The Household of God
Volume 1
The early history of mankind
- Chapter 30 -
LAMECH BECOMES KING
And see what then happened. - When Lamech had at the head of Tatahar's gang killed his brothers in the forest, he happily returned to the city of Enoch and had made known to all the people in and around Enoch, as well as in the ten cities and their surroundings, what had happened to the foolhardy brothers Jored and Hail, which shocked all in the city of Enoch, the ten cities and on the land. Then the cleverest and more sensible men from the cities and all the people, on three thousand without their wives and children who stayed at home, assembled.
2
And this small army of men proceeded to the city of Enoch to see Lamech where one of them, as a spokesman for all, said: "Where is the forest in which this has happened to the young king and his wise brother Jored? Let us find the spot where this terrible thing happened and we might find some sad remnants or maybe other traces, which would convince us of the truth of this news. There we could sincerely weep over this great tragedy and then maybe look for the hyena, which must still have a bloody muzzle, kill it and then with our clubs and stone-slings kill all its kind as an atonement we owe to Jored and Hail.
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"Yes," said Lamech, "you have formed a proper resolution and I, as now your lawful king, shall join you. My principal servant Tatahar shall show us the way together with his well-armed companions."
4
And behold, the people liked Lamech's prompt and favorable decision, and they said: "See, see and hear! A proper king is still living! He is wise too, and he shall be our king!"
5
Thereupon they all rose and led by Lamech went to the forest of tigers and hyenas where they soon found the still bloodstained place of horror. They wept and gathered the scattered remnants of clothing for a sad veneration.
6
When they had finished their sad work and gathered all the worthless relics of Jared and Hail, they left the place of horror and marched full of bitter anger deeper into the forest in several troops of a hundred each at small distances from each other to search for the infamous hyena. However, they did not find a single beast, let alone a hyena. And they said: "No doubt the infamous beast has fled into the mountains. Courage! Since Cain no mortal has ever dared to set his foot on a mountain, and we shall now be the first to take this road, for we have good reason to do so and no God could possibly disapprove of our action since we have a just cause against these infamous, voracious beasts. Therefore, once more: Courage even if we should all perish!"
7
And Lamech answered: "Your voice is my will and at your disposal. Therefore, go and do what you feel is right. But I will wait for you here with Tatahar and watch out for any beast that may have escaped from your powerful blows."
8
The three thousand were satisfied with this arrangement and continued on their way with unaccustomed, hesitant steps. They hardly dared look back because the sight from the heights they had climbed into the depths from which they had come made them dizzy. For three days they searched for the hyena and they did not catch sight of even one. Then they became tired of it, hacked with their clubs at a more than twelve fathoms high rock face which blocked their way, cursed the forests and the mountains as being an abode of nothing but monsters and demanded vindication from the trees, rocks and cliffs, spat on the earth accusing it of being a bloodsucker and cursed it thoroughly. They also cursed the sun for having given light to such an atrocity and also all the stars and the moon for having witnessed such an unheard-of infamy. Then one of them who was the biggest and strongest among them, named Meduhed (that is, 'the strongest'), turned round and addressed a brief, but most appropriate speech to the angry crowd, saying:
9
"What will come of this nonsense? Look, you smash your clubs at this dead, hard and invincible wall and by venting your anger you make the road back unsafe. Have you not thought how you will defend yourselves when on the homeward road we may have to face hyenas, tigers, bears and big serpents? If the old God has already here set an invincible barrier to our futile and blind revenge, how easy it would be for him to set a much more frightful obstacle on our way back. Do bear in mind that it does not pay to argue with Him since He could even give life to trees and stones should He have insufficient beasts to slay and destroy all of us because of our foolishness and disobedience by entering the mountains against the strict command of Cain, Enoch and Farak, the wisest and most just one. Who knows whether higher beings are not dwelling above this cliff? There still exists a faint memory about this among the people, for there must be a reason for the existence of these mountains. And if but one of these beings should catch sight of us, what chance have we, a number of gnats, against such a giant of God? Therefore, let us humbly turn back while it is still day that we might not perish under the curse of the night which has always been our great enemy, although the day was drudgery, but did not hold quite as great dangers as did the night. So let us all follow this well-considered advice. Amen."
10
And behold, when these words had brought them to their senses and they wanted to set out on their way back, Meduhed caught sight of a big man standing on a ledge of the cliff. This man was Seth, son of Adam and substitute for Abel, whom I later on instructed through his brother angel Abel to go with Adam and Eve to the Promised Land and there to live in the mountains with the former Paradise in distant view. About this I shall tell you more at a later time.
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This Seth, to whom the language of all created beings was still familiar, spoke to them with a firm voice, saying: "You rough children of the fratricide Cain! What just punishment of God, my Father and that of Adam, who is still living, and all his children dwelling on the mountains, has led you here to your certain destruction? O you brood of vipers, just look at you! O you food for hyenas, tell me what you want here in this holy place! Whatever are you seeking in this region, which has been so strictly forbidden you? Leave here and may all of you fall victim to the threatened punishment, namely, to the deadly jaws from which you will not escape, or this cliff will bury you forever!"
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Then Meduhed fell to his knees and cried aloud for mercy. And Seth, since he was speaking only out of Me, became filled with My love, was softened by Meduhed's lamentation and said:
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"Meduhed, you alone may look up to me, to the great nearness of God, because you deterred your brothers from great, wanton spite before the all-seeing eyes of God. Therefore, you alone shall know where and who this voracious hyena is. Behold, this thousand-fold hyena has remained in the lowlands at the head of Tatahar's infamous gang and is called Lamech.
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"Let none of you dare lay violent hands upon him. Woe betides such a one seventy-seven times, for he would then encroach upon God's time. This would be terrible, for he would destroy the bond of divine love and thereby release the wide, immeasurable belt of the Deity's most severe judgments throwing great columns of fire over the entire earth thus destroying the whole world through fire. Now rise with your companions and go home in peace and do not look towards the city of Enoch, but look to yourselves and to God Who is a faithful deliverer of those who look up to Him at all times, - in their happiness as well as in their misery. Amen."
15
And behold, Seth became all light, and they were frightened and fled from his sight and thus still reached the plain before sunset and their dwellings, which were at a distance of ten hours from the mountains, around midnight.