Genesis
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Genesis 4
Genesis 4
Commentary · verses 1-26
1And the man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man with the help of Jehovah.
1And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
Commentary · verse 1
It looked as if Adam and Eve did not have intercourse until they left paradise. The following story was referenced in Hebrews 11:4 as proof that Abel was an example of faith to us. The following story was also referenced in Jude 1:11 because Cain was an example of someone who was destroyed because he was without reason. 1 John 3:12 referenced this story to prove Cain hated his brother.
2And again she bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto Jehovah.
2And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
Commentary · verses 2-3
Cain brought God an offering. Not only was this not a bad thing, it was a good thing. This was a right WHAT.
4And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
4And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
5But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
Commentary · verses 4-5
God had respect on Abel and his offering. God had no respect on Cain and his offering. This did not say that God was angry with Cain or that Cain did anything wrong. Respect meant God gave back to Abel, because Abel gave more to God because it was the firstling...his best.
6And Jehovah said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up? and if thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door; and unto thee shall be its desire; but do thou rule over it.
6And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Commentary · verses 6-7
God asked Cain three questions. God's questions to Cain imply that if Cain gave his offering with a right HOW/WHY, then he would be "lifted up." In addition, if Cain gave his offering with a wrong or no HOW/WHY, then God said that "sin coucheth at the door."
Cain had yet to sin here. The reason God did not respect Cain's offering was not because Cain sinned (he hadn't) nor because the offering came from the ground (which was "cursed"). The issue here was that Cain's countenance fell because he was more focused on Abel than on God. If God hadn't respected Abel's offering, Cain wouldn't have been wroth. Why was God asking these questions? Did God not know the answers?
8And Cain told Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
8And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
Commentary · verse 8
Notice, Cain told Abel about his interaction with God. Cain was trying to do the right thing. However, within the same verse, it eventually came to pass that Cain let sin have him. Cain sinned within this verse, not before this verse.
9And Jehovah said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother’s keeper?
9And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?
Commentary · verse 9
Again, God asked Cain a question. Why would God ask this question? God knew the answer. God wanted to know Cain's response! That was the reason God asked Cain the first three questions. Here, God wanted to see how Cain responded to the sin he committed against Abel. Cain's response was to answer with a question that was a right WHAT with a wrong HOW/WHY. Cain was not his brother's keeper. However, he said this to justify why he did not have to answer the question with the actual place where he left Abel dead.
10And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.
11And now cursed art thou from the ground, which hath opened its mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; 12when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee its strength; a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth.
10And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.
11And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;
12When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
Commentary · verses 10-12
Cain responded poorly and was punished. What would have happened had Cain confessed and repented?
13And Cain said unto Jehovah, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the ground; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whosoever findeth me will slay me.
13And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
Commentary · verses 13-14
Cain said this punishment was too much to bear. He was afraid to be separated from God and afraid that he would be killed.
15And Jehovah said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And Jehovah appointed a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should smite him.
15And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
Commentary · verse 15
God would punish anyone who slayed Cain sevenfold. To prevent this from happening, God marked Cain in a way that people would know to not slay him. Whatever this mark/sign was that God applied to Cain is unknown.
16And Cain went out from the presence of Jehovah, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
17And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.
16And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
17And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.
Commentary · verses 16-17
Some people wonder where Cain found a wife. Genesis 5:4 stated Adam "begat sons and daughterS."
Doctrines on this passage
18And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael; and Mehujael begat Methushael; and Methushael begat Lamech.
19And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
20And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents and have cattle.
21And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and pipe.
18And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.
19And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
20And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.
21And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.
Commentary · verses 18-21
The first biblical mention of musical instruments.
22And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23And 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 for wounding me, And a young man for bruising me: 24If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
25And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For, said she, God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel; for Cain slew him.
22And Zillah, she also bare Tubal–cain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal–cain was Naamah.
23And 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.
24If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
25And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
Commentary · verses 22-25
God appointed Eve another seed because of Abel's death. She named him "Seth" which meant "compensation," from the root word meaning "appointed."
26And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh. Then began men to call upon the name of Jehovah.
26And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.
Commentary · verse 26
People were actively seeking the Lord.
Chapter 4 Began the 2nd Dispensation - Pre-Flood. The 1st Dispensation failed because Adam and Eve did not have understanding because they did not have the knowledge of good and evil. This dispensation gave people hundreds of years to develop understanding and experience about God.