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John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 4:22

And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain ,.... Thought by many to be the same with Vulcan, his name and business agreeing; for the names are near in sound, Tubalcain may easily pass into Vulcan; and who, with the Heathens, was the god of the smiths, and the maker of Jupiter's thunderbolts, as this was an artificer in iron and brass, as follows: his name is compounded of two words, the latter of which was no doubt put into his name in memory of Cain his great ancestor; the former Josephus F21 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 4:23

And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah ,.... Confessing what he had done, or boasting what he would do should he be attacked; or in order to make his wives easy, who might fear from his fierceness and cruelty; and the murders he had committed, or on account of Abel's murder, Genesis 4:15 that either the judgments of God would fall upon him and them, or some man or other would dispatch him and his; wherefore calling them together, he thus bespeaks them: hear my voice, ye wives... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 4:24

If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold. Which if understood of him as confessing and lamenting his sin of murder, the sense is, if Cain was so severely punished for killing one man, of how much sorer punishment am I deserving, and shall have, who have killed two persons, and that after I had seen the punishment of Cain, and yet took no warning by it? or if he that killed Cain, who slew his brother, was to be avenged sevenfold, or to seven generations, then how... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:1

I have gotten a man from the Lord - Cain, קין , signifies acquisition; hence Eve says קנתי kanithi , I have gotten or acquired a man, יהוה את eth Yehovah , the Lord. It is extremely difficult to ascertain the sense in which Eve used these words, which have been as variously translated as understood. Most expositors think that Eve imagined Cain to be the promised seed that should bruise the head of the serpent. This exposition really seems too refined for that period. It is very... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:2

And she again bare his brother Abel - Literally, She added to bear ( ללדת ותסף vattoseph laledeth ) his brother. From the very face of this account it appears evident that Cain and Abel were twins. In most cases where a subject of this kind is introduced in the Holy Scriptures, and the successive births of children of the same parents are noted, the acts of conceiving and bringing forth are mentioned in reference to each child; here it is not said that she conceived and brought forth... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:3

In process of time - ימים מקץ mikkets yamim , at the end of days. Some think the anniversary of the creation to be here intended; it is more probable that it means the Sabbath, on which Adam and his family undoubtedly offered oblations to God, as the Divine worship was certainly instituted, and no doubt the Sabbath properly observed in that family. This worship was, in its original institution, very simple. It appears to have consisted of two parts: Thanksgiving to God as the author... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:4

Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock - Dr. Kennicott contends that the words he also brought, הוא גם הביא hebi gam hu , should be translated, Abel brought it also, i.e. a minchah or gratitude offering; and beside this he brought of the first-born ( מבכרות mibbechoroth ) of his flock, and it was by this alone that he acknowledged himself a sinner, and professed faith in the promised Messiah. To this circumstance the apostle seems evidently to allude, Hebrews 11:4 ;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:5

Unto Cain - As being unconscious of his sinfulness, and consequently unhumbled, and to his offering, as not being accompanied, as Abel's was, with faith and a sacrifice for sin, he had not respect - He could not, consistently with his holiness and justice, approve of the one or receive the other. Of the manner in which God testified his approbation we are not informed; it was probably, as in the case of Elijah, by sending down fire from heaven, and consuming the sacrifice. Cain was very... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:6

Why art thou wroth? - This was designed as a gracious warning, and a preventive of the meditated crime. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:7

If thou doest well - That which is right in the sight of God, shalt thou not be accepted? Does God reject any man who serves him in simplicity and godly sincerity? But if thou doest not well, can wrath and indignation against thy righteous brother save thee from the displeasure under which thou art fallen? On the contrary, have recourse to thy Maker for mercy; רבץ חטאת לפתח lappethach chattath robets , a sin-offering lieth at thy door; an animal proper to be offered as an atonement for... read more

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