Question
Gramps,
I am a little confused as to who Lamech was in the Old Testament. I know that there are two different people in the Old Testament named Lamech; one through the lineage of Seth, the other through that of Cain. If I am not mistaken, the Lamech that was a descendant of Cain was also a murderer. I forget the exact wording of the scriptures, but it basically states; “Then Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, Even a young man for hurting me. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.” Was he talking about a curse that would be placed on him for killing Irad, his great-grandfather? If so, what was the curse?
Dave
Answer
Dear Dave,
You are correct in that there are two men named Lamech. The one that this scripture is talking about is a descendant of Cain. The curse given to Cain is found in Moses 5: “36 And now thou shalt be cursed from the earth which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand. 37 When thou tillest the ground it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength. A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.” Cain felt that this curse was more than he could bear and that everyone that he came in contact with would try to kill him.
To prevent this, the Lord gave Cain a “mark” or a dark skin.(Moses 7:8) Cain and Satan had entered into a secret combination or society where Cain swore that he would do according to what Satan wanted and that he would not divulge the secret society. To do so was at the peril of death. In Moses 5: “31 And Cain said: Truly I am Mahan, the master of this great secret, that I may murder and get gain. Wherefore Cain was called Master Mahan, and he gloried in his wickedness.” Lamech who the great-great-great grandson of Cain, also entered into a covenant with Satan and joined the secret society as stated in Moses 5: “49 For Lamech having entered into a covenant with Satan, after the manner of Cain, wherein he became Master Mahan, master of that great secret which was administered unto Cain by Satan; …”
Because Irad, who was his great grandfather and grandson of Cain, began to reveal the secret society to “the sons of Adam” Lamech slew Irad to keep him quiet. He killed Irad for the oath’s sake and not for gain as had Cain when he killed his brother Abel. Lamech revealed what he had done to his wives, who rebelled against him and “declared these things abroad”. Because he introduced murder for the oath sake and then broke the covenant of the secret society, he was to be “avenged seventy and seven fold”, whereas Cain was avenged seven fold. He was sought after by those of the society as well as others and “came not among the sons of men”. The works of darkness began to prevail among men and because of this the Lord cursed the earth. Moses 5: “56 And God cursed the earth with a sore curse, and was angry with the wicked, with all the sons of men whom he had made.” From the days of Cain and Lamech there has been many secret societies who do their acts in secret, follow the wishes of Satan and keep not the commandments of God.
