Genesis 4

Cain and Habel are born verse1 both offer but Habel’s offering is acceptable to the Lord 3 at which Cain vexeth and is approved for it by God 5 he slays his brother 8 God questioned him for it and dooms him 9 he wandreth from God falls to building and gets children 19 speaks haughtily and presumptuously 23 Seth and enos are born and the public worship of God is settled again 25.

1. And Adam acknowledged Heva his wife [understand hereby the communion that is between man and wife for the propagation of children see below verse 17 and 25 item chapter 19.8 and 24.16 1Samuel 1.19 Matthew 1:25] and she conceived and bear Cain [Heb. Kejin that is gotten] and said I have gotten a man [that is a son] of or from the Lord [the Hebrew particle eth is sometimes taken for meeth that is of or from out of whereof see Jeremiah 51 on verse 59 others with the Lord that is through the grace and help of the Lord others the Lord as if Hevah hath conceived she had gotten the promise of Messiah now.]

2. And she continues to bear his brother Habel and Habel [the Heb. Hebel] became a shepherd [Heb. a herdsman of small cattle such as are sheep and goats the Hebrew word signifying both alike so below verse 4 and chapter 13.5 and 26.14 &c] and Cain became husbandmen.

3. And it happened at the end some days [Heb from the end of the days that is after the time of some days past the word days standing alone is sometimes taken in holy writ for to signify some days as below chapter 24.55 and 40.4 Judges 14:8 Mark 2:1] that Cain brought an offering [Heb. Mincha that is a gift present or meat offering see Leviticus 2 on verse 1] of the fruit of the ground.

4. And Habel he brought likewise of the first born of his sheep and of their fat [Heb their fatness understand hereby that Habel offered not only the fat also the very best of his flock; and (as it seems) a good number of them. Fat doth often betoken the best of choice of something in the holy scripture; as Numbers 18:12 &c.] And the Lord looked on Habel and his offering. [That is the person and offering of Habel was acceptable to God because his faith looking on the offering of the promised Messiah; see Hebrews 11:4]

5. But Cain and his offering he looked not upon [this the apostle cleareth Hebrews 11:4 speaking of the testimony which God gave over Habel’s gifts whether it was by words or by the fire from heaven or by the manifest token compare Leviticus 9:24 Judges 6:21 1 Kings 18:38 1 Chronicles 21:26 2 Chronicles 7:1] then Cain grew incensed very much [Heb. and it viz. anger incensed Cain and so in the next verse see the like manner of speaking the word anger or worth being added to it below chapter 39.19 Exodus 32:10,11] and his countenance grew dejected [that is the aspect and favor of his countenance changed.]

6. And the Lord said to Cain why art thou incensed? And why is thou countenance dejected?

7. is there not whiles thou dost well exalting? [that is shall not thou as the first born remain exalted and lifted up above thy brother / others shouldst not thou lift up thy head or countenance freely ? instead of being cast down or dejected now in this manner others for exalting read accepting acceptableness or forgiving according to the various signification of the Hebrew word] or if thou dost not well the sin [that is the punishment of sin so below chapter 19.15 Leviticus 5:1 Numbers 18:1 see below the annotate on verse 13] lies at the door [that is very near and ready to hand so that there can be no doubt of its ensuing compare Matthew 24:33 James 5:9] his desire is to thee [this is to be understood of Habel and Karin’s brother as if God said but as for thy brother thy hast incensed against him he being well affected to thee and content that thou shalt be preferred before him as the first born compare above chapter 3.16] and thou shalt have dominion over him.

8. And Cain spake with his brother Habel [that namely as some conceive by a pleasing look and insinuating words he might allure him forth into the field alone his heart harboring the while nothing but hate and murder against him Heb. said to his brother viz. as some understand it that which past between God and him so that it should be an abrupt discourse] and it happened as they were in the field and Cain raised up against his brother Habel and slew him.

9. And the LORD said to Cain ;where is thy brother Habel ?and he said ;l know it not :[An impudent lie]am l my brother’s keeper ?[Presumptuous arrogance.]

10. And he [the LORD namely] said; what hast thou done? There is a voice of blood [Heb .blood in the plural. So the scripture speaks of murder, because of the abundance of blood that shed thereby] of thy brother which cryeth to me [Hebrew which are crying, in the plural again: Murder is one of those sins that cry for vengeance; wherefore see like wise below chapter18.20.and19.13] from the ground.

11. And now art thou accursed; from the ground; [or by reason of the ground. See chapter .5.29.as if he should say; The earth, which was created for thy blessing and service, shall execute this curse against thee in vengeance, not yielding thee the fruits, which other wise it would have done; as is expressed verse .12.] This opened its mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand.

