Genesis 4:24

4:24 If Cain is to be avenged seven times as much,

then Lamech seventy-seven times!” ¹ 

Genesis 5:12

5:12 When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel.

Genesis 11:26

11:26 When Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Genesis 46:27

46:27 Counting the two sons ²  of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt, all the people of the household of Jacob who were in Egypt numbered seventy. ³ 

Genesis 50:3

50:3 They took forty days, for that is the full time needed for embalming. ⁴  The Egyptians mourned ⁵  for him seventy days. ⁶ 

[4:24]  ¹ sn Seventy-seven times. Lamech seems to reason this way: If Cain, a murderer, is to be avenged seven times (see v. 15), then how much more one who has been unjustly wronged! Lamech misses the point of God’s merciful treatment of Cain. God was not establishing a principle of justice when he warned he would avenge Cain’s murder. In fact he was trying to limit the shedding of blood, something Lamech wants to multiply instead. The use of “seventy-seven,” a multiple of seven, is hyperbolic, emphasizing the extreme severity of the vengeance envisioned by Lamech.

[46:27]  ² tn The LXX reads “nine sons,” probably counting the grandsons of Joseph born to Ephraim and Manasseh (cf. 1 Chr 7:14-20).

[46:27]  ³ tn Heb “And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two people; all the people belonging to the house of Jacob who came to Egypt were seventy.”

[50:3]  ³ tn Heb “and forty days were fulfilled for him, for thus are fulfilled the days of embalming.”

[50:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “wept.”

[50:3]  ⁵ sn Seventy days. This probably refers to a time of national mourning.