Charles Ellicott Commentary Genesis 4:23-24

"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 for wounding me, And a young man for bruising me: If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold." — Genesis 4:23-24 (ASV)

Lamech said... Following quickly after music, we have poetry, but it is in praise of ferocity and expresses the pride of one who, using the weapons forged by his son, had taken violent revenge for an attack made upon him. Many commentators, however, regard the poem as hypothetical: “If anyone were to wound me, I would slay him with these weapons.” It would thus be a song of exultation over the armor which Tubal-cain had invented.

It more probably records a fact and is intended to show that, side by side with progress in the material arts, moral degradation was going on. Cain’s own act is spoken of, not as a sin to be ashamed of, but as a deed of ancient heroism: not comparable, however, with the glory of Lamech, whose wrath will be tenfold. The poetry is vigorous and marked by that parallelism which subsequently became the distinguishing quality of Hebrew verse. It should be translated:

Adah and Zillah, hear my voice,
You wives of Lemech, listen to my speech.
For I have slain a man for wounding me:
Even a young man for bruising me.
Truly, Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,
And Lemech seventy and sevenfold.

It is remarkable that both of the words used for the attack upon Lamech refer to such wounds as might be given by a blow with the fist, while his word means to pierce, or run through with a sharp weapon. “Young man” is literally child, but see the notes on Genesis 21:14.

With this boastful poem in praise of armed violence and bloodshed, joined with indications of luxury and a life of pleasure, the narrator closes the history of the race of Cain.