4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and Numbers 18:12 All the best of the oil, "Cain" (qayin) "a man from the Lord" /
she conceived, and bare Cain, and and all the best of the wine, and A lance or a spear. As is the case with most all /
said, I have gotten a man from the of the wheat, the firstfruits of mothers, there would seem to be a /
Lord. them which they shall offer unto the "Abel" (hebel) note of rejoicing and hope from Eve /
4:2 And she again bare his brother Lord,... Emptiness or vanity. that her first son was someone /
Abel. And Abel was a keeper of Numbers 18:17 But the firstling of a special. Possibly the one to crush /
sheep, but Cain was a tiller of cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or "offering" (minchah) the head of the serpent, and maybe /
the ground. the firstling of a goat, thou shalt A donation, a gift, a tribute. God would be so pleased He would /
4:3 And in process of time it came not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt allow him to lead them back into the /
to pass, that Cain brought of the sprinkle their blood upon the altar, "firstlings" (bkorah) Garden. He and the son to follow had /
fruit of the ground an offering and shalt burn their fat for an Firstborn, the first. special talents, each in different /
unto the Lord. offering made by fire, for a sweet areas. /
4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the savour unto the Lord. "wroth" (charah) /
firstlings of his flock and of the Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto To glow, to blaze up, anger, "an offering" /
fat thereof. And the Lord had God a more excellent sacrifice than jealousy. How did one or both get the idea to /
respect unto Abel and to his Cain, by which he obtained witness provide an offering to the creator? /
offering: that he was righteous, God testify- "countenance fallen" (mod napah paneh) Had they been given instructions, or /
4:5 But unto Cain and to his ing of his gifts: and by it he being Greatly fell his face. was it a possible enticement to conv- /
offering he had not respect. And dead yet speaketh. ince the Creator to allow them back /
Cain was very wroth, and his Proverbs 16:27&32 An ungodly man "well" (yatab) into the garden? /
countenance fell. diggeth up evil: and in his lips Right, successful, happy, beautiful. /
4:6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why there is a burning fire. "firstlings" /
art thou wroth? and why is thy He that is slow to anger is better "accepted" (seth) We are not told that Cain brought of /
countenance fallen? than the mighty; he that ruleth his Elevated, exhalted, raised up. the first of his crop! Could it be /
4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou spirit than he that taketh a city. that he had reserved the best for /
not be accepted? and if thou doest Proverbs 16:2-3 All the ways of a man "sin" (chattath) himself, and offered poor quality to /
not well, sin lieth at the door: are clean in his own eyes; but the An offence, sin. the Lord? Mainly from the New Test- /
and unto thee shall be his desire, Lord weigheth the spirits. ament writings do we understand that /
and thou shalt rule over him. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and "rule" (mashal) there was considerable difference in /
4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his thy thoughts shall be established. To have dominion, power, to rule. motives of the two sons. Not that /
brother: and it came to pass, when I John 3:11-12 For this is the message one was of vegetables and one of the /
they were in the field, that Cain that ye heard from the beginning, "talked" (amar) animals? But that one offering was /
rose up against Abel his brother, that we should love one another. To say, to speak, to declare. given out of righteous faith and /
and slew him. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked obedience. Possibly the unsatisfac- /
4:9 And the Lord said unto Cain, one, and slew his brother. And where- "field" (sadeh) tory offering was given with a sense /
Where is Abel thy brother? and he fore slew he him? Because his own A plain, a cultivated field. of pride, "Look what I have done!" /
said, I know not: Am I my works were evil, and his brother's We don't know exactly how the Lord /
brother's keeper? righteous. "rose up" (quwm) showed His respect for one over the /
4:10 And he said, What hast thou Hebrews 12:24 And to Jesus mediator of To rise, to stir up. other. /
done? the voice of thy brother's the covenant, and to the blood of /
blood crieth unto me from the sprinkling, that speaketh better "slew" (harag) "wroth" /
ground. things than that of Abel. To destroy, kill, slay. Immediately Cain showed his nature /
4:11 And now art thou cursed from Psalms 79:10 Wherefore should the when he displayed his anger! He did /
