KJV ORIGINAL
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.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah, 'Listen to me! Pay attention to what I'm saying: I have killed a man who wounded me, and a young man who hurt me.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Lamech is boasting to his wives about killing two people who had injured him, showing how violence was escalating in the world.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs in the genealogy of Cain, several generations after Cain killed his brother Abel. Lamech was a descendant of Cain and represents the growing violence and moral decline in human society. The mention of multiple wives also shows the departure from God's original design for marriage between one man and one woman.
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