If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
24. seventy and sevenfold ] Cf. Gen 4:15. Lamech boasts that seventy and seven deaths should be the penalty of revenge if he were slain.
The first note of warfare is sounded in this fierce exultation in a deed which has exceeded the limits of self-defence and passed into the region of the blood-feud. The possession of new weapons and the lust of revenge are here recorded as the typical elements of the war spirit. “Although, technically, the law of Vengeance was satisfied by a ‘life for a life,’ yet in practice the avenging of blood was often carried to the utmost length of ruthless ferocity. For one life many were taken, the murderer and his kinsfolk together.” (Gordon, Early Traditions of Genesis, p. 204.)
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
If the slaughter of Cain shall be punished in him that shall kill him, whosoever he be, my death shall be much more certainly and severely revenged by God upon any man that shall murder me. These words may be either,
1. A profane scoff: q.d. Since Cain, my father and pattern in murder, was so far from being punished by the hand of God, that he had a special protection from him that no man should dare to touch him, I (whose murder is not so heinous as his was) shall not fare worse than he, and therefore have no reason to fear either God or men. Or,
2. An argument or ground of his security: q.d. I am not only secured by my own puissance, but by Gods providence; which certainly will be more watchful over me, who have not committed any such horrid crime, than over him that killed his own innocent brother.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold. Which if understood of him as confessing and lamenting his sin of murder, the sense is, if Cain was so severely punished for killing one man, of how much sorer punishment am I deserving, and shall have, who have killed two persons, and that after I had seen the punishment of Cain, and yet took no warning by it? or if he that killed Cain, who slew his brother, was to be avenged sevenfold, or to seven generations, then how much more, or longer, shall he be avenged, that shall slay me, who have slain none, or however not designedly; and therefore you may be easy and quiet, your fears, either from God or man, are groundless.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
24. Cain shall be avenged sevenfold. It is not my intention to relate the ravings or the dreams of every writer, nor would I have the reader to expect this from me; here and there I allude to them, though sparingly, especially if there be any color of deception; that readers, being often admonished, may learn to take heed unto themselves. Therefore, with respect to this passages which has been variously tortured, I will not record what one or another may have delivered, but will content myself with a true exposition of it. God had intended that Cain should be a horrible example to warn others against the commission of murder; and for this end had marked him with a shameful stigma. Yet lest any one should imitate his crime, He declared whosoever killed him should be punished with sevenfold severity. Lamech, impiously perverting this divine declaration, mocks its severity; for he hence takes greater license to sin, as if God had granted some singular privilege to murderers; not that he seriously thinks so, but being destitute of all sense of piety, he promises himself impunity, and in the meantime jestingly uses the name of God as an excuse: just as Dionysus did, who boasted that the gods favor sacrilegious persons, for the sake of obliterating the infamy which he had contracted. Moreover, as the number seven in Scripture designates a multitudes so sevenfold is taken for a very great increase. Such is the meaning of the declaration of Christ,
‘
I do not say that thou shalt remit the offense seven times, but seventy times seven,’ (Mat 18:22.)
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Gen 4:24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
Ver. 24. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, &c. ] Boastful Lamech brags, and goes on to outdare God himself. For it is as if he should say, If God will take vengeance on them that condemn him, why may not I on those that condemn me, wives or other? Nay, though God will forgive evils against him, yet will not I evils against me. I’ll have the odds of him, seventy to seven; so Junius interprets it. A desperate expression, and somewhat like that of Pope Julius III., above mentioned, in the last note upon the former chapter; whereunto may here be added, a that the same Pope being forbidden by his physician to eat swine’s flesh, as being harmful and bad for his gout, he called for his steward in a great rage, and said, Bring me my pork flesh, al despito di Dio , in despite of God. O wretch!
a Act. and Mon ., fol. 1417.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lamech. Supply Ellipsis (App-6), “shall he avenged”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
if: Gen 4:15
seventy: Mat 18:22
Reciprocal: Exo 21:20 – punished
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4:24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech {s} seventy and sevenfold.
(s) He mocked at God’s tolerance in Cain jesting as though God would allow no one to punish him and yet give him permission to murder others.