Genesis Chapter 4 Notes

Adam and his wife had their first child Cain and then their second child Abel. Abel was given the job of an Shepherd because he was the took care of sheep whereas Abel was an Gardener because he cultivated the ground. Both Cain and Abel were given the opportunity to give an offering to the Lord God as a sacrifice. God was pleased with Abel's offering but God was not pleased with Cain's offering. God is no respecter of persons and he loves everybody. However, God does not respect everything everyone does. I personally believe that God respected Abel's offering more than Cain's because Abel offered his best while Cain only offered what was convent for him to offer. Abel, brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof and the Lord had respected unto Abel's offering (Verse 4). Cain offered the Lord an offering but God did not have respect for it. In the old testament people used to kill lambs to offer them as a sacrifice for sin. It was the blood sacrifice of an pure and healthy animal that they had to offer to be accepted in order for their sins to be forgiven. Usually the blood sacrifice covered peoples sins. So with that in mind, Abel offered God the first fruit meaning that he offered the firstborn lamb that he had. Cain, only offered a gift that clearly wasn't his best. So God did not accept it.

When God accepts one brother's gift and don't accept the other brother's gifts it could cause anger, bitterness, and jealousy. Cain was jealous and envious of Abel because God accepted Abel's gift. Cain is the first man in the Bible to be jealous of his brother. He is also the first man to get angry and murder his brother. The first sibling rivalry was between Cain and Abel. Cain was angry, bitter, and jealous and you could tell that is how he felt because he looked dejected. The Bible says for us to be angry and sin not. However, it's unfortunate that in Cain's case he didn't have the self control to separate the two. The Bible declares that Cain was angry and you could see the anger in Cain's face. He was most likely frowning and had a look of rage. So the Lord being so loving, kind, and caring cared enough to ask Cain why he was feeling the way that he felt. God said, Why are you so angry? Why do you look so dejected. If you do the right thing, you will be accepted. If you don't sin will overtake you but you must do right and overtake it. After that you would think that Cain would say Lord, I'm sorry for my anger. please forgive me. Lord, show me how to give an offering to you that you will accept. What can I do to make it up to you Lord? Oh but no, Cain did not do that at all.

I imagine that Cain walked away from God with an bad attitude and contemplated in his mind on what he can do to hurt his brother Abel. So he found his brother and asked his brother to go to the field with him. I imagine that both Adam and Eve are far away from them two. I bet Cain made Abel believe that he wanted to do some brotherly bonding with him. Cain talked with Abel his brother, and then attacked him murdering him with his bare hands. The Bible is not clear on him using a weapon so I assume that Cain murdered Abel with his bare hands. I can imagine Cain walking away from the body, leaving it in the field. Next the Lord see's Cain and ask where is his brother Abel located? Cain pretty much answered the Lord by saying Am I my brother's keeper. In otherwords, I'm not responsible for Abel, Abel is a grown man, so why are you asking me where he is at? Am I my brother's guardian? It seems to me that Cain was defensive with the Lord because Cain knew that he had done wrong and killed his brother. Many times when people do wrong they tend to get overly defensive when they are accused of something that they know good and well that they are guilty of doing. The Lord responded like a Father who is disappointed in his child's behavior. He said what have you done Cain? Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. God is loving, kind, and gentle. However, God is also just and he has to punish sin. So with that being said, Cain was cursed from the earth. He would have a difficult time getting food and will be made a homeless wanderer throughout the earth. Cain felt that his punishment was too much for him and feels that he will be a homeless wanderer and somebody is going to kill him so he disclosed that to the Lord. Instead, Cain should have told God what he had done and begged for mercy asking God please forgive me for murdering my brother. Of course the Lord responded to Cain by saying whoever tries to kill you will have an seven fold punishment. Then the Lord put a mark on his face to warn people not to try to kill Cain. Cain left the Lord's presence and eventually started a family. For this particular commentary, I will not give a list of cain's family. Instead I will do that in a drawing diagram later. Eventually Adam and Eve gave birth to another Son and named him Seth. Seth also had a child and named him Enosh. That was the time when the people started to call on God's name.

Genesis 4:1-26

1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.

2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. 

4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

7 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.

8 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.

9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;

12 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.

13 And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

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. 

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.

16 And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. 

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.

18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.

19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.

21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.

22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubal–cain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal–cain was Naamah.

23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. 

24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

25 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.

26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.