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Genesis Chapter
Four
I.
Content of the Chapter
The Second Fall of Man
A. The birth and occupations of Cain and Abel
(v.1-2);
B. Cain and Abel offered sacrifices to God
respectively but received different effects (v.3-7);
C. Cain murdered Abel and was punished by God
(v.8-16);
D. The offspring of Cain (v.17-24);
E. The birth and offspring of Seth (v.25-26);
II.
Verse by Verse Commentary
Gen. 4:1 “Now Adam knew Eve his
wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man
from the LORD."”
YLT: “And
the man knew Eve his wife, and she conceiveth and beareth Cain, and saith, `I
have gotten a man by Jehovah;'”
Meaning
of Words: “Cain”: obtain, gain;
Literal
Meaning: Eve thought she had
gained the “Seed of the woman” God promised (Gen. 3:15), so she named the child
“Cain” (which means “gain”).
Gen. 4:2 “Then she bore again, this
time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of
the ground.”
YLT:
“and
she addeth to bear his brother, even Abel. And Abel is feeding a flock, and
Cain hath been servant of the ground.”
Meaning
of Words: “Abel”: breath, vanity;
Literal
Meaning: After Eve had
begotten Cain, she had not gained the “Seed of the woman” God promised, so she
was disappointed and named the second child “Abel” (which means “vanity”).
At
that time, man ate only vegetables and fruits (Gen. 3:18). The purpose of
keeping sheep might be making clothes to cover shame (Gen. 3:21) and offering
sin-offering. It was very likely that Adam and Eve received the revelation of
God ---- man could not draw near to God unless he came by the sacrifice of the
lamb. And they told the revelation to their sins.
We can see from this verse Able lived for God and
Cain lived for his own belly.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) It is vanity of vanities of the life without God
(Eccl. 1:2).
2) He
who has really realized the vanity of life will definitely regard God as his
value of life and live for God.
3) Let
believers not live for bread only, but for serving God.
Gen. 4:3 “And in the process of
time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground
to the LORD.”
YLT: “And
it cometh to pass at the end of days that Cain bringeth from the fruit of the
ground a present to Jehovah;”
Meaning
of Words: “in the process of time”: in the end of
days; extremity; “offering”: sacrifice;
Literal
Meaning: Cain brought an
offering of the fruit of the ground to God to please God. However, his actions
hah showed his indifference to the revelation from his parents. He dared even
to touch the divine things by himself. Here we find that man may think of God
and hope to have fellowship with God and worship God when they are full.
However, the problem is whether such kind of worship is worthy of the will of
God. He who does not walk according to the will of God has just gone in “the
way of Cain” (Jude v.11).
Spiritual
Meaning: the offering of Cain
symbolizes human religion, which is characterized by voluntary worship out of
man’s will instead of God’s revelation (Col. 2:23) as well as justification by
man’s works and labors (Gal. 3:11).
Gen. 4:4 “Abel also brought of the
firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his
offering,”
YLT:
“and
Abel, he hath brought, he also, from the female firstlings of his flock, even
from their fat ones; and Jehovah looketh unto Abel and unto his present,”
Meaning
of Words: “respect”: gaze at, inspect;
Literal
Meaning: the offering offered
by Abel was respected by God, because: 1) it was not offered according to his
own will, but the will of God received from his parents; 2) he offered to God
by faith (Heb. 11:4); 3) what he offered was the sacrifice that was killed with
blood.
Spiritual
Meaning: “firstborn” and “fat” typify Christ. The offering of
Abel symbolizes the religion of revelation. Man will be pleased before God by
Jesus Christ who was killed with blood only.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) “Firstborn” is the best of the
flock. “Fat” is the best part of the body of the sheep. Let us present the best
to God.
2) God
not only respects Abel’s offering but also the “person” of Abel. Only those who
keep the will of God are pleased by God.
3)
Indeed, Eve respected Cain, but God respected Abel. What is respected by man
may not be respected by God. However, what is respected by God may be despised
by man (1Sam. 16:1-14).
Gen. 4:5 “but He did not respect
Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.”
YLT: “and
unto Cain and unto his present He hath not looked; and it is very displeasing
to Cain, and his countenance is fallen.”
