Genesis 4

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 4:19-22

(19-22) Lamech took unto him two wives.—Whether polygamy began with Lamech is uncertain, but it is in keeping with the insolent character of the man. The names of his wives bear testimony to the existence, even at this early date, of considerable refinement; for I can scarcely believe that we need go to the Assyrian dialect for the meaning of two words for which Hebrew suffices. They are explained in Assyrian as being edhatu, “darkness,” and tzillatu, “the shades of night.” In Hebrew Adah means... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 4:23-24

(23, 24) Lamech said . . . —Following quickly upon music, we have poetry, but it is in praise of ferocity, and gives utterance to the pride of one who, by means of the weapons forged by his son, had taken violent revenge for an attack made upon him. Many commentators, however, regard the poem as hypothetical. “Were any one to wound me, I would with these weapons slay him.” It would thus be a song of exultation over the armour which Tubal-cain had invented. It more probably records a fact, and... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 4:25

SUBSTITUTION OF SETH FOR ABEL.(25) Another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.—Cain, the firstborn, and Abel, who had outstripped him in prosperity, were both lost to Adam. But instead of the third son succeeding to the place of the firstborn, it is given to one specially marked out, probably by prophecy, just as Solomon took the rights of primogeniture over the head of Adonijah.Seth.—Heb., Sheth, that is, appointed, substituted: he was thus specially designated as the son who was to be the... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 4:26

(26) He called his name Enos.—Heb., Enosh, that is, man. We thus find language growing. Up to this time there had been two names for man: Adam, which also in Assyrian—another Semitic dialect—has the same meaning, as Sir H. Rawlinson has shown: and Ish, a being. (See on Genesis 2:23.) We have now Enosh, which, according to Fürst and others, signifies mortal; but of this there is no proof. Most probably it is the generic word for man. and is used as such in the Aramaic dialects. Thus in Syriac... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Genesis 4:1-26

Genesis 4:0 'Marriage, which has been the bourne of so many narratives, is still a great beginning, or it was to Adam and Eve, who kept their honeymoon in Eden, but had their first little one among the thorns and thistles of the wilderness. It is still the beginning of the home epic the gradual conquest or irremediable loss of that complete union which makes the advancing years a climax, and age the harvest of sweet memories in common.' George Eliot, Middlemarch. Cain and Abel Genesis 4:3-5... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Genesis 4:1-26

CAIN AND ABELGenesis 4:1-26IT is not the purpose of this narrator to write the history of the world. It is not his purpose to write even the history of mankind. His object is to write the history of redemption. Starting from the broad fact of man’s alienation from God, he means to trace that element in human history which results in the perfect re-union of God and man. The keynote has been struck in the promise already given that the seed of the woman should prevail over the seed of the... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Genesis 4:12-24

CAIN’S LINE, AND ENOCHGenesis 4:12-24"MY punishment is greater than I can bear," so felt Cain as soon as his passion had spent itself and the consequences of his wickedness became apparent-and so feels every one who finds he has now to live in the presence of the irrevocable deed he has done. It seems too heavy a penalty to endure for the one hour of passion; and yet as little as Cain could rouse the dead Abel so little can we revive the past we have destroyed. Thoughtlessness has set in motion... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Genesis 4:1-26

CHAPTER 4 After the Fall and the Two Seeds 1. Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1-2 ) 2. Their offerings (Genesis 4:3-5 ) 3. The divine remonstrance (Genesis 4:6-7 ) 4. Abel slain by his brother (Genesis 4:8 ) 5. Cain’s judgment (Genesis 4:9-16 ) 6. Cain and his offspring and the progress of the world (Genesis 4:17-24 ) 7. Seth in place of Abel (Genesis 4:25-26 ) This chapter is filled with many lessons. Here are types of the Seed of the Woman, Christ. Christ as the Good Shepherd, the... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Genesis 4:1

4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she {a} conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man {b} from the LORD.(a) Man’s nature, the estate of marriage, and God’s blessing were not utterly abolished through sin, but the quality or condition of it was changed.(b) That is, according to the Lord’s promise, as some read Genesis 3:15, "To the Lord" rejoicing for the son she had born, whom she would offer to the Lord as the first fruits of her birth. read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Genesis 4:3

4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an {c} offering unto the LORD.(c) This declares that the father instructed his children in the knowledge of God, and also how God gave them sacrifices to signify their salvation, though they were destitute of the ordinance of the tree of life. read more

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 4:19-22

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 4:23-24

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 4:25

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 4:26

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Genesis 4:1-26

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Genesis 4:1-26

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Genesis 4:12-24

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Genesis 4:1-26

Geneva Study Bible - Genesis 4:1

Geneva Study Bible - Genesis 4:3

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