The following note upon the name of Lamech may perhaps serve to throw a
little light upon the difficult passage in Genesis iv. 23,
24.--_Lamech_, in Celtic _Lamaich_, or _Laimaig_, means a slinger of
stones; and Lamech being dextrous in the use of that weapon the sling,
wantonly slew two young men, and boasted of the bloody deed to his two
wives, Adah and Zillah, blasphemously maintaining that as Cain for one
murder should be avenged sevenfold, so he, for his wanton act, would be
avenged seventy and seven fold upon whoever should slay him. It may be
considered strange that the name of Lamech should be Celtic, and that it
should signify a slinger; but I am strengthened in my opinion by
reference to the Hebrew alphabet, in which the letter _l_ is called
_lamed_; but why it is so named the Hebrews cannot say. Now, if any one
examines the Hebrew ¤lamed¤ he will perceive that it is by no
means a rude representation of a human arm, holding a sling with a stone
in it. The word _Lamech_ is derived from _lam_, the hand; and the
termination signifies dexterity in shooting or discharging missiles
therewith.
It is curious to notice that the remaining names in the passage of
Scripture are Celtic: thus Cain is compounded of _cend_, first, and
_gein_, offspring,--pronounced _Kayean_, _i. e._ first begotten. Adah
means a fair complexioned, red-haired woman; and Zillah, peace, from
_siotlad_, pronounced _shieta_.