Genesis 4:23

One day Lamech said to his two wives, “Adah and Zillah, listen carefully to what I am saying. A young man struck me and wounded me, so I killed him.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

22Lamech’s other wife Zillah gave birth to a son whom she named Tubal-Cain. Later Tubal-Cain became a ◄blacksmith/one who made tools from bronze and iron►. Tubal-Cain had a younger sister whose name was Naamah.

24Yahweh said long ago that he would avenge and punish anyone who killed Cain seven times as much as he punished Cain for killing his younger brother. So if anyone tries to kill me, I will punish him 77 times as much as Yahweh punished Cain.”

Read all of Genesis 4

Cross References

Leviticus 19:18‘Do not try to get revenge against someone or be angry with someone for a long time. Instead, love other people like you love yourself. I, Yahweh your God, am commanding this.

Judges 9:7When Jotham heard about that, he climbed up Gerizim Mountain. He stood at the top of the mountain and shouted to the people down below, “You leaders of Shechem, listen to me, in order that God will listen to you!

Matthew Henry on Genesis 4:20-23

The Family of Lamech. ( b. c. 3875.) 19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. 21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. 22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. We have here some particulars concerning Lamech,… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 4:23