12. When thou shalt husband the ground, it shall no more give thee its ability: [Heb it shall not go on to give thee its ability] thou shalt be straggling and wandering upon the earth. [/between two sold disquiet, one bodily, he being to wander from one country to another; the other spiritual, his conscience, which ever followed him, not suffering him to enjoy any rest, but keeping him in perpetual fear of vengeance.]

13. And Cain said to the LORD; my misdeed is greater then to be pardoned.[otherwise the word misdeed, iniquity , is taken by many for the punishment therefore; see Levit.5.verse 1.and in this sense the text should be read thus ;My punishment is greater then l shall be able to bear .Where Cain is represented as complaining .]

14. Behold thou hast expelled me this day from the ground [Heb. from the face of the ground viz. by the sentence of thine which is as firm and sure as if it were executed already] and I shall be hid before thy face [this may be understood of Akins being banished out of the Gods grace and savior and with all out of communion of his church and people] and I shall be straggling and wandering upon the earth and it shall come to pass that all or everyone that finds me shall slay me.

15. Ye the Lord said to him therefore whoever slays Cain shall undergo a seven fold revenge [that is a manifold one according to the usual expression of the holy wits Psalms 12:7 & 79.12 & this sentence is given that Cain wandering along time from country to country he might be a warning example to others t beware o shedding blood and have the more time of repentance seeing that hither to he was only troubled at the punishment] and the Lord set a mark on Cain [what kind of a mark that was is unknown but it made him known who he was and what he had done and that none should adventure to kill him] that not all [or everyone] should slay him that found him.

16. And Cain went forth from the face of the Lord [see above verse 14] and he dwelt in the land of the Nod [this land is so called in regard of punishment God laid upon Cain verse 12 for the Hebrew word used both here and there doth signify to wander about] towards the east of Eden.

17. And Cain acknowledge his wife and she conceived and here Hanoch [Heb. he was building &c. that is he busied himself with building of a city of his security his conscience still terrified him the honest patriarch dwell for the most part in tents not in cities Hebrews 11:9, 10] and the name of the city he called after his sons name Hanoch.

18. And to Hanoch was born Hirad and Hirad begat Mechujael and Mechujael begat Methusael and Methusael begat Lamech.

19. And Lamech took to himself two wives [this Lamech is the first man recorded to have two wives together directly against Gods ordinance above chapter 2.24Malachi 2.15] the name of the first was Ada and the name of the second was Zilla.

20. And Ada bear Jabal this hath been a father of them that inhabited tents and kept cattle [that is he was the first inventor of making and using of the tents for the holding and keeping of cattle as the following word seems to import though otherwise it signifies also possession goods and cattle.]

21. And the name of his brother was Jubal this was the father of all them that handle the harps [or Cittern] and organs [Heb. him that handleth &c. that is such as the conversant about the same what manner of musical instrument they had in those days is uncertain the words are rendered here according to the opinion most current among the learned.]

22. And Zillah she likewise bear Tubalkain a teacher [the Heb. word doth properly signify a grinder wetter and so by consequence an instructor master or teacher] of all or every workman in copper or iron [Heb. of the copper &c.] and the sister of the Tubalkains was Naema.

23. And Lamech said to his wives Ada and Zillah hear my voice ye wives of Lamech listen unto my voice verily I might well slay a men for my wound and a young man for my sore [that is if any should but offer to wound me or to strike me sore I should both well dare and be as able to kill him outright. Lamech seemeth with his presumptuous boast and vapouring to have regard o some of those arts invented by his sons as being better able now by that means to revenge himself or offend his neighbor then any other.]

24. For Cain shall be revenged seven fold [see the note above on verse 15] but Lamech seventy times seven times [this same kind of speaking likewise Christ useth Matthew 18:22.]

25. And Adam acknowledged his wife again and she bear a son and she called his name [viz. with consent of her husband as appeareth below chapter 5.3 were this giving of the name is attributed to Adam] Seth [Heb. Sceth that is setting] for God said she hath set me another seed [that is hath given me another seed so below chapter 21.23 and 38.8 Matthew 22:24, 25] for Habel for Akin slew him.

26. And to the same Seth there was like wise born a son and he called his name Enos then they began to call upon the name of the Lord [the manner of speaking used in the Hebrew text here is taken in divers places for the calling upon of the name of the Lord as 1Kigs 18.24,25,26 2Kings 5.11 Joel 2:32 Acts 2:21 Romans 10:13 and so it is taken here likewise comprehending nevertheless as appeareth by some other places as below chapter 12.8 item chapter 26.25 the exercise of the whole worship of God so that the sense here is that they began to settle and establish the worship of God more openly more solemnly and frequently the same having formerly for a time in much corrupted and falsified by Cain and his progeny others then men began to call after the name of the Lord that is then begun the true children of God to separate themselves from the rest and called themselves the people and children of God this same kind of speaking doth likewise elsewhere signify to proclaim the Lord by name as Exodus 33:19 and 34.5.]