4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
[3] {Cain} Cain ("acquisition") is a type of the mere man of the earth. His religion was destitute of any adequate sense of sin, or need of atonement. This religious type is described in 2Pe 2. Seven things are said of him: (1) he worships in self-will (2) is angry with God (3) refuses to bring a sin offering (4) murders his brother (5) lies to God (6) becomes a vagabond (7) is, nevertheless, the object of the divine solicitude.
4:2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
[4] {Abel} Abel ("exhalation," or, "that which ascends") is a type of the spiritual man. His sacrifice, in which atoning blood was shed # Heb 9:22 was therefore at once his confession of sin and the expression of his faith in the interposition of a substitute # Heb 11:4
4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
[3] {Cain} Cain ("acquisition") is a type of the mere man of the earth. His religion was destitute of any adequate sense of sin, or need of atonement. This religious type is described in 2Pe 2. Seven things are said of him: (1) he worships in self-will (2) is angry with God (3) refuses to bring a sin offering (4) murders his brother (5) lies to God (6) becomes a vagabond (7) is, nevertheless, the object of the divine solicitude.
4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firsthngs of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
[4] {Abel} Abel ("exhalation," or, "that which ascends") is a type of the spiritual man. His sacrifice, in which atoning blood was shed # Heb 9:22 was therefore at once his confession of sin and the expression of his faith in the interposition of a substitute # Heb 11:4
[5] {flock} Type of Christ, the Lamb of God, the most constant type of the suffering Messiah--"the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world" # Joh 1:29 A lamb fitly symbolizes the unresisting innocency and harmlessness of the Lord Jesus # Isa 53:7 Lu 23:9 Mt 26:53,54 This type is brought into prominence by contrast with Cain's bloodless offering of the fruit of his own works, and proclaims, in the very infancy of the race, the primal truth that "without shedding of blood is no remission" # Heb 9:22 11:4
4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
4:7 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.
[1] {sin} Or, sin-offering. In Hebrew the same word is used for "sin," and "sin- offering," thus emphasizing in a remarkable way the complete identification of the believer's sin with his sin offering (cf) # Joh 3:14 2Co 5:21 Here both meanings are brought together. "Sin lieth at the door," but so also "a sin-offering croucheth at the [tent] door." It is "where sin abounded" that "grace did much more abound" # Ro 5:20 Abel's offering implies a previous instruction (cf) # Ge 3:21 for it was "by faith" # Heb 11:4 and faith is taking God at His word; so that Cain's unbloody offering was a refusal of the divine way. But Jehovah made a last appeal to Cain # Ge 4:7 even yet to bring the required offering.
4:8 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.
4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where [is] Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: [Am] I my brother's keeper?
4:10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
4:11 And now [art] thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;
4:12 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.
4:13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment [is] greater than I can bear.
4:14 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.
4:15 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.
4:16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
4:17 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.
[2] {builded a city} The first civilization, that which perished in the judgment of the Flood, was Cainitic in origin, character, and destiny. Every element of material civilization is mentioned in verses 16-22, city and pastoral life, and the development of arts and manufactures. Enoch, after whom the first city was named, means "teacher." The el termination of the names of Enoch's son and grandson shows that for a time the knowledge of Elohim was preserved, but his soon disappears # Ro 1:21-23 Adah means "pleasure," or "adornment"; Zillah, to "hide"; Lamech, "conqueror," or "wild man." (Cf) # Ro 1:21-25 ¯ See Note Ge 6.4 The Cainitic civilization may have been as splendid as that of Greece or Rome, but the divine judgment is according to the moral state, not the material. # Ge 6:5-7
4:18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech. 4:19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one [was] Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
4:20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and [of such as have] cattle.
4:21 And his brother's name [was] Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.
4:22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain [was] Naamah.
4:23 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. 4:24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
4:25 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.
4:26 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.
