Cain’s offspring reached great heights in terms of development and achievements. The growth and development in this camp also meant a growth and development in sins. Lamech, who was the leader of this part of humanity, exalted himself. He took pride in the fact that he would kill other people. He would kill anyone who stood in his way. He was proud of his claim of being the strongest. With all this bragging he was seeking to impress his wives.
He would kill any man who attacked him. He would also kill a boy who hurt him in any way. He would not even ask if it was an accident. In his self-exaltation he boasts, If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.
Notice the difference between Cain and Lamech. The sevenfold vengeance for Cain was a promise of the Lord. The Lord gave a sign of this that deterred people from attacking Cain. Lamech no longer thought about God. He took justice into his own hands. He would take revenge in his own strength. Very consciously he no longer left retribution to the Lord. He trusted completely in himself.
23 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.