the earth, which hath opened her heathen say, Where is their God? Let "keeper" (shamar) not have the meek attitude of "How /
mouth to receive thy brother's him be known among the heathen in To hedge around, to keep safe, can I improve? How can I please thee /
blood from thy hand. our sight by the revenging of the to preserve. Lord?" Had there been a long fester- /
4:12 When thou tillest the ground, blood of thy servants which is shed. ing sense of resentment? Was there a /
it shall not henceforth yield unto Psalms 109:7&10 When he shall be "done" (asah) sense that "I am the best, I am the /
thee her strength; a fugitive and judged, let him be condemned:... To work, to create, to be done. first son, to me belongs the praise!" /
a vagabond shalt thou be in the Let his children be continually "The younger brother should be my /
earth. vagabonds, and beg: let them seek "blood" (dam) servant!" /
4:13 And Cain said unto the Lord, My their bread also out of their Blood, bloodshed, slaughter, the /
punishment is greater than I can desolate places. guilt of murder. "driven me out" /
bear. Isaiah 1:15&19-20 And when ye spread The Lord had not instituted the /
4:14 Behold, thou hast driven me out forth your hands, I will hide mine "crieth" (tsaaq) capital punishment for the crime of /
this day from the face of the eyes from you: yea, when ye make To proclaim, to call out, to call murder! Instead he had banished him /
earth; and from thy face shall I many prayers, I will not hear: your together. from his presence. An indication /
be hid; and I shall be a fugitive hands are full of blood. that probably He was still in close /
and a vagabond in the earth; and If ye be willing and obedient, ye "cursed" (arar) communication even though they had /
it shall come to pass, that every shall eat the good of the land: A bitter curse, to detest, to abhor. been driven from the garden. Now /
one that findeth me shall slay me. But if ye refuse and rebel, ye Cain had been driven further from /
4:15 And the Lord said unto him, shall be devoured with the sword: "vengeance" (naqam) the Creator. Cain's main fear /
Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, for the mouth of the Lord hath To punish, to avenge. seemed to be that others would slay /
vengeance shall be taken on him spoken it. him. Probably he knew that the Lord /
sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark Psalms 79:12 And render unto our "punishment" (avon) was too loving to kill him. And the /
upon Cain, lest any finding him neighbors sevenfold into their A depraved condition, suffering, Creator demonstrated this by provid- /
should kill him. bosom their reproach, wherewith they misery. ing a special warning for any that /
4:16 And Cain went out from the have reproached thee, O Lord. desire to have vengeance for Abel! /
presence of the Lord, and dwelt in Jeremiah 23:39-40 Therefore, behold, I, "mark" (owth) There has been written much speculat- /
the Land of Nod, on the east of even I, will utterly forget you, and A sign, a warning, an omen. ion concerning the "mark of Cain", /
Eden. I will forsake you, and the city that but fact is we just do not know! /
4:17 And cain knew his wife; and she I gave you and your fathers, and cast "and went out" (alah) /
conceived, and bare Enoch: and he you out of my presence: To depart, to cut off. "builded a city" /
builded a city, and called the And I will bring an everlasting Cain's punishment would seem to /
name of the city, after the name reproach upon you, and a perpetual "from the presence" (paneh) have not been very extreme, since he /
of his son Enoch. shame, which shall not be forgotten. From the face of. was able to multiply greatly and his /
4:18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: Psalms 49:11 Their inward thought is, offspring were very skilled and /
and Irad begat Mehujael: and that their houses shall continue for "Nod" (nowd) talented. But with the taking of /
Mehajael begat Methusael: and ever, and their dwelling places to Wandering two wives by Lamech, and his song /
Methusael begat Lamech. all generations, they call their boasting of his killing a young man, /
4:19 And Lamech took unto him two lands after their own names. "Enoch" (chanok) Dedicated we have an indication that they had /
wives: the name of the one was Psalms 84:10 For a day in thy courts continued in the "sins of their /
Adah, and the name of the other is better than a thousand. I had "Irad" (iyrad) Fugitive fathers". Lamech's boasting is that /
Zillah. rather be a doorkeeper in the house he should be avenged seventy times /
4:20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the of my God, than to dwell in the "Mehujael" (mchiyyael) Smitten of God that of Cain. /
