Category: Genesis Chapter 4
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Called by His Name – Genesis 4:25, 26
Genesis 4:25, 26 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to…
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Seventy Times Seven – Genesis 4:24
Genesis 4:24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold. By the time you reach this verse, the line of Cain has become loud with pride. Lamech does not merely defend himself. He magnifies himself. He takes the principle of vengeance and stretches it beyond all proportion. Cain had become a warning.…
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The Song of the Sword – Genesis 4:22-23
Genesis 4:22-23 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah. And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voiceye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speechfor I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man…
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Tents, Cattle, Harps, and Organs – Genesis 4:20-21
Genesis 4:20-21 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. These verses are fascinating because they show us something very important about the line of…
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Two Wives, One Drift – Genesis 4:19
Genesis 4:19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. This is a telling moment in the line of Cain. Here, for the first time in Scripture, polygamy appears. And it does not appear in a healthy line, a godly revival, or…
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The Drift of a Godless Line – Genesis 4:18
Genesis 4:18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech. At first glance, this can feel like just another genealogy. But when you look at the meanings of these names, a pattern starts to emerge, and it is not a healthy one. It is as…
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A Wife, A City, A Name – Genesis 4:17
Genesis 4:17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. This is one of the questions people ask again and again. Where did Cain get his wife? The answer is really not complicated.…
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East of Eden, Far From Home – Genesis 4:16
Genesis 4:16 And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. This is one of the saddest lines in the chapter. Cain could have pressed in. He could have humbled himself. He could have sought the Lord whose mercy had still been…
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Marked by Mercy – Genesis 4:15
Genesis 4:15 And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. This verse is astonishing. Cain is still wrong. He has not come broken. He has not humbled himself. He has not…
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Hiding From the Only One Who Could Help – Genesis 4:14
Genesis 4:14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. Cain’s words are revealing…
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Greater Than I Can Bear – Genesis 4:11-13
Genesis 4:11-13 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto the Lord, My…
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The Blood That Cries, The Blood That Cleanses – Genesis 4:10
Genesis 4:10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. This is one of the most haunting lines in all of Genesis. Abel is dead, silent in the field, and yet God says his blood still has a voice. Cain may think the matter…
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Am I My Brother’s Keeper – Genesis 4:8-9
Genesis 4:8-9 And 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 slew him. And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? This is…
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Lifted Up or Eaten Up – Genesis 4:6-7
Genesis 4:6-7 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?… and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. The Lord does not…
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Rejected Offering, Fallen Face – Genesis 4:4-5
Genesis 4:4-5 And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. The difference was not that Abel was loved and Cain was hated. The difference was that Abel came God’s way, and Cain…
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God’s Way, Not Mine – Genesis 4:2-4
Genesis 4:2-4 And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat…
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Empty Arms, Greater Promise – Genesis 4:2
Genesis 4:2 And she again bare his brother Abel. That is a very short verse, but it carries a lot of sadness behind it. By now Eve has already learned something every parent eventually learns. Children do not come into the world innocent in the deepest sense. They come into the world needing grace. However…
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Acquired, But Not Yet – Genesis 4:1
Genesis 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. You can almost hear the hope in Eve’s voice. She has heard the promise of Genesis 3:15. She knows that through her seed would come the One who would deal the…