Genesis 4

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:8

Cain talked with Abel his brother - קין ויאמר vaiyomer Kayin , and Cain said, etc.; not talked, for this construction the word cannot bear without great violence to analogy and grammatical accuracy. But why should it be thus translated? Because our translators could not find that any thing was spoken on the occasion; and therefore they ventured to intimate that there was a conversation, indefinitely. In the most correct editions of the Hebrew Bible there is a small space left here in the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:10

The voice of thy brother's blood - It is probable that Cain, having killed his brother, dug a hole and buried him in the earth, hoping thereby to prevent the murder from being known; and that this is what is designed in the words, Thy brother's blood crieth unto me From The Ground - which hath opened her mouth to receive it from thy hand. Some think that by the voice of thy brother's blood the cries of Abel's widow and children are to be understood, as it is very probable that he was father... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:12

A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be - Thou shalt be expelled from the presence of God, and from thy family connections, and shalt have no fixed secure residence in any place. The Septuagint render this στενων και τρεμων εση , thou shalt be groaning and trembling upon the earth - the horror of thy crime shall ever haunt thee, and thou shalt never have any well-grounded hope that God will remit the punishment thou deservest. No state out of endless perdition can be considered more awful... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:13

My punishment is greater than I can bear - The margin reads, Mine iniquity is greater than that it may be forgiven. The original words, מנשוא עוני גדול gadol avoni minneso , may be translated, Is my crime too great to be forgiven? words which we may presume he uttered on the verge of black despair. It is most probable that עון avon signifies rather the crime than the punishment; in this sense it is used Leviticus 26:41 , Leviticus 26:43 ; 1 Samuel 28:10 ; 2 Kings 7:9 ; and ... read more

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