father of such as dwell in tents, tents of wickedness. /
and of such as have cattle. Ezra 10:2 ...We have trespassed against "Methusael" (mthuwshael) Man who "Seth" /
4:21 And his brother's name was our God, and have taken strange wives is of God Eve once again gives praise to the /
Jubal: he was the father of all of the people of the land: "Lamech" (lemek) Strong, conqueror Lord that she will continue to provide /
such as handle the harp and organ. Psalms 94:4-8 How long shall they utter seed. By looking ahead we know that /
4:22 And Zillah, she also bare and speak hard things? and all the "Adah" (adah) Ornament from the line of Seth eventually comes /
Tubalcain, an instructor of every workers of iniquity boast themselves? Noah and the continuation of mankind. /
artificer in brass and iron: and They break in pieces thy people, O "Zillah" (tsillah) Shadow Cain's descendants are doomed to be /
the sister of Tubalcain was Lord, and afflict thine heritage. destroyed at the flood and his blood /
Naamah. They slay the widow and the stran- "Jabal" (yabal) Stream line is to end. /
4:23 And Lamech said unto his wives, ger, and murder the fatherless. /
Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; ye Yet they say, The Lord shall not "Jubal" (yuwbal) Sound of a stream "began men to call upon the name of the /
wives of Lamech, hearken unto my see, neither shall the God of Lord" /
speech: for I have slain a man to Jacob regard it. "Tubal-cain" (tuwbal qayin) flowing This appears to be a forming of a /
my wounding, and a young man to my Understand, ye brutish among the from Cain type of organized religion. As there /
hurt. people: and ye fools, when will ye "Naamah" (naamah) Pleasing has always been, there is a division /
4:24 If Cain shall be avenged be wise? of the people into the obedient and /
sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy And he shall bring upon them their "hear" (shama) the disobedient. The Lord had /
and sevenfold. own iniquity, and shall cut them off Give ear, pay attention. promised Eve a "seed; it will bruise /
4:25 And Adam knew his wife again; in their own wickedness; yea, the thy head" (the head of the serpent). /
and she bare a son, and called his Lord our God shall cut them off. "Seth" (sheth) appointed, in place The serpent would seem to have gained /
name Seth: For God, said she, hath Psalms 116:16-18 O Lord, truly I am of, a substitute the upper hand as he continued to /
appointed me another seed instead thy servant; I am thy servant, and "appointed" (shiyth) deceive Eve's offspring and success- /
of Abel, whom Cain slew. the son of thine handmaid: thou hast To place, to appoint fully continue the war of evil /
4:26 And to Seth, to him also there loosed my bonds. against good. It is only in these /
was born a son; and he called his I will offer to thee the sacrifice "Enos" (enowsh) Mortal frailty few last words in the chapter that /
name Enos: then began men to call of thanksgiving, and will call upon we have a glimmer of hope that good /
upon the name of the Lord. the name of the Lord. "call upon the name of the Lord" will eventually triumph! /
I will pay my vows unto the Lord (qara shem yhovah) /
now in the presence of all his To bid, to call out, /
people. the honor, authority /
the self existing, the eternal /
/
/
MATTERS OF CONTENTION MATTERS OF CONTENTION /
/
"Adam knew Eve" "every one that findeth me shall slay me" "Cain knew his wife" /
"Knew" of course being the polite old English terminology for sexual For many centuries the skeptic has asked, where did all these people come /
intercourse. There is so much to speculate about since the account is so from? We thought Adam and Eve were the first and only humans! And the /
incredibly brief! Tradition indicates that Adam and Eve when thrown out most obvious answer is that by this time the offspring of Adam and Eve had /
of the garden set up home just outside the garden on a hill over looking multiplied greatly. Tradition is that Adam and Eve had a total of 33 sons /
it. They then spent many years of misery longing to be back in the garden and 27 daughters and they also had sons and daughters. The Biblical /
and pleading with the Lord to let them back in. One tradition is that account falls far short of being a complete history of mankind or a /
their mourning was so deep that they a number of times tried to take their complete census record. Its purpose is to document the relationship of the /
own lives. How long they were in the garden before the fall and how long Creator to man in a very short story form. But we must understand that /
outside until Seth was born we do not know. We are told that Adam was 130 what few details we are given are there for an important reason. /