Meaning
of Words: “not respect”: not look; “angry”: fret self,
be kindled; “countenance fell”: face fell;
Literal
Meaning: “But He did not
respect Cain and his offering”, both the offering of Cain as well as his person
are not right, so God does not accept him.
The
anger of Cain showed his motivation of offering was wrong.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Concerning the fellowship with God of men, Not
only things but also our person should be right.
2)
Though human religion seeks the pleasure of God, its worship is still in vain
because of its wrong source.
3)
Obedience is better than sacrifice (1Sam. 15:22). What God really respects is
our obedience to Him.
4) The
first characteristic of religious people is self-righteousness and
self-arrogance and easy tendency of anger in any slight dissatisfaction.
5) Let
us not offer “the excessive one”, but “the best one” to God.
6)
Concerning our service of God,
Gen. 4:6 “So the LORD said to Cain,
"Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?”
YLT: “And
Jehovah saith unto Cain, `Why hast thou displeasure? and why hath thy countenance
fallen?”
Literal
Meaning: “angry” and “have
your countenance fallen” are external expression. The question of God was to
remind Cain of the hidden of his anger and falling countenance and the real
condition of his heart.
Gen. 4:7 “If you do well, will you
not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its
desire is for you, but you should rule over it."”
YLT:
“Is
there not, if thou dost well, acceptance? and if thou dost not well, at the
opening a sin-offering is crouching, and unto thee its desire, and thou rulest
over it.'”
Meaning
of Words: “do well”: become good; “be accepted”: rise
up self, highness; “sin”: miss the mark; “lie”: fall down;
Literal
Meaning: this verse describes
“sin” as a personified living thing (
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Sin is always waiting for chances to hurt men
and gain men to be its tools (
2)
Though religion exhorts to do well, it is unable to give power to man to do
well (Rom. 7:18).
Gen. 4:8 “Now Cain talked with Abel
his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose
up against Abel his brother and killed him.”
YLT:
“And
Cain saith unto Abel his brother, and it cometh to pass in their being in the
field, that Cain riseth up against Abel his brother, and slayeth him.”
Spiritual
Meaning: “Cain” typifies
those who are of the flesh; “Abel” typifies those who are of the spirit. He who
walks according to the flesh always persecutes him who walks according to the
Spirit (Gal. 4:29).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) “Murder” is one of the characteristics of
religion. Religionists, including even some zealous ones, kill one another.
2) The
devil is the father of all the religions of the world, for it was a murderer
from the beginning (John 8:44).
3)
Religionists (including Christians) who kill will think to render service to
God (John 16:2).
4) He
who hates his brothers is a murderer (1John 3:15).
Gen. 4:9 “Then the LORD said to
Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know. Am
I my brother's keeper?"”
YLT: “And
Jehovah saith unto Cain, `Where Abel thy brother?' and he saith, `I have not
known; my brother's keeper -- I?'”
Literal
Meaning: “He said, "I do not
know” ---- This is a lie. “Am I my brother's keeper?” ---- This is being against God.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Believers are responsible to look after and help
one another (
2)
Religionists worship false gods but do not know the true God, so they are not
ashamed of lying.
Gen. 4:10 “And He said, "What
have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the
ground.”
YLT:
“And
He saith, `What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood is crying unto
Me from the ground;”
Literal
Meaning: the blood can speak
(Heb. 12:24), which means that the blood bears witness before God.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) It seems that there is a voice of man’s sins
reaching the ears of God (Gen. 18:20; 19:13; Ex. 2:23; 3:9; James 5:4).
2) God
will avenge all those who are murdered for the sake of bearing witness (Rev.
6:9-10; 19:2).
3) The
blood of the Lord Jesus speaks better than that of Abel (Heb. 12:24).
Therefore, believers come to God with boldness by His blood (Heb. 10:19).
Gen. 4:11 “So now you are cursed
from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from
your hand.”
YLT:
“and
now, cursed thou from the ground, which hath opened her mouth to receive the
blood of thy brother from thy hand;”
Literal
Meaning: “you are cursed from the
earth”, it means: 1) the
earth will not yield
its strength to you; 2) the earth
will not accept you (see v.12).
Enlightenment
in the Word: the
religious life without God has not blessing of God and even lives under curse.
