Sastra Bait Kedua Kejadian 4:23: That the Worse is wont to Attack the Better & The Midrash

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לֶ֜מֶךְ לְנָשָׁ֗יו עָדָ֤ה וְצִלָּה֙ שְׁמַ֣עַן קוֹלִ֔י נְשֵׁ֣י לֶ֔מֶךְ הַאְזֵ֖נָּה אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּ֣י אִ֤ישׁ הָרַ֙גְתִּי֙ לְפִצְעִ֔י וְיֶ֖לֶד לְחַבֻּרָתִֽי׃

Lalu Lamekh berkata kepada istri-istrinya, “Ada dan Zila, dengarkanlah suaraku; hai istri-istri Lamekh, simaklah perkataanku: apakah seorang laki-laki kubunuh dengan luka yang kutimbulkan, dan seorang anak muda dengan memar yang kubuat?

That the Worse is wont to Attack the Better

[50] What am I driving at in saying this? That the soul, not coming under the head of persons or things distinct and separate from each other but under that of those which form a single whole, must needs suffer what it seems to do, as of course in the present instance; for when it seemed to destroy the doctrine most dear to God, it turns out to have destroyed itself. This is proved by Lamech, the offspring of Cain’s impiety, who, addressing his wives, who are two ill-judging judgements, says: “I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my scourging myself” (Gen. 4:23).
Tanya RabiBookmarkShareCopy

The Midrash of Philo

Why Lamech, after the fifth generation, blames himself for the fratricide of his elder Cain; saying, as the scripture reports, to his wives, Adah and Zillah; "I have slain a man to my injury and a young man to my hurt; since if vengeance is taken upon Cain sevenfold, it shall certainly be taken on Lamech seventy and sevenfold?" (Genesis 4:23).
Tanya RabiBookmarkShareCopy