years old when Seth was born. So that leaves a considerable number of As you undoubtedly noted, daughters are seldom mentioned. Many scholars /
years for which we are told nothing. have pointed out that the assumed purity of the gene strain of these early /
We had an indication that the Lord was still in communication with them humans would allow marriage of close relatives and no serious defect in the /
outside the garden. How close was the relationship? Did the Lord inst- offspring would occur. There would be no reason to forbid intermarriage of /
ruct and train them, or were they basically left alone to their own capa- family members at this time. It would be only in later generations when /
bilities? They did not starve to death, so they must have had some know- gene mutations have become more prevalent that intermarriage of close /
ledge and there must have been food, water and other necessities for life. family members would be undesirable. /
So just how different was it within the garden and outside? We know only If you take a peek ahead into chapter five you will note that the listed /
basically that outside they had to toil for the necessities which they genealogy from Adam does not mention Cain and Abel. It starts with "a son" /
did not have to do within the garden. They lived very long lives, so Seth. We thereby know that the genealogies given us are very incomplete /
evidently disease and pestilence did not immediately take over the world. and only selected names are given. It is quite probable that there were /
Many scholars would contend that they had a superior body structure and a number of sons and daughters before Seth and that Seth just happened /
chromosomes and it took many generations for genetic deterioration to take to be the son that followed soon after the slaying of Abel. There could be /
place. other brothers and even their offspring for Cain to fear. Since we are /
told in chapter five that Adam was one hundred and thirty years old when /
"an offering" Seth was born, if Seth's birth followed soon after the slaying of Abel, /
Cain and Abel both developed skills with the land and animals respect- Cain could have been as old as one hundred and twenty nine when he slew /
ively. Were they instructed or did they develop these skills on their Abel. There could have been two or three generations of Adam's offspring /
own? How long did it take them to develop these skills? Was there a sense by the time Cain committed murder. /
of competition that has festered for a long time and were there other evi- /
dences of conflict long before the offering incident? Skeptics see this "builded a city" /
story as a fable illustrating the age old conflict between the herdsmen We are given a very short genealogy of Cain's descendants and an indica- /
and the tiller of the ground. tion of the capability of the most notable among them. We are not given /
Did they have prior knowledge or instructions of how to prepare an acce- any ages or told how long Cain lived. But evidently his offspring also /
ptable offering? Or was the offering their own idea? Did one son have rapidly multiplied upon the earth. The building of a city would seem to be /
the idea first and offer them before the other? Tradition was that Abel in defiance of the Lord's curse that he should be a vagabond. The land to /
was a priest and a prophet! which he was exiled, Nod, is interpreted as "wandering" and we are told /
But in our desire for knowledge, let us not stray too far from the moral that some of his offspring were wandering herdsmen who lived in tents. /
of the story. The moral is that there is a right way and a wrong way! Some scholars see a resemblance between the names of Cain's offspring and a /
Regardless of what many prophets of the "new age" say, there is good and listing of ten kings listed in ancient Babylonian writings. According to /
evil. The evidences of evil ways are so obvious in the wretched deprived the writings, the first two kings lived at Eridu, the traditional site of /
way that so many people live today, or should we say not "live", but the Babylonian garden of Eden, and the third king was at the site of /
"die". "Badgurgurru" which is unidentified, but is interpreted as the "city of /
workers in bronze" as was Tubal-cain. It is interesting to note that the /
"Am I my brother's keeper?" Babylonians listed the life of these ten kings at eighteen thousand to /
Typical of the attitude of the majority of people. How few are the sixty four thousand years! It would seem that the calendar had not been /
people who truly are concerned about their brother? The prevailing standardized at this time or there is an interpretation problem. /
attitude is, I am going to get all I can for myself and let the others do We assume that the reason that we are given a short dead ended list of /