Gen. 4:12 “When you till the ground,
it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you
shall be on the earth."”
YLT:
“when
thou tillest the ground, it doth not add to give its strength to thee -- a
wanderer, even a trembling one, thou art in the earth.'”
Meaning
of Words: “fugitive”: waver, wander; “vagabond”:
stagger, wag, shake;
Literal
Meaning: “a fugitive and a vagabond
you shall be on the earth”, Cain became a fugitive and vagabond on the earth; “fugitive”
emphasizes the external wandering; “vagabond” emphasizes the internal drifting
state.
Enlightenment
in the Word: if one lives a life
without God, he does not know where he comes nor where to go and has no hope
(Eph. 2:12) nor meaning.
Gen. 4:13 “And Cain said to the
LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear!”
YLT:
“And
Cain saith unto Jehovah, `Greater is my punishment than to be borne;”
Meaning
of Words: “punishment”: perversity, sin; “bear”:
stand;
Literal
Meaning: “my punishment is greater
than I can bear!” The word of Cain
is not repentance, but a self pitying groan.
Enlightenment
in the Word: the worse
punishment for man is not be rejected by God, which is more than that man can
bear.
Gen. 4:14 “Surely You have driven me
out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I
shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone
who finds me will kill me."”
YLT: “lo,
Thou hast driven me to-day from off the face of the ground, and from Thy face I
am hid; and I have been a wanderer, even a trembling one, in the earth, and it
hath been -- every one finding me doth slay me.'”
Meaning
of Words: “find”: seek;
Literal
Meaning: “the face of the ground”, lose the attendance and protection of
God;
“Anyone who finds me”, other children begotten by Adam and Eve;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The worse pain for man is to losing the presence
of God.
2) Man
could see God after the first fall (referring to Adam). However, man was driven
out from the
face of the ground (referring to
Cain). The more man has fallen, the farther he is away from God.
3) He
who rejects God will be rejected by God. Religionists without God are not
preserved by God.
4) The
murderer always fears to be murdered.
Gen. 4:15 “And the LORD said to him,
"Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him
sevenfold." And the LORD set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him
should kill him.”
YLT: “And
Jehovah saith to him, `Therefore -- of any slayer of Cain sevenfold it is
required;' and Jehovah setteth to Cain a token that none finding him doth slay
him.”
Meaning
of Words: “vengeance”: avenge;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Religionists who commit murder think they act
for God. However, it is not the original will of God.
2)
Whoever desires to kill those who keep different views with him have to ponder
over the meaning of this verse.
Gen. 4:16 “Then Cain went out from
the presence of the LORD and dwelt in the
YLT: “And
Cain goeth out from before Jehovah, and dwelleth in the land, moving about east
of
Meaning
of Words: “Nod”: exile, wandering;
Spiritual
Meaning: religion and
civilization are two inventions of human beings. Man invented religion to draw
near God and worship God. However, such voluntary worship did not please God
and was against God, making man farther from God. Once man has lost God, he has
lost the provision and joy and protection of God. Therefore, man invented
civilization to replace God.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Cain brought the offering to God to serve Him,
but finally he murdered because of the offering and went out from the presence
of God. It will be the end of all those who have voluntary worship.
2) Man
was sent forth from the garden of Eden after the first fall (Gen. 3:23), but
went out of the presence of Jehovah after the second fall (referring to Cain).
3) All
those who go out of the presence of God will “dwell” on the earth.
Gen. 4:17 “And Cain knew his wife,
and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of
the city after the name of his son--Enoch.”
YLT:
“and
Cain knoweth his wife, and she conceiveth, and beareth Enoch; and he is
building a city, and he calleth the name of the city, according to the name of
his son -- Enoch.”
Meaning
of Words: “Enoch”: initiated to learn;
Literal
Meaning: most Bible
expositors think the wife of Cain was the daughter of Adam and Eve. In the
Bible marriage of a brother and his sister was prohibited after the Mosaic law.
In the beginning, passive elements might not be inherited by those who married
close relatives.
“City”, it is a kind of social unit, big or small, that men can dwell
in.
Spiritual
Meaning: once men went out of
the presence of God, they “were initiated to learn” (the meaning of the word
“Enoch”) skills for life to supply and entertain and guard themselves, and thus
civilization appeared.
