Genesis 4:19
in Genesis 4And Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
KJV
And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
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This verse in Genesis 4
Commentary
5 notes on this verseAnd Lamech took unto him two wives,.... He was the first we read of that introduced polygamy, contrary to the first institution of marriage, whereby only one man and one woman were to be joined together, and become one flesh, Gen 2:24. This evil practice, though it began in the race of wicked Cain, was in later ages followed by some among the people of God, which was connived at because of the hardness of their hearts; otherwise it was not so from the beginning.
This site's exposition
to Enoch was born Irad
on Genesis 4:18-19
The line runs seven names from Cain and then stops, with Irad, Mehujael, Methusael and Lamech carrying it from Enoch to the end. Lamech married two women, the first man in Scripture to do so. Adah and Zillah are named together.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
The text runs: "Methushael begot Lamech, who took two wives: the name of the one was Ada, and the name of the other Sella. And Ada brought forth Jobel; who was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of herdsmen. His brother's name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the psaltery and cittara. Sella bore Tobel; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tobel was Noema." This is as far as the line of descent from Cain is carried. There are eight generations in all, including Adam. The seventh is that of Lamech, who was the husband of two wives; the eighth is that of his children, among whom is the woman who is mentioned by name. What is here delicately intimated is that to the very end of its existence the earthly city will be propagated by physical births proceeding from the union of the sexes. This is why we are given the proper names of the wives of the last man mentioned as begetting children—a practice unheard of before the flood, except in the case of Eve.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And Lamech took unto him two wives,.... He was the first we read of that introduced polygamy, contrary to the first institution of marriage, whereby only one man and one woman were to be joined together, and become one flesh, Gen 2:24. This evil practice, though it began in the race of wicked Cain, was in later ages followed by some among the people of God, which was connived at because of the hardness of their hearts; otherwise it was not so from the beginning.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Lamech took - two wives - He was the first who dared to reverse the order of God by introducing polygamy; and from him it has been retained, practiced, and defended to the present day.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּֽקַּֽח־ | vaiyikach- | and he took | H3947 → | 966 times |
| ל֥וֹ | lo | for <the> himself | ||
| לֶ֖מֶךְ | lemekh | Lamech | H3929 → | 11 times |
| שְׁתֵּ֣י | shetei | two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| נָשִׁ֑ים | nashim | wives | H802 → | 781 times |
| שֵׁ֤ם | shem | [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| הָֽאַחַת֙ | haachat | the one | H259 → | 971 times |
| עָדָ֔ה | ʾadah | [was] Adah | H5711 → | 8 times |
| וְשֵׁ֥ם | veshem | and [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית | hashenit | the second | H8145 → | 156 times |
| צִלָּֽה׃ | tzilah | [was] Zillah | H6741 → | 3 times |
וַיִּֽקַּֽח־and he took
vaiyikach-H3947 →966 times
ל֥וֹfor <the> himself
lo
לֶ֖מֶךְLamech
lemekhH3929 →11 times
שְׁתֵּ֣יtwo
sheteiH8147 →768 times
נָשִׁ֑יםwives
nashimH802 →781 times
שֵׁ֤ם[the] name of
shemH8034 →864 times
הָֽאַחַת֙the one
haachatH259 →971 times
עָדָ֔ה[was] Adah
ʾadahH5711 →8 times
וְשֵׁ֥םand [the] name of
veshemH8034 →864 times
הַשֵּׁנִ֖יתthe second
hashenitH8145 →156 times
צִלָּֽה׃[was] Zillah
tzilahH6741 →3 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 2:24For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
it leads to
- Matthew 19:3–9
Then some Pharisees came and tested Him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”
- Ephesians 5:28–31
In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
- Mark 10:6–12
However, from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’
- Romans 7:2
For instance, a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage.
- 1 Peter 3:1–7
Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives
- Matthew 19:3–9
Through
Genesis 2:18The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.”
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 4:9–12
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
- Proverbs 18:22
He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.
- 1 Peter 3:7
Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
- Ecclesiastes 4:9–12
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, City of God 15.17; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.