likewise. If a few people suffer due to my actions, too bad! They should the offspring of Cain is to record that his descendants did multiply upon /
be stronger and take what they want just like I do. the earth and that they continued the life style of disobedience and /
Fortunately there are a few who are truly concerned for their brother! violence of their patriarch. It is interesting to note the apparently /
Few as they are, these few make a big difference in this world. But try unprecedented manner in which the sister of Tubal-cain was listed as being /
and see how many you can name? Not very many! Naamah, which is translated as pleasantness. Maybe a small indicator that /
there were some bright spots in Cain's bloodline. /
"sin lieth at the door" /
"If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? Obviously Cain was "hath appointed me another seed" /
probably not too pleased to hear this. The picture is that of an individ- Eve obviously believed that Seth was to be the son who would carry on the /
ual who wanted to "do it my way". Seems like there has been for a long bloodline and would either be the "seed" that would crush the serpent's /
time a popular song about "doing it my way". God gave man a free will to head or the "seed" would come from his offspring. And with his offspring /
do it his way and sin came in. In other words he unfortunately gave man Enos we have the hopeful note that "then began men to call upon the name of /
the free will to "screw up". And "screw up" he has! We hear more and the Lord" We can assume that Eve still had hope that she and her offspring /
more how the actions of man are polluting this planet and destroying the would be able to return to the garden to live. That the "seed" would come /
habitat of many animals. And a lot of it is very subtle. How is man to in her life time and they would once more return to close communication /
know that certain chemicals will destroy the ozone layer and allow more with the Creator. But the fall had indeed taken full control of their /
radiation to penetrate? This is the subtle result of not doing well! lives and disobedience and violence was multiplying on the earth as the /
The result of not doing a good and thorough job of investigating the offspring were multiplying. Many scholars believe that the communication /
result of his actions. The result of not following the commandments of with the Lord was growing more distance with every generation and with the /
God! The intrusion of shoddy practices is slow and very subtle, but can increase of transgressions. Men would have to depend upon and resort to a /
be very tragic and fatal if allowed to multiply! more organized and less personal means of communicating with the Creator, /
an organized ritual or form of religion. Obviously the descendants of /
"punishment is greater than I can bear" Adam were passing on the knowledge of the garden and the Creator or we /
In actuality the punishment seems rather mild. That is compared to the would not have it today. Probably with each generation of Cain's offspring /
Law under which he should have been immediately stoned to death. From the knowledge of the Creator was to decrease and other forms of traditions /
the question "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?" we would were to be substituted. We have coming down to us the various writings /
interpret that there is a way of redemption. All one has to do is mend and verbal traditions which differ greatly from the Biblical record. But /
his ways and come before the Creator with the proper attitude of respect many of these myths contain some element of the truth and they should not /
and humility and all will be forgiven. But wait, are we not preaching be completely ignored. Many of them can be used as evidence that rein- /
"works"? The age old theological debate over faith versus works! forces the basic truth of the existence of the supreme Creator. The ser- /
"Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith pent works continuously to multiply his deception. At the same time the /
without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works."(James 2:18) Lord will make available evidences of the truth of his Word. For example /
Faith and works are a team. The man who has faith truly wants to do well. the "dead sea scrolls" which have reinforced an understanding of the /
Punishment will not even be a factor since his true desire to do good will meticulous manner in which the offspring of Seth have preserved the /
lead him most often on the right path. The one who does good works in records. Also the many archaeological findings which continue to verify the /
fear of punishment is on the wrong path! records. Also the scientific findings that destroy the "theories" of man! /
