# Genesis 04 General Notes

#### Structure and formatting

Most of the text in this chapter is prose, but 4:23-24 is poetry. If the translator should put these two verses into poetic form, or at least into elegant speech, different from the rest of the chapter.

#### Special concepts in this chapter

##### Vengeance

The theme of vengeance is important in this chapter. Ancient Hebrew society allowed for people to seek revenge if a relative was murdered. After Cain murdered his brother Abel, he thought that he would be helpless against this danger because he had been driven away from God's protection. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/avenge]])

The theme of vengeance continues with the words of Lamech, who had killed someone for injuring him:
"I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for bruising me. If Cain is avenged seven times as much, truly Lamech will be avenged seventy-seven times as much" (Gen. 4:23b-24).

## Links:

* __[Genesis 04:01 Notes](./01.md)__

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