“City”, it is the center of man’s gatherings and life on the earth (Gen.
11:1-4), which is build with earthly materials, whose builder is man. City
symbolizes a comprehensive expression of human civilization.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Believers lead a life of tent on the earth. What
we look for is not the earthly city built by men, but the city which has
foundation, whose builder and maker is God (Heb. 11:9-10).
2)
Cain called the city he built by his son’s name. What those who are far off
have contemplated are often for their own children.
Gen. 4:18 “To Enoch was born Irad;
and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot
Lamech.”
YLT:
“And
born to Enoch is Irad; and Irad hath begotten Mehujael; and Mehujael hath
begotten Methusael; and Methusael hath begotten Lamech.”
Meaning
of Words: “Irad”: a city of
testimony; “Mehujael”: smitten of God; “Methushael”: he is of God; “Lamech”: strong, powerful;
Literal
Meaning: God did not record
the days of those who were in Cain’s genealogy, which indicated that their days
on the earth were not remembered before God (read Gen. chap. 5).
Spiritual
Meaning: man “began to learn”
(“Enoch”) to lead an atheistic life, and gradually he developed a civilized
atheistic system and took it as his “testimony” (“Irad”) and boast. In the process of men’s building the
atheistic civilization, though they knew God was against and would “smite” (“Mehujael”) it and knew man was “of God” (“Methushael”), they still went their own ways and
“strengthened” themselves (“Lamech”) to promote the civilization construction.
Therefore, God just gave them up (Rom. 1:24, 26, 28).
Gen. 4:19 “Then Lamech took for
himself two wives: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was
Zillah.”
YLT: “And Lamech taketh to
himself two wives, the name of the one Adah, and the name of the second
Zillah.”
Meaning
of Words: “Adah”: adorn,
entertainment; “Zillah”: shade, defence;
Literal
Meaning: this was the source
of the evil custom of polygamy.
Spiritual
Meaning: Lamech, the central
character of the atheistic culture, represents all those who
intoxicated with culture, who emphasizes “adornment” and “entertainment”
(“Adah”) and boasts of “keeping” (“Zillah”) physical and mental health.
However, such man actually indulges themselves in the flesh (polygamy).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Once man goes out from God, he will indulge
himself in the flesh to satisfy the lusts of the flesh. Therefore, polygamy
arose thereafter and destroyed the commandment of God ---- “the man and the
woman shall become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24).
2) To
those who are intoxicated with the atheistic culture, male will indulge in the
sultriness of lusts and female will be infatuated with dressing.
Gen. 4:20 “And Adah bore Jabal. He
was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock.”
YLT: “And
Adah beareth Jabal, he hath been father of those inhabiting tents and purchased
possessions;”
Meaning
of Words: “Jabal”: leader, flowing;
“dwell”: live;
Literal
Meaning: at that time,
according to the word of God, man had to live by tilling the ground (Gen.
3:17). However, man invented the culture of “nomadism” (“Jabal”).
Gen. 4:21 “His brother's name was
Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute.”
YLT: “and
the name of his brother Jubal, he hath been father of every one handling harp
and organ.”
Meaning
of Words: “Jubal”: joyful sound,
music; “play”: seize, overlay;
Literal
Meaning: man invented “music”
(“Jubal”), which was the beginning of human artistic civilization.
Enlightenment
in the Word: men in the world
needs all kinds of entertainment to get rid of depress, for they have no God to
be their joy.
Gen. 4:22 “And as for Zillah, she
also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron. And
the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.”
YLT: “And
Zillah she also bare Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and
iron; and a sister of Tubal-Cain Naamah.”
Meaning
of Words: “Tubal-Cain”:
enlargement of Cain, offspring of Cain; “Naamah”: pleasantness;
Literal
Meaning: Cain is the first
murder of human beings (v.8). Human murder “developed” into (“Tubal-Cain”)
sharp weapons to defend themselves. This was the source of human martial
civilization.
Spiritual
Meaning: since human beings
had lost God to be their provision and joy and protection, they developed the
atheistic culture to keep and entertain and defend themselves, and finally they
became so cruel and violent that they even murdered to “seek pleasantness”
(“Naamah”).
Gen. 4:23 “Then Lamech said to his
wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Wives of Lamech, listen to my
speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, Even a young man for hurting
me.”
