Genesis 4:24

NETBible

If Cain is to be avenged seven times as much, then Lamech seventy-seven times!” 1 

NIV ©

If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times."

NASB ©

If Cain is avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold."

NLT ©

If anyone who kills Cain is to be punished seven times, anyone who takes revenge against me will be punished seventy–seven times!"

MSG ©

If Cain is avenged seven times, for Lamech it's seventy-seven!

BBE ©

If seven lives are to be taken as punishment for Cain’s death, seventy-seven will be taken for Lamech’s.

NRSV ©

If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold."

NKJV ©

If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy–sevenfold."

KJV
If
<03588>
Cain
<07014>
shall be avenged
<05358> (8714)
sevenfold
<07659>_,
truly Lamech
<03929>
seventy
<07657>
and sevenfold
<07651>_.
NASB ©
If
<3588>
Cain
<7014>
is avenged
<5358>
sevenfold
<7659>
, Then Lamech
<3929>
seventy-sevenfold
<7657>
."
LXXM
oti
<3754> 
CONJ
eptakiv
<2034> 
ADV
ekdedikhtai
<1556> 
V-RMI-3S
ek
<1537> 
PREP
kain
<2535> 
N-PRI
ek
<1537> 
PREP
de
<1161> 
PRT
lamec
<2984> 
N-PRI
ebdomhkontakiv
<1441> 
ADV
epta
<2033> 
N-NUI
NET [draft] ITL
If
<03588>
Cain
<07014>
is to be avenged
<05358>
seven times
<07659>
as much, then Lamech
<03929>
seventy-seven
<07651>

<07657>
times!”
HEBREW
hebsw
<07651>
Myebs
<07657>
Kmlw
<03929>
Nyq
<07014>
Mqy
<05358>
Mytebs
<07659>
yk (4:24)
<03588>
NETBible

If Cain is to be avenged seven times as much, then Lamech seventy-seven times!” 1 

NET Notes

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.