# 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)__ __[<<](../03/intro.md) | [>>](../05/intro.md)__