New King James Version
Genesis 4:23
23Then Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, Even a young man for hurting me.
Genesis 4:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Lamech said to his wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me.
- New Living Translation (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.
Context of Genesis 4:23
21His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute. 22And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah. Then Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, Even a young man for hurting me. 24If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.” 25And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, “For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.”
Read all of Genesis 4Genesis 4:23 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לֶ֜מֶךְ לְנָשָׁ֗יו עָדָ֤ה וְצִלָּה֙ שְׁמַ֣עַן קוֹלִ֔י נְשֵׁ֣י לֶ֔מֶךְ הַאְזֵ֖נָּה אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּ֣י אִ֤ישׁ הָרַ֙גְתִּי֙ לְפִצְעִ֔י וְיֶ֖לֶד לְחַבֻּרָתִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Lamechלֶ֫מֶךְlemek · LamechH3929
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto his wivesאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- Adahעָדָה‛âdâh · AdahH5711
- and Zillahצִלָּהtsillâh · ZillahH6741
- Hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- my voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- hearkenאָזַן'âzan · to listenH238
- unto my speechאִמְרָה'imrâh 'emrâh · wordH565
- for I have slainהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
- a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- to my woundingפֶּ֫צַעpetsa‛ · woundH6482
- and a young manיֶ֫לֶדyeled · youthH3206
- to my hurtחַבּוּרָהchabbûrâh chabbûrâh chăbûrâh · woundH2250
Cross-references for Genesis 4:23
- Numbers 23:18Then he took up his oracle and said: “Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, son of Zippor!
- Judges 9:7Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out. And he said to them: “Listen to me, you men of Shechem, That God may listen to you!
Commentaries on Genesis 4:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23And Lamech said unto his wives - The speech of Lamech to his wives is in hemistichs in the original, and consequently, as nothing of this kind occurs before this time, it is very probably the oldest piece of poetry in the world. The following is, as nearly as possible, a literal translation: "And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Tsillah, hear ye my voice; Wives of Lamech, hearken to my speech; For I have slain a man for wounding me, And a young man…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17-24Verses 17-24 - XIX. The Line of Cain 17. חניך chenôk Chanok, “initiation, instruction.” 18. עירד ‛ı̂yrād Irad, “fleet as the wild ass, citizen.” מחוּיאל mechûya'el Mechujael, “smitten of El, or life of El.” מתוּשׁאל metûshā'ēl Methushael, “man of El, or man asked.” למך lāmek Lemek, “man of prayer, youth.” 19. עדה 'ādâh Adah, “beauty.” צלה tsı̂lâh Tsillah, “shade or tinkling.” 20. יבל yābāl Jabal, “stream, leader of cattle, produce, the walker or…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-24Verses 19-24 One of Cain's wicked race is the first recorded, as having broken the law of marriage. Hitherto, one man had but one wife at a time; but Lamech took two. Wordly things, are the only things that carnal, wicked people set their hearts upon, and are most clever and industrious about. So it was with this race of Cain. Here was a father of shepherds, and a father of musicians, but not a father of the faithful. Here is one to teach about brass and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23-24Lamech's disturbing boast shows how sin's impact on humanity has increased. Cain's descendants reached an extreme of violence with Lamech's contempt for human life. In his arrogance, he turned his actions into a poem. avenged … seventy-sevenfold: God warned that anyone who tried to kill Cain would experience total justice (4:15). Lamech claimed that anyone who harmed him would face an even more severe penalty. This shows he felt accountable to no one, not…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 23-2423-24. Lamech said unto his wives--This speech is in a poetical form, probably the fragment of an old poem, transmitted to the time of Moses. It seems to indicate that Lamech had slain a man in self-defense, and its drift is to assure his wives, by the preservation of Cain, that an unintentional homicide, as he was, could be in no danger.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 4:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries