וּפָנִ֣יתִי אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם וְהִפְרֵיתִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֖י אֶתְכֶ֑ם וַהֲקִימֹתִ֥י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י אִתְּכֶֽם׃
Je m’occuperai de vous, je vous ferai croître et multiplier, et je maintiendrai mon alliance avec vous.
Kli Yakar
Another explanation, Since all these commandments are obligations of the body and are not dependent on the land, and Israel is obligated to observe them whether in the land [of Israel] or outside it, whether during the time when the Temple exists or when it doesn’t exist, except for these two commandments I am [the Lord your God] and You shall have no [other gods] which are not fulfilled except when Israel dwells on their land and God makes His face shine upon them and speaks to them directly, for they do not exist with the hiding of [God’s] face. But at the time when the children are exiled from their Father’s table, then I am the Lord your God is not fulfilled, as our Sages already said (Ketubot 110b) that one who dwells outside the Land [of Israel] is like one who has no God, etc. And You shall have no other gods is not fulfilled because it is said in the rebuke (Deuteronomy 28:64) And there you will serve other gods. Rashi explained: “Since you pay taxes to the priests of idolatry, the verse considers it as if you worshipped them.” Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke these two commandments specifically in direct address, because when Israel is successful, it is said (Leviticus 26:9) I will turn to you. And then the Holy One, blessed be He, speaks with them face to face, and at that time these two commandments are fulfilled, therefore it says before Me. But the rest of the commandments are fulfilled even when Israel is in a state of the hiding of [God’s] face, therefore they are stated in third person.
And this is what was said (Makkot 24a) I am and You shall have no we heard from the mouth of the Might. They specifically mentioned the attribute of Might regarding the Holy One, blessed be He, because this was said about the time when Israel is in tranquility, and at that time they add strength to the Might above. But at the time when they are in a state of the hiding [of His] face, they weaken His strength, as it were, as our Sages said (Yalkut Shimoni, Ha’azinu 945) that the righteous add strength to the Might above, as it is said (Numbers 14:17) And now, may the strength of the Lord be increased. And the wicked weaken His strength, as it is said The Rock who bore you, you weakened. And all this is said from the perspective of the receivers, for in truth there is no change above, as it is written (Malachi 3:6) I am the Lord, I have not changed. But this weakening of strength occurs at the time when a wicked person’s sins have captured him and his judgment is decided to cut off the flow of the channels from him. It appears as if there is, heaven forbid, a weakening of strength above which prevented [God] from doing good to him. But the righteous cause the flowing of the channels, and through them the Might above is seen.
And this is what was said (Makkot 24a) I am and You shall have no we heard from the mouth of the Might. They specifically mentioned the attribute of Might regarding the Holy One, blessed be He, because this was said about the time when Israel is in tranquility, and at that time they add strength to the Might above. But at the time when they are in a state of the hiding [of His] face, they weaken His strength, as it were, as our Sages said (Yalkut Shimoni, Ha’azinu 945) that the righteous add strength to the Might above, as it is said (Numbers 14:17) And now, may the strength of the Lord be increased. And the wicked weaken His strength, as it is said The Rock who bore you, you weakened. And all this is said from the perspective of the receivers, for in truth there is no change above, as it is written (Malachi 3:6) I am the Lord, I have not changed. But this weakening of strength occurs at the time when a wicked person’s sins have captured him and his judgment is decided to cut off the flow of the channels from him. It appears as if there is, heaven forbid, a weakening of strength above which prevented [God] from doing good to him. But the righteous cause the flowing of the channels, and through them the Might above is seen.
Radak
ויאמר לו ה' לכן כל הורג קין שבעתים יוקם, I have decreed that anyone killing Kayin will be punished twice sevenfold for that deed, irrespective of whether the killer is man or beast. The number “seven” mentioned here is not to be understood literally, but is a figure of speech for multiples of one. The number is used in a similar sense in Leviticus 26,21 where it also does not mean that G’d will punish the Jewish people sevenfold for each of their sins, but He warns them that their punishment will be very severe. In Proverbs 24,16 שבע יפול הצדיק וקם, the meaning is also not that the righteous will fall down seven times and rise again, but that even if a righteous person falls on bad times repeatedly, being righteous, he will recover. These many ways in which a killer of Kayin would be avenged could be that his killer will be afflicted with numerous sicknesses, diseases, not with just one. They would afflict him successively, until he will succumb to the last such disease.
According to Torah Shleymah on our chapter item #114 G’d told Kayin that in consideration of the fact that he now displayed fear of and reverence for G’d, he would have his lifespan extended for seven generations. Onkelos explains the expression שבעתים as receiving punishment spread over seven generations. Just as Kayin’s eventual death was suspended for 7 generations, so he who killed him would experience a similar fate. Eventually, Lemech killed Kayin. He was the sixth generation after Kayin, but the seventh counting from Adam.
According to Torah Shleymah on our chapter item #114 G’d told Kayin that in consideration of the fact that he now displayed fear of and reverence for G’d, he would have his lifespan extended for seven generations. Onkelos explains the expression שבעתים as receiving punishment spread over seven generations. Just as Kayin’s eventual death was suspended for 7 generations, so he who killed him would experience a similar fate. Eventually, Lemech killed Kayin. He was the sixth generation after Kayin, but the seventh counting from Adam.
Siftei Chakhamim
Give birth to many. This means in one birth, i.e., twins. We need not ask: It could say just רְבוּ. Why say also פְּרוּ? For [the answer is:] We would not know whether רְבוּ means many offspring or great height. Similarly we find in Parshas Bechukosai (Vayikra 26:9), on the verse והרביתי אתכם, which means “erect stature.” But by saying both פְּרוּ and רְבוּ, we understand that רְבו is connected to פְּרוּ, and means many offspring. (Nachalas Yaakov)