Genesis 4

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:16

Gen 4:16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. Ver. 16. And Cain went out from the presence, &c. ] But whither could he go from God’s Spirit? or whither could he fly from his presence? a Psa 139:7 From the presence of his power he could not: for, "Enter, praesenter, Deus hic et ubique potenter." God is "not very far from any one of us," saith St Paul. Act 17:27 Not so far surely as the bark is from the tree, "for all things... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:17

Gen 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. Ver. 17. And he builded a city. ] So, many drown themselves either in secular businesses, or sensual pleasures, and all to put by their melancholy dumps, and heart-qualms, as they call them; indeed to muffle up the mouths of their horribly guilty consciences. So Nicephorus Phocas, when, Zimri-like, he had killed his master, he laboured,... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:18

Gen 4:18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech. Ver. 18. And unto Enoch was born Irad, &c. ] Cain had a numerous offspring. Seven generations of his are here reckoned. Seth is not yet born, that we hear of. The wicked "are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes." Psa 17:14 "They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance." They dance to "the timbrel and harp,"... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:19

Gen 4:19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one [was] Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. Ver. 19. Lamech took unto himself. ] As his own lust led him, not caring for consent of parents. And two wives, a as little caring for the command of God, that "two," and no more, "should be one flesh," Gen 2:24 yea, though he "had the residue of the spirit," and so could have made many wives for Adam, yet "made he but one," saith the prophet b Mal 2:15 And wherefore one? but that... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:20

Gen 4:20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and [of such as have] cattle. Ver. 20. Adah bare Jabal. ] Jabal, a good husband. Jubal, a merry Greek; whence the word iubilo in Latin, and our English jovial. Jabal, that dwelt in tents, and tended the herds, had Jubal to his brother, the father of hand and wind music. Jabal and Jubal, frugality and mirth, good husbandry and sweet content, dwell together. Virgil makes mention of a happy husbandman in his time, who ... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:21

Gen 4:21 And his brother’s name [was] Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. Ver. 21. As handle the harp and organ. ] He invented Musicam, mentis medicinam maestae . The word here rendered organ is in the Chaldee Paraphrast, a pipe . It imports loveliness and delight: for men do naturally love and delight in music. Ezekiel’s hearers seemed to be much taken with his pulpit music, Eze 33:32 but proved at length like the Jassians in Strabo, who, delighted with the... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:22

Gen 4:22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain [was] Naamah. Ver. 22. And Zillah bare Tubal-cain. ] Perhaps the same that the poets call Vulcan. He was a cunning artificer in brass and iron. Tools they had before, and instruments of iron: how else could they have ploughed the accursed earth? But this man, artem iam inventam excoluit ornavitque , saith Junius; and is therefore called, a whetter or polisher of every... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:23

Gen 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. Ver. 23. And Lamech said unto his wives. ] Who, it seems, were troublesome to him with their domestic discords, and led him a discontented life. He therefore gives them to understand in this set speech, what a man he is, if molested by them or any other, and what slaughters he can make, if provoked by an... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:24

Gen 4:24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold. Ver. 24. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, &c. ] Boastful Lamech brags, and goes on to outdare God himself. For it is as if he should say, If God will take vengeance on them that condemn him, why may not I on those that condemn me, wives or other? Nay, though God will forgive evils against him, yet will not I evils against me. I’ll have the odds of him, seventy to seven; so Junius interprets it. A desperate... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:25

Gen 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. Ver. 25. She bare a son, and called, &c. ] Sic uno avulso, non deficit alter Aureus . a Dead bones may revive, and out of the ashes of a phoenix another phoenix spring. Iana iacet phoenix nato phoenice ,& c. The two witnesses that were killed, received the Spirit of life from God again. Rev 11:11 John Baptist... read more

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:16

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:17

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:18

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:19

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:20

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:21

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:22

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:23

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:24

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:25

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