flood, a judgment that Lamech would precede in death.

Narrative

The narrative concerning Lamech from Seth’s line focuses primarily on his marriage and the birth of his son Noah. His choice of wife, Ashmua/Betenos, who was his cousin, aligns with the familial marriage patterns mentioned in the sources within Seth’s lineage. Notably, Lamech’s naming of his son Noah reflects a sense of weariness and hope related to the cursed state of the earth and the toil of humankind. He expressed that Noah would bring comfort from this hardship. The sources state that Lamech lived to be 777 years old and died before the Flood. Interestingly, one source notes that he “did not go with all his heart in the ways of his father”, suggesting a possible deviation from the complete righteousness exemplified by Enoch and perhaps even Methuselah. This nuance implies a gradual decline even within the chosen lineage before the ultimate judgment. His life, therefore, serves as a link between the era of Enoch’s profound righteousness and the generation of Noah, who found grace in God’s eyes amidst widespread corruption.