CAIN AND ABEL. THE DESCENDANTS OF CAIN The narrative, which forms part of the Primitive document, impressively shows how sin, having once appeared, became hereditary in the human race, and speedily developed into its most revolting form. Its details enable us to see how jealousy, when indulged, lead... [ Continue Reading ]
ADAM] RV 'the man.' CAIN] Heb. _Kayin,_ 'a spear,' in Arabic 'smith' (see Genesis 4:22). Here connected with _Kanah,_ 'gotten,' or 'acquired.' The Hebrews attached a great importance to names, which were mostly regarded as descriptive of some characteristic in the thing or person on whom they were b... [ Continue Reading ]
ABEL] perhaps from the Assyrian _ahlu,_ 'a son.' Here it may be connected with Heb. _hebel_, 'a breath,' a fitting name for one whose life was so brief: see on Genesis 4:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
On the nature and origin of sacrifice see Intro. to Leviticus.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD HAD RESPECT, etc.] The characters of the brothers rather than their offerings are kept chiefly in view. Many, passages show that the decisive reason why a worshipper is accepted or rejected lies in the disposition with which he draws nigh (cp. 1 Samuel 15:22; Isaiah 1:11; Psalms 50:8; H... [ Continue Reading ]
We may paraphrase thus, 'If thou doest well, is there not lifting up of the countenance, banishment of depression and gloom? And if thou doest not well, Sin is at the door, crouching in readiness to spring on thee and make thee a prey, but thou must resist its promptings' (RM 'Unto thee shall be its... [ Continue Reading ]
AND CAIN TOLD (RV) ABEL] Heb. 'said unto' LXX and other versions insert here 'Let us go into the open country,' showing Cain's intention to murder. In his case the harboured jealousy tempted him not merely to take an opportunity of using violence, but to make one.... [ Continue Reading ]
Cain sounds a much lower depth of depravity than his parents. Besides the guilt of murder, there is the impudent denial that he has harmed Abel, and the repudiation of responsibility for his safety.... [ Continue Reading ]
CRIETH UNTO ME] The thought of great evils crying to God is frequently met with in Scripture: cp. Genesis 18:20; Genesis 19:13. The ground, which has been unwillingly obliged to drink the blood of Abel, is represented as refusing to tolerate his murderer, or to make him an adequate return for his to... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EARTH] RV 'the ground.' Cain is banished from the ground which he had formerly tilled and had now polluted, to the wide world (Genesis 4:12), a sterner punishment than that of Adam and Eve.... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM THY FACE SHALL I BE HID] Cain supposes that God's presence and protection are limited to his old home. VAGABOND] RV 'wanderer.' WHOSOEVER FINDETH ME] See prefatory remarks.... [ Continue Reading ]
SEVENFOLD] Vengeance should be taken upon seven of the murderer's family: cp. 2 Samuel 21:8. SET A MARK UPON CAIN] RV 'appointed a sign for Cain.' Perhaps it was some token to assure him of safety, like the rainbow at the Flood. Others take it that Cain was marked in some way to show that he was und... [ Continue Reading ]
WENT OUT FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD] from the land he had before inhabited. See on Genesis 4:14. NOD] The word, which means 'wandering,' is by some regarded as merely a figurative exprèssion for a nomadic life, but Cain appears to have built a city there (Genesis 4:17). 17-24. The descendants of... [ Continue Reading ]
BUILDED A CITY] The 'city' of course would be a collection of huts surrounded by a defensive palisade.... [ Continue Reading ]
The first mention of polygamy in the Bible. The custom of having more than one wife does not seem to have been uncommon among the Hebrews, and we find legislation on the subject in Deuteronomy 21:15 but the divine intention was that a man should have but one wife: cp. Deuteronomy 2:24; Matthew 19:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FATHER] i.e. 'Originator'; the first to lead a pastoral life.... [ Continue Reading ]
ORGAN] RV 'pipe.'... [ Continue Reading ]
TUBAL-CAIN] i.e. 'Tubal the smith': see on Genesis 4:1. AN INSTRUCTER OF EVERY ARTIFICER IN] RV 'the forger of every cutting instrument of.' BRASS] rather, 'copper' (RM), or bronze.... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE SLAIN, etc.] RM 'I will slay a man for wounding me, and a young man for bruising me' On this rendering it would seem that Lamech, rejoicing, perhaps, in his son's invention of weapons, boasts that he would be able to amply repay any one who injured him. The words of Lamech are metrical and ar... [ Continue Reading ]
See Genesis 4:15 and note. 25, 26. A supplementary note mentioning the birth of Seth and Enos: see on Genesis 4:17. SETH] 'appointed'or 'substituted.' ENOS] 'man.'... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN BEGAN MEN TO CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD] The Primitive or Jehovistic document uses JEHOVAH as the name of the God of Israel from the first; but the Priestly document speaks of the name being first revealed to Moses. See Exodus 3:14; Exodus 6:2. What is here suggested is, either that Enos wo... [ Continue Reading ]