Genesis 4:23, 24

Genesis 4:23

And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.

a. NLT: One day Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; listen to me, you wives of Lamech. I have killed a man who attacked me, a young man who wounded me.

b. NIV: Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me.

c. YLT: And Lamech saith to his wives: -- 'Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Wives of Lamech, give ear to my saying: For a man I have slain for my wound, Even a young man for my hurt;

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say; for I have slain a man [merely] for wounding me, and a young man [only] for striking and bruising me.

e. Septuagint: And Lamech said to his wives, Ada and Sella, Hear my voice, ye wives of Lamech, consider my words, because I have slain a man to my sorrow and a youth to my grief.

f. Stone Edition Chumash: And Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, give ear to my speech: Have I slain a man by my wound and a child by my bruise.

1. “And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah…”

a. Lamech [3929 * Lemek] [Strong: from an unused root of uncertain meaning; Lemek, the name of two antediluvian patriarchs:—Lamech.]

1). Lamech was the great great great grandson of Cain.

a). Genesis 4:17, 18 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.

4:18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.

2). Unger’s Bible Dictionary: The fifth in descent from Cain, being the son of Methusael and the father of Jabal, Jubal, Tubalcain, and the latter’s sister, Naamah. Lamech took two wives, Adah, and Zillah, and was thus the first to practice polygamy.

b. said [559 * ‘amar] [Strong: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):—answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.]

c. unto his wives [802 * ‘ishshah] [Strong:  feminine of H376 or H582; irregular plural, נָשִׁים nâshîym;(used in the same wide sense as H582) a woman:—(adulter) ess, each, every, female, × many, none, one, together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.]

1). The Geneva Bible Translation Notes: The lawful institution of marriage, which is, that two should be one flesh, was first corrupted in the house of Cain by Lamech.

d. Adah [5711 * Adah] [Strong: from H5710; ornament; Adah, the name of two women:—Adah.]

e. Zillah [6741 * Tsillah] [Strong: feminine of H6738; Tsillah, an antediluvian woman:—Zillah.]

1). Pulpit Commentary: The words have an archaic simplicity which bespeak a high antiquity (vide Havernick's 'Introd.,' p. 105), naturally fall into that peculiar form of parallelism which is a well-known characteristic of Hebrew poetry, and on this account, as well as from the subject, have been aptly denominated The Song of the Sword (Ewald, p. 267).

2). Unger’s Bible Dictionary: Many views have been entertained as to the meaning of these words. Keil (Com., in loc.) says that “in the form of pride and arrogance Lamech celebrates the inventions of Tubalcain;” and the idea of the song is, “Whoever inflicts a wound on me, whether man or youth, I will put to death; and for every injury done to my person I will take ten times more vengeance that that with which God promised to avenge the murder of my ancestor Cain.” Turner (Companion to Genesis, p. 209) says “that he had slain a young man, not in cold blood, but in consequence of a wound or bruise he had himself received; and on the ground, apparently, of a difference between his case and that of Cain’s—viz., that he had done under provocation what Cain had done without it—he assures himself of an interest in the divine guardianship greater than that granted to Cain.”

3). All of the resources that I searched on line none of them had anything good to say about this song. The general view is that Lamech was celebrating his crime and promised that if any body else messed with him he would respond ten times worse than what would have happened to Cain’s possible murderer.  

2. “…Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech…”

a. Hear [8085 * shama’] [Strong: shaw-mah'; a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.):—× attentively, call (gather) together, × carefully, ×certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, × diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), × indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, × surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.]

b. my voice [6963 * qowl] [Strong: from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a voice or sound:—+ aloud, bleating, crackling, cry (+ out), fame, lightness, lowing, noise, + hold peace, (pro-) claim, proclamation, + sing, sound, + spark, thunder(-ing), voice, + yell.]

1). Barnes Commentary: In this fragment of ancient [an] song, we have Lamech, under the strong excitement of having slain a man in self-defense, reciting to his wives the deed, and at the same time comforting them and himself with the assurance that if Cain the murderer would be avenged sevenfold, he the manslayer in self-defense would be avenged seventy and seven-fold.

c. ye wives [802 * ‘ishshah] [Strong:  feminine of H376 or H582; irregular plural, נָשִׁים nâshîym;(used in the same wide sense as H582) a woman:—(adulter) ess, each, every, female, × many, none, one, together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.]

d. of Lamech [3929 * Lemek] [Strong: from an unused root of uncertain meaning; Lemek, the name of two antediluvian patriarchs:—Lamech.]

e. hearken [238 * ‘azan] [Strong: a primitive root; probably to expand; but used only as a denominative from H241; to broaden out the ear (with the hand), i.e. (by implication) to listen:—give (perceive by the) ear, hear(-ken).]

f. unto my speech [565 * ‘imrah] [Strong: feminine of H561, and meaning the same:—commandment, speech, word.]

3. “…for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.”

a. for I have slain [2026 * harag] [Strong: a primitive root; to smite with deadly intent:—destroy, out of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter), slay(-er), × surely.]

b. a man [376 * ‘iysh] [Strong: contracted for H582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation):—also, another, any (man), a certain, champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), none, one, people, person, steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.]

c. to my wounding [6482 * petsa’] [Strong: from H6481; a wound:—wound(-ing).]

d. a young man [3206 * yeled] [Strong: from H3205; something born, i.e. a lad or offspring:—boy, child, fruit, son, young man (one).]

e. to my hurt [2250 * chabbuwrah] [Strong: from H2266; properly, bound (with stripes), i.e. a weal (or black-and-blue mark itself):—blueness, bruise, hurt, stripe, wound.]

