Genesis 4

Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Genesis 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.And he builded a city — In token of a settled separation from the church of God. And here is an account of his posterity, at least the heirs of his family, for seven generations. His son was Enoch, of the same name, but not of the same character with that holy man that walked with God. The names of more of his posterity are mentioned, and but just... read more

John Wesley

Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Genesis 4:19

And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.And Lamech took two wives — It was one of the degenerate race of Cain who first transgressed that original law of marriage, that two only should be one flesh1. Jabal was a famous shepherd; he delighted much in keeping cattle, and was so happy in devising methods of doing it to the best advantage, and instructing others in them, that the shepherds of those times, nay, the shepherds of after-times,... read more

John Wesley

Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Genesis 4:22

And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.From Tubal-Cain, probably the Heathen Vulcan came. Why Naamah is particularly named, we know not: probably they did, who lived when Moses wrote. read more

John Wesley

Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Genesis 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.This passage is extremely obscure. We know not whom he slew, or on what occasion: neither what ground he had to be so confident of the Divine protection. read more

John Wesley

Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Genesis 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.This is the first mention of Adam in the story of this chapter. No question the murder of Abel, and the impenitency and apostacy of Cain, were a very great grief to him and Eve, and the more because their own wickedness did now correct them, and their backsliding did reprove them. Their folly had given sin and death entrance into the... read more

John Wesley

Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Genesis 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.And to Seth was born a son called Enos, which is the general name for all men, and speaks the weakness, frailty, and misery of man's state.Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord — Doubtless God's name was called upon before, but now, 1. The worshippers of God began to stir up themselves to do more in religion than they had done; perhaps not more than had been... read more

Daniel Whedon

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:1

1. Adam knew Eve A euphemism, based upon a profound conception of the marital relation . “Generation in man is an act of personal free-will, not a blind impulse of nature . It flows from the divine institution of marriage, and is, therefore, knowing the wife . ” Keil . Bare Cain In the Hebrew the word Cain has the emphatic particle את before it, the Cain . In these most ancient narratives names have special significance, and the name Cain is most naturally derived from the... read more

Daniel Whedon

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:1-15

CAIN AND ABEL, Genesis 4:1-15 . “The consequences of the fall now appear in the history of the first family. By careful attention to the record, we may learn the true nature of the primitive religion, its rites, its hopes, and faith. We may also see here most instructive traces of the primeval civilization. While fearful sin stains the firstborn of man, sadly crushing the joyful hopes of the first mother, a pious son also appears, setting forth thus early the contrast and conflict between... read more

Daniel Whedon

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:1-26

The Generations of the Heavens and the Land, Genesis 2:4 to Genesis 4:26. In chapters 1, and Genesis 2:1-3, the sacred writer gives us his account of the creation of the heavens and the land; he now proceeds to give us their generations, תולרות . His historical standpoint is the day from which these generations start; the day when man was formed of the dust of the ground, and of the breath of life from the heavens. So the first man is conceived of as the product of the heavens and the land... read more

Daniel Whedon

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:2

2. She again bare Literally, she added to bear; which expression has usually been construed to mean that Cain and Abel were twins; but such meaning is not necessarily in the words . They simply mean that Eve bore another son . Nor is it necessary to suppose that Abel was born next after Cain; between the two, Adam and Eve may have begotten many sons and daughters . Genesis 5:4. The name Abel, (which means a breath, a vapour, vanity, or nothingness,) suggests that the mother, so... read more

Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Genesis 4:17

Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Genesis 4:19

Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Genesis 4:22

Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Genesis 4:23

Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Genesis 4:25

Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Genesis 4:26

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:1

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:1-15

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:1-26

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:2

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