And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. Ver. 1. _I have gotten a man from the Lord._] Or, that famous man, the Lord; as if she had brought forth the man Christ Jesus. These were _words of hope not of substance_ _verba spei, non rei_... [ Continue Reading ]
_And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD._ Ver. 3. _In process of time._] That distance of time between the creation and the general flood, Varro, the most learned of the Romans, calleth ‘ Aσηλον, obscure or unknown, because the... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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: Ver. 4. _Of the firstlings of his flock._] He brought the best of the best; _a_ not anything that came next to hand, as Cain seems to have done, holding anything... [ Continue Reading ]
But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. Ver. 5. _But to Cain and his offering, &c._] Because he brought _not the person but the work of a person_ _non personam, sed opus personae,_ as Luther _a_ hath it; who also calls those Cainists... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?_ Ver. 6. _Why is thy countenance fallen?_] Why dost lour and look so like a dog under a door? _Vultu saepe loeditur pietas: Difficile est animum non prodere vultu_ _a_ He was discontented at God, and displeased at... [ Continue Reading ]
If 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. Ver. 7. _Sin lies at the door._] Like a great bandog, ready to pull out the throat of thy soul, if thou but look over the hatch. Say... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 8. _And Cain talked with Abel._] What talk they had is not set down. The Septuagint and vulgar versions tell us, Cain said, Let us go out into the... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD said unto Cain, Where [is] Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: [Am] I my brother's keeper? Ver. 9. I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?] As if he had bid God, Go look. Let us not think much to receive dogged answers and disdainful speeches from profane persons. When they have l... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. Ver. 10. _What hast thou done?_] Here God appeals to the murderer's conscience, which is instead of a thousand witnesses. As oft as we feel the secret smitings of our own hearts for sin, think we hear... [ Continue Reading ]
And now [art] thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; Ver. 11. _And now thou art cursed._] The Pope contrarily blesses and saints traitors to their country, and murderers of their natural sovereigns; as Ravilliac, and others his assassin... [ Continue Reading ]
When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. Ver. 12. _A fugitive and a vagabond, &c._] The patriarchs were pilgrims, and stayed not long in a place. The apostles also were hurried about, Rom 15:19 and had... [ Continue Reading ]
And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment [is] greater than I can bear. Ver. 13. _My punishment is greater than I can bear._] Or, mine iniquity is greater than can be forgiven. In either sense he sins exceedingly, and worse perhaps than in slaying his brother, whether he murmur against God's justi... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, 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. Ver. 14. _From the face of the earth._] That is, of this earth, th... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 15. _The Lord set a mark, &c._] Some say it was the letter Tau; others, some letter of Jehovah: probably it was the... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden._ Ver. 16. _And Cain went out from the presence, &c._] But whither could he go from God's Spirit? or whither could he fly from his presence? _a_ Psa 139:7 From the presence of his power he could not:... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 17. _And he builded a city._] So, many drown themselves either in secular businesses, or sensual pleasures, and all to put by their melancholy du... [ Continue Reading ]
And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech. Ver. 18. _And unto Enoch was born Irad, &c._] Cain had a numerous offspring. Seven generations of his are here reckoned. Seth is not yet born, that we hear of. The wicked "are full of ch... [ Continue Reading ]
And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one [was] Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. Ver. 19. _Lamech took unto himself._] As his own lust led him, not caring for consent of parents. And two wives, _a_ as little caring for the command of God, that "two," and no more, "should be one... [ Continue Reading ]
And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and [of such as have] cattle. Ver. 20. _Adah bare Jabal._] Jabal, a good husband. Jubal, a merry Greek; whence the word _iubilo_ in Latin, and our English jovial. Jabal, that dwelt in tents, and tended the herds, had Jubal to his bro... [ Continue Reading ]
_And his brother's name [was] Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ._ Ver. 21. _As handle the harp and organ._] He invented _Musicam, mentis medicinam maestae_. The word here rendered _organ_ is in the Chaldee Paraphrast, a _pipe_. It imports loveliness and delight: for... [ Continue Reading ]
And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain [was] Naamah. Ver. 22. _And Zillah bare Tubal-cain._] Perhaps the same that the poets call Vulcan. He was a cunning artificer in brass and iron. Tools they had before, and instrument... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 23. _And Lamech said unto his wives._] Who, it seems, were troublesome to him with their domestic discords, and led him... [ Continue Reading ]
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold. Ver. 24. _If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, &c._] Boastful Lamech brags, and goes on to outdare God himself. For it is as if he should say, If God will take vengeance on them that condemn him, why may not I on those that cond... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 25. _She bare a son, and called, &c._] _Sic uno avulso, non deficit alter Aureus_. _a_ Dead bones may revive, and out of the ashes of... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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. Ver. 26. _Then began men to call upon, &c._] Publicly, and in solemn assemblies to serve the Lord; and to make a bold and wise profession of his name: "shining as lamps" _a_... [ Continue Reading ]