1). This is the first secular song recorded in Scripture, though it is the first secular song, there was worship songs and praise songs before man was created. As the earth was being created by God, praise and worship was going on by the angels of God (Job 38:4-7). Music was created by God not man. This song is a song about taking another life and Lemech is singing it to his wives about killing a man. The song is prideful rebellion celebrating what he has done. He boasts that he will kill anyone who assaults him. I don’t know what genre this would be classified as, regardless, it is rooted in the fall of man. Just out of curiosity I googled “songs about murder” and I found an abundance of music that celebrated or defended in one way or another,  murder, mass murder, murder of every kind. There were so many songs it was almost unbelievable. Before I began searching on google, I tried to remember songs that I listened to 40+ years ago. Hey Joe, Down by the river, Midnight Rambler, are a few. But I had no idea there were so many. Songs of murder are rooted in the fall of man.

Genesis 4:24

If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

a. NLT: If someone who kills Cain is punished seven times, then the one who kills me will be punished seventy-seven times!”

b. NIV: If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.”

c. YLT: For sevenfold is required for Cain, And for Lamech seventy and sevenfold.'

d. Amplified Bible Classic: If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech [will be avenged] seventy-sevenfold.

e. Septuagint: Because vengeance has been exacted seven times on Cain's behalf, on Lamech's [it shall be] seventy times seven.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: If Cain suffered vengeance at seven generations, then Lamech at seventy-seven!”

1. “If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold…”

a. If [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

b. Cain [Strong: 7014 Qayin kah'-yin the same as 7013 (with a play upon the affinity to 7069); Kajin, the name of the first child, also of a place in Palestine, and of an Oriental tribe:--Cain, Kenite(-s).]

c. shall be avenged [Strong: 5358 naqam naw-kam' a primitive root; to grudge, i.e. avenge or punish:--avenge(-r, self), punish, revenge (self), X surely, take vengeance.]

d. sevenfold [Strong: 7659 shib`athayim shib-aw-thah'-yim dual (adverbially) of 7651; seven- times:--seven(-fold, times).]

2. “…truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.”

a. [truly] Lamech [Strong: Lemek leh'-mek from an unused root of uncertain meaning; Lemek, the name of two antediluvian patriarchs:--Lamech.]

b. seventy [Strong: shib`iym. shib-eem' multiple of 7651; seventy:--seventy, threescore and ten (+ -teen).]

c. and sevenfold [Strong: 7651 sheba` sheh'-bah or (masculine) shibrah {shib-aw'}; from a primitive cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number:--(+ by) seven(-fold),-s, (-teen, -teenth), -th, times).]

1). Pulpit Commentary: The words have an archaic simplicity which bespeak a high antiquity (vide Havernick's 'Introd.,' p. 105), naturally fall into that peculiar form of parallelism which is a well-known characteristic of Hebrew poetry, and on this account, as well as from the subject, have been aptly denominated The Song of the Sword (Ewald, p. 267).

2). Unger’s Bible Dictionary: Many views have been entertained as to the meaning of these words. Keil (Com., in loc.) says that “in the form of pride and arrogance Lamech celebrates the inventions of Tubalcain;” and the idea of the song is, “Whoever inflicts a wound on me, whether man or youth, I will put to death; and for every injury done to my person I will take ten times more vengeance that that with which God promised to avenge the murder of my ancestor Cain.” Turner (Companion to Genesis, p. 209) says “that he had slain a young man, not in cold blood, but in consequence of a wound or bruise he had himself received; and on the ground, apparently, of a difference between his case and that of Cain’s—viz., that he had done under provocation what Cain had done without it—he assures himself of an interest in the divine guardianship greater than that granted to Cain.”

3). It may be translated thus: —”Adah and Zillah! hear my voice; Ye wives of Lamech I give ear to my speech: I will slay men for smiting me, And for wounding me young men shall die. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Lamech seventy and seven.”

This is the most antique song or poem in the world, the only poem which dates from before the Flood, the sole literary relic of the antediluvian race. Of course, it has been read in many different senses, and its meaning has at times been darkened by those who assumed to explain it. According to some, Lamech is a murderer stung by remorse into a public confession of his guilt. According to others, he, the polygamist, acknowledges that his sin will bear a more fruitful progeny of ills than that of Cain, that polygamy will prove more fatal to human peace than murder. But the interpretation which the ablest critics are rapidly adopting, and which I hold to be incomparably the best, is that which names it "the Song of the Sword." Whatever else may be doubtful, this seems certain, that Lamech is in a vaunting humour as he sings: that he is boasting of an immunity from vengeance superior to that of Cain; and that, because of some special advantage which he possesses, he is encouraging himself to deeds of violence and resentment. Now, just before the song of Lamech we have the verse which narrates that Tubal-Cain had learned to hammer out edge-tools in brass and iron. Suppose this great smith to have invented a sword or a spear, to have shown his father how effective and mortal a weapon it was, would not that have been likely to put Lamech into the vainglorious mood which inspires his poem? May we not rationally conclude that his song is "the Song of the Sword"; that, as he wields this new product of Tubal-Cain's anvil, Lamech feels that he has a new strength and defence put into his hand, a weapon which will make him even more secure than the mark of God made Cain?   https://biblehub.com/sermons/auth/cox/the_song_of_the_sword.htm

4). This is the first secular song recorded in Scripture. It is a song about taking another life and Lemech is singing it to his wives about killing a man. The song is prideful rebellion celebrating what he has done. In this verse he sings that he himself, will be avenged by his own actions, 70 fold. I don’t know what genre tis would be classified as, regardless it is rooted in the fall of man. After I studied this out the first songs that came to mind was “Hey Joe”, “Down by the river”, and “Midnight Rambler”.