YLT: “And
Lamech saith to his wives: -- `Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Wives of Lamech,
give ear my saying: For a man I have slain for my wound, Even a young man for
my hurt;”
Meaning
of Words: “listen to”: give ear to;
Literal
Meaning: Lanech was the key
figure of the atheistic culture, which made man indulge in lusts (v.19) and
become ferocious and cruel. He who murders is not willing to be murdered.
Gen. 4:24 “If Cain shall be avenged
sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold."”
YLT:
“For
sevenfold is required for Cain, And for Lamech seventy and sevenfold.'”
Literal
Meaning: here it means that
if anyone hurts Lamech, he will be avenged tenfold than the vengeance taken upon him who kills Cain. In other
words, Lamech was so arrogant that he thought he could protect him tenfold
better than God’s protection on Cain.
Gen. 4:25 “And Adam knew his wife
again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, "For God has appointed
another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed."”
YLT: “And
Adam again knoweth his wife, and she beareth a son, and calleth his name Seth,
`for God hath appointed for me another seed instead of Abel:' for Cain had
slain him.”
Meaning
of Words: “Seth”: new seed, appoint, replace;
Spiritual
Meaning: Cain and his
offspring typify the race of old creature, and here Seth and his offspring
typify the race of new creature, who have been baptized unto Christ Jesus and
walked in newness of life and been delivered from the corruption of the old
creature (see Rom. 6:3-7) through the election and salvation of God.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) If man is unwilling to keep the same mind with
God and be used by God, God will stir up another group of people elsewhere to
fulfill His purpose.
2) The
witnesses of God will never come to an end. If one is murdered, another one
will be raised by God.
Gen. 4:26 “And as for Seth, to him
also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name
of the LORD.”
YLT:
“And
to Seth, to him also a son hath been born, and he calleth his name Enos; then a
beginning was made of preaching in the name of Jehovah.”
Meaning
of Words: “Enosh”: fragile, mortal;
Spiritual
Meaning: only when man knows
his “infirmity” and expects nothing from the “mortal” body (“Enosh”), will he
turn to call upon God and rely on Him.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Many times, we may become so weak that we have
to call upon the name of the Lord, for the Lord is rich to all that call upon
Him (Rom. 10:12-13).
2)
There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved
(Acts 4:12).
III.
Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons
The Process of the Fall of Cain
A. Disobedience to the revelation of God (v.3);
B. Anger because of not being pleased by God
(v.5);
C. Murder because of jealousy (v.8);
D. Lie to God (v.9);
E. Seek one’s own profit (v.13);
F. Utter isolation from God in the end (v.14,
16);
Things Learnt From the Meanings of the Names
in This Chapter
A. Those who have refused God:
After they have
fallen and gone out from the presence of God, they “began to learn” to lead an
atheistic life ---- “Enoch” (v.17), and gradually developed a system of
atheistic culture and took it as their “testimony” and glory ---- “Irad”
(v.18). In the process of men’s building the atheistic culture, though they
knew God was against and would “destroy” ---- “Mehujael” (v.18) and knew man was “of God” ----
“Methushael” (v.18), they still went their own way and strengthened themselves
to promote their cultural construction ---- “Lamech” (v.18). They emphasized
“adornment” and “entertainment” ---- “Adah” (v.19), and boasted of “keep”
physical and mental health, but actually they just indulged themselves in the
lusts of the flesh (polygamy) ---- “Zillah” (v.19). Afterwards, they maintained
their existence by “nomadism” ---- “Jabal” (v.20), and invented “music” to
release themselves ---- “Jubal” (v.21). Moreover, they “developed” bronze and
iron to defend them ---- “Tubal ---- Cain” (v.22), and became ferocious and
cruel and even “sought fun” by murder ---- “Naamah” (v.22).
B. Those who have received God:
They knew the
“vanity” of life ---- “Abel” (v.2) and that they “were weak and mortal” ----
“Enosh” (v.26). Therefore, they turned to call upon “that I AM” ---- “Jehovah”
(v.26) and let the divine life “replace” the old life ---- “Seth” (v.25).
──
Caleb Huang《Christian Digest Bible
Commentary Series》
Translated by Mary Zhou