Genesis 4:17-25

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:16-18

We have here a further account of Cain, and what became of him after he was rejected of God. I. He tamely submitted to that part of his sentence by which he was hidden from God's face; for (Gen. 4:16) he went out from the presence of the Lord, that is, he willingly renounced God and religion, and was content to forego its privileges, so that he might not be under its precepts. He forsook Adam's family and altar, and cast off all pretensions to the fear of God, and never came among good people,... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:19-22

We have here some particulars concerning Lamech, the seventh from Adam in the line of Cain. Observe, I. His marrying 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 flesh. Hitherto one man had but one wife at a time; but Lamech took two. From the beginning it was not so. Mal. 2:15; Matt. 19:5. See here, 1. Those who desert God's church and ordinances lay themselves open to all manner of temptation. 2. When a... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:23-24

By this speech of Lamech, which is here recorded, and probably was much talked of in those times, he further appears to have been a wicked man, as Cain's accursed race generally were. Observe, 1. How haughtily and imperiously he speaks to his wives, as one that expected a mighty regard and observance: Hear my voice, you wives of Lamech. No marvel that he who had broken one law of marriage, by taking two wives, broke another, which obliged him to be kind and tender to those he had taken, and to... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 4:25-26

I. God gave them to see the re-building of their family, which was sorely shaken and weakened by that sad event. For, 1. They saw their seed, another seed instead of Abel, Gen. 4:25. Observe God's kindness and tenderness towards his people, in his providential dealings with them; when he takes away one comfort from them, he gives them another instead of it, which may prove a greater blessing to them than that was in which they thought their lives were bound up. This other seed was he in whom... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 4:17

And Cain knew his wife ,.... Who this woman was is not certain, nor whether it was his first wife or not; whether his sister, or one that descended from Adam by another of his sons, since this was about the one hundred and thirtieth year of the creation. At first indeed Cain could marry no other than his sister; but whether he married Abel's twin sister, or his own twin sister, is disputed; the Jews say F7 Pirke Eliezer, c. 21. , that Cain's twin sister was not a beautiful woman, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 4:18

And unto Enoch was born Irad ,.... But of neither of them is any other mention made, either in sacred or profane history; nor is it said how old Enoch was when Irad was born, nor how long he lived after; as is recorded of Adam, Seth, and their posterity: and Irad begat Mehujael, and Mehujael begat Methusael ; of whom also we have no other account: and Methusael begat Lamech ; and it seems for the sake of Lamech that the genealogy of Cain's posterity is described and carried... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 4:19

And Lamech took unto him two wives ,.... He was the first we read of that introduced polygamy, contrary to the first institution of marriage, whereby only one man and one woman were to be joined together, and become one flesh, Genesis 2:24 . This evil practice, though it began in the race of wicked Cain, was in later ages followed by some among the people of God, which was connived at because of the hardness of their hearts; otherwise it was not so from the beginning. This was the first... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 4:20

And Adah bare Jabal ,.... According to Hillerus F13 Onomastic. Sacr. p. 35,45, 349. , this name, and Jubal and Tubal, after mentioned, all signify a river; why Lamech should call all his sons by names signifying the same thing, is not easy to say. He was the father of such as dwelt in tents, and of such as have cattle : not in a proper sense the father of them, though his posterity might succeed him in the same business; but he was the first author and inventor of tents or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 4:21

And his brother's name was Jubal ,.... This was another son of Lamech by Adah, and his name differs only in one letter from his brother's: he was the father of all such that handle the harp and organ : he was the inventor of instrumental music, both of stringed instruments, such as were touched by the fingers, or struck with a quill, as the "harp"; and of wind instruments, such as were blown, as the "organ", which seems not to be the same we call so, being a late invention; but however a... read more

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

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