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לֶמֶךְ

𐤋𐤌𐤊

Lemekhe

H3929 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain (proper name; meaning unknown)

Definition

A personal name, Lemek, used for two distinct antediluvian patriarchs in the primeval genealogies of Genesis. The meaning of the name is uncertain, and it does not carry a lexical sense beyond its use as a proper noun.

Semantic Range

personal name (antediluvian patriarch), used for two individuals in Genesis genealogies

Root / Etymology

Derived from an unused root of uncertain meaning; no securely attested Hebrew root can be identified for לֶמֶךְ. Thus, its root and original meaning remain unknown, and it is possibly a name of non-Semitic or archaic origin that was integrated into the genealogical records of ancient Israelite literature.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, לֶמֶךְ (Lemek) appears as the name of two separate figures: (1) a descendant of Cain (Genesis 4:18–24), and (2) a descendant of Seth and father of Noach (Noah) in the line of Adam (Genesis 5:25–31). The use of the same name in both the Cainite and Sethite genealogies highlights literary patterns in the primeval history sections of Genesis. The meaning of Lemek is never explained in the biblical text, nor does the narrative draw out any wordplay or etymological hint as it does for names like Noach. The standard English rendering, 'Lamech,' follows the Greek Septuagint (Λαμεχ) and Latin Vulgate (Lamech), but neither provides insight into the meaning. No attestation of this name appears outside of these genealogies, nor does it recur in later Israelite tradition. Consequently, neither the etymology nor precise significance of the name can be recovered from biblical or extra-biblical sources. This name should not be interpreted as referencing any later religious or ethnic identity.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root of uncertain meaning; Lemek, the name of two antediluvian patriarchs; Lamech.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

למך (uncertain) (l-m-k (uncertain)) — uncertain; proper name of unknown meaning

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3929-02 לֶ֖מֶךְ lemekhe HNp Lamech Lemek 7
H3929-01 לָֽמֶךְ lamekhe HNp Lamech Lemek 3
H3929-03 וְ/לֶ֖מֶךְ velemekhe HC/Np and Lamech and Lemek 1

Occurrences in Scripture

11 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3929-01 Genesis 4:18 לָֽמֶךְ lamekhe HNp Lamech Lemek
H3929-02 Genesis 4:19 לֶ֖מֶךְ lemekhe HNp Lamech Lemek
H3929-02 Genesis 4:23 לֶ֜מֶךְ lemekhe HNp Lamech Lemek
H3929-02 Genesis 4:23 לֶ֔מֶךְ lemekhe-2 HNp Lamech Lemek
H3929-03 Genesis 4:24 וְ/לֶ֖מֶךְ velemekhe HC/Np and Lamech and Lemek
H3929-01 Genesis 5:25 לָֽמֶךְ lamekhe HNp Lamech Lemek
H3929-02 Genesis 5:26 לֶ֔מֶךְ lemekhe HNp Lamech Lemek
H3929-02 Genesis 5:28 לֶ֕מֶךְ lemekhe HNp Lamech Lemek
H3929-02 Genesis 5:30 לֶ֗מֶךְ lemekhe HNp Lamech Lemek
H3929-02 Genesis 5:31 לֶ֔מֶךְ lemekhe HNp Lamech Lemek
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