If someone who kills Cain is punished seven times, then the one who kills me will be punished seventy-seven times!”
Parallel translations
- WEB If Cain will be avenged seven times, truly Lamech seventy-seven times.”
- KJV If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
- BSB If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
- NKJV If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
- NASB “If Cain is avenged seven times, Then Lamech seventy-seven times!”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Lamech claims a vengeance far exceeding Cain's, boasting of seventy-sevenfold retaliation. It shows sin's escalation into unrestrained vengeance.
Overview
Twisting God's protective word over Cain into a charter for excessive revenge, Lamech exalts his own vindictiveness. His boast measures how deeply violence has taken root in the human heart. Strikingly, Jesus later overturns this spirit, calling His followers to forgive seventy-seven times rather than avenge (Matthew 18:22).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Matt 18:22Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.
- Gen 4:15Yahweh said to him, “Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain, so that anyone finding him would not strike him.
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From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 4:24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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