Commentary of the Bible - Robert Dean Steel - Genesis 4

Genesis 4

1-2 – Adam and Eve have two sons, Cain and Abel.  Adam acknowledges this event came about by the help of the Lord.  Abel kept flocks and Cain tilled the soil. 

3-5 – Cain and Abel brought their offerings.  Abel brought an animal and Cain brought fruits of the soil.  Abel’s was accepted and Cain’s rejected.  It is indicated that both knew what was required, that is indicated in in verse 7, but Cain chose not to do that.  When his offering was rejected he became angry and downcast.

6-7 – At this moment Cain is about to make a decision with eternal consequences.  It also shows here that sin is standing at the door of Cain’s heart wanting control but Cain can master it if he wishes.  His anger caused him to make terrible decision. 

8 – Cain decides to kill his brother.  It is pre-meditative murder.  He takes his brother Abel into the field and kills him. 

9 – God asks Cain where his brother is?  Cain lies and then says, “I am my brother’s keeper.”   Sin always makes us lie and defer blame.

10-12 – God exacts judgment on Cain.  The ground will not yield to his work.  The tiller of the soil loses his most precious possession and the object of his offering becomes the object of his curse.  He is also made a restless wanderer.

13-14 – Cain told God that the punishment was too much for him to bear.  He was being driven from the land.  He knew that he was going to be hidden from the presence of the Lord.  As a restless wanderer his own relatives would later find him and kill him.  Cain was being driven from all he knew and was familiar.  Punishment is never easy and repentance after the fact is common.  We are not so sorry for what we have done but being caught.

15-16 – God gracious put a mark on Cain that anyone who attacked him would suffer many times over.  So no one was able to kill him and Cain and went to live in a land called Nod which was east of Eden.

17-18 – Cain with his wife had child name Enoch and right after that Cain built a city.  Enoch had Irad, then Irad had Mehujael, then Mehujael fathered Methusael and he became the father of Lamech. 

19-24 – We have the story of Lamech.  He married two women, Adah and Zillah, Adah gave birth to Jabel who was father of the tent dwellers who raised livestock.  He had a brother name Jubal who fathered all those who played musical instruments.  Zillah had two children. Tubal Cain who was a tool maker and Zillah`s daughter’s name was Naamah.  Lamech told his wives that he had killed a man for wounding him.  He then said, Cain was avenged seven times but I will be avenged seventy time seven.   Lamech as saying that his wrath would be many fold more than Cain`s. 

25-26 – Adam and Eve had another son named Seth which each said was her replacement for Abel.  Seth in turn had a son named Enosh.  It was during Seth’s time that people began to call on the name of the Lord.  Godly leadership always produces Godly people.  A time of violence came to an end with Seth and a time of righteousness had begun.  Seth helped undo the wrong of Cain.