Lamech

Today's reading was Genesis 4:1-5:32. I got stuck at Lamech's speech in chapter 4: 23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. 24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold. This wraps up the story of Cain and Abel with this Lamech being a descendant of Cain (not the same Lamech who was the father of Noah) and having this odd speech. It seems oddly boastful as if he is proud of killing a man like his forefather did. And instead of God decreeing the punishment, Lamech decrees the punishment. An unrepentant heart will breed unrepentant hearts. Without any comment on the speech the text then switches over to the "good" line that comes through Seth. The geneology of Adam in Chapter 5 does not even list the Cain line in the lineage any more.