Adam and Eve had many sons and daughters, Genesis 5:4. But Cain and Abel seem to have been the two eldest. Cain signifies possession; for Eve when she bare him said with joy and thankfulness, and great expectation, I have gotten a man from the Lord.... [ Continue Reading ]
Abel signifies vanity. The name given to this son is put upon the whole race, Psalms 39:5. Every man is at his best estate vanity; Abel, vanity. He chose that employment which did most befriend contemplation and devotion, for that hath been looked upon as the advantage of a pastoral life. Moses and... [ Continue Reading ]
In process of time — At the end of days, either at the end of the year when they kept their feast of in — gathering, or at the end of the days of the week, the seventh day; at some set time Cain and Abel brought to Adam, as the priest of the family, each of them an offering to the Lord; for which we... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Lord God had respect to Abel and to his offering, and shewed his acceptance of it, probably by fire from heaven but to Cain and to his offering he had not respect. We are sure there was a good reason for this difference: that Governor of the world, though an absolute sovereign, doth not act... [ Continue Reading ]
And Cain was wroth, and his countenance fell — Not so much out of grief as malice and rage. His sullen churlish countenance, and down — look, betrayed his passionate resentment.... [ Continue Reading ]
If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? — Either, 1. If thou hadst done well, as thy brother did, thou shouldest have been accepted as he was. God is no respecter of persons; so that if we come short of acceptance with him, the fault is wholly our own. This will justify God in the destruction... [ Continue Reading ]
And Cain talked with Abel his brother — The Chaldee paraphrast adds, that Cain, when they were in discourse, maintained there was no judgment to come, and that when Abel spoke in defence of the truth, Cain took that occasion to fall upon him. The scripture tells us the reason wherefore he slew him,... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? — God knew him to be guilty; yet he asks him, that he might draw from him a confession of his crime; for those who would be justified before God, must accuse themselves. And he said, I know not — Thus in Cain the devil was both a murderer, and... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, What hast thou done? — Thou thinkest to conceal it, but the evidence against thee is clear and uncontestable, the voice of thy brother's blood crieth — He speaks as if the blood itself were both witness and prosecutor, because God's own knowledge testified against him, and God's own jus... [ Continue Reading ]
And now art thou cursed from the earth — 1. He is cursed, separated to all evil, laid under the wrath of God, as it is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. 2. He is cursed from the earth. Thence the cry came up to God, thence the curse came up to Cain. God could h... [ Continue Reading ]
Whosoever slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him seven — fold — God having said in Cain's case Vengeance is mine, I will repay; it had been a daring usurpation for any man to take the sword out of God's hand. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain — To distinguish him from the rest of mankind. What... [ Continue Reading ]
And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt on the east of Eden — Somewhere distant from the place were Adam and his religious family resided: distinguishing himself and his accursed generation from the holy seed; in the land of Nod — That is, of shaking or trembling, because of the c... [ Continue Reading ]
And he builded a city — In token of a settled separation from the church of God. And here is an account of his posterity, at least the heirs of his family, for seven generations. His son was Enoch, of the same name, but not of the same character with that holy man that walked with God. The names of... [ Continue Reading ]
And Lamech took two wives — It was one of the degenerate race of Cain who first transgressed that original law of marriage, that two only should be one flesh. Jabal was a famous shepherd; he delighted much in keeping cattle, and was so happy in devising methods of doing it to the best advantage, and... [ Continue Reading ]
From Tubal — Cain, probably the Heathen Vulcan came. Why Naamah is particularly named, we know not: probably they did, who lived when Moses wrote.... [ Continue Reading ]
This passage is extremely obscure. We know not whom he slew, or on what occasion: neither what ground he had to be so confident of the Divine protection.... [ Continue Reading ]
This is the first mention of Adam in the story of this chapter. No question the murder of Abel, and the impenitency and apostacy of Cain, were a very great grief to him and Eve, and the more because their own wickedness did now correct them, and their backsliding did reprove them. Their folly had gi... [ Continue Reading ]
And to Seth was born a son called Enos, which is the general name for all men, and speaks the weakness, frailty, and misery of man's state. Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord — Doubtless God's name was called upon before, but now, 1. The worshippers of God began to stir up themselves t... [ Continue Reading ]