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And Cain P went out from | dwelt in the land of Nod, on the the presence of the LORD, and east of Eden.

p 2 Kings 13. 23. & 24. 20. Jer 23. 39. & 52. 3.

children and their descendants, but to narrate more especially the history of that line of his posterity from which the promised seed was to spring.

was suffered to live in order to be a warning to others of the direful effects of giving way to malignant passions, and as a living monument of the power of a guilty conscience. 'God is not obliged to send a sinner to the place of the damned in order to punish him. He can any where call his name Magor- missabib and render him a terror to himself and all about him.' Fuller. To something of this kind the Psalmist probably alludes Ps. 59. 11, 'Slay them not, lest my people forget; scatter them by thy power.' Heb. 'make them to wander as fugitives,' as did Cain. The divine forbearance moreover, by thus prolonging his life graciously afforded him space for repentance.

16.

Cain went out from the presence

15. Therefore. That is, in order to prevent this, I announce to thee that whosoever slayeth thee, vengeance shall be taken on him seven-fold,' i. e. he shall be far more severely punished than Cain himself. Seven-fold is equivalent to many-fold, a definite for an indefinite mode of speech, as often elsewhere, Lev. 26. 28. Ps. 12. 7. God having virtually said to Cain, 'vengeance is mine, I will repay, it would have been a daring usurpation for any one to have taken the sword out of his hand, and such an act as he would cause to be avenged seven-fold. The Lord also set a mark upon Cain. Or, Heb. 'the Lord appointed a sign to Cain.' The original word here employed ( oth) often signifies a sign, token, or memorial by which something is confirmed or brought to remembrance. Thus Is. 7. 10, 'The Lord spake unto Ahaz saying, Ask thee a sign (778) of the Lord thy God.' So also v. 14, "Therefore the Lord thy God shall give you a sign (8).' Jud. 6. 17, 'If now I have found grace in thy sight, then show me a sign (8) that thou talk-ry of this, viz. to come into God's pres est with me.' The sign here said to be appointed to Cain is undoubtedly to be understood in the same manner. It was some kind of notification to him, perhaps by a sensible miracle, of the truth of the promise respecting his personal safety. Accordingly it is well rendered in the Greek, 'God set a sign before Cain to persuade him that whosoever should find him should not kill him.' As to its being a visible mark, brand, or stigma affixed to his person, there is no ground whatever for such an opinion. It would seem that Cain

of the Lord. Heb. 'from before the face of Jehovah.' That is, from the place of God's special presence, from the seat of his worship, from the hab itation of his Shekinah, from the society of his father and family, and consequently from the only church which God then had upon earth. It was therefore a virtual excommunication from the highest religious privileges which could then be enjoyed; for the contra

ence, or before his face, to dwell in his courts, is spoken of as the chief of all blessings and the object of the most ar dent aspirations of his saints, Ps. 96.8. Ps. 17. 15. If this be the import of the words (and we know of none so probable), it bears a very favourable appearance with respect to the state of things in Adam's family. It implies that the worship of God was there kept up, and that God was with them. Indeed if it were not established there, it appears to have had no existence in the world, which there is no reason to believe was

17 And Cain knew his wife, | and Mehujael begat Methusael: and she conceived, and bare and Methusael begat Lamech. 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:

q Ps. 49. 11.

ever the case when once it had begun to be observed.¶ Dwelt in the land of Nod. So named from the event, from the circumstance of Cain's dwelling there. Nod is the original word for a vagabond, and the land of Nod is properly the land of the vagrancy of the wretched outcast who was condemned to wander up and down in it. The same term is employed by David in Ps. 56. 8, in speaking of his unsettled and wandering life; Thou tellest my wanderings (77 nodi).'

17. And Cain knew his wife. Although the intermarriage of near kindred was afterwards forbidden and accounted incest, yet in the infancy of the world, this law, from the necessity of the case, must have been dispensed with, and brothers must have taken their sisters to wife. Cain's wife was undoubtedly his sister and married before the death of Abel, for after that event it can scarcely be supposed that any woman would be willing to connect herself with such a miserable fratricide.———¶ And he built a city. Heb. was building,' i. e. he engaged in and busied himself about this enterprise. He was perhaps prompted to embark in this undertaking partly to divert his mind and prevent it from preying upon itself, and partly to provide for his security against the apprehended violence of other branches of Adam's family. It is no unusual thing for men to attempt to stifle the inward convictions and disquietude of their minds by plunging deep into the busy cares of the world.

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-T Called the name of the city after

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.

the name of his son Enoch. Perhaps from the consciousness that his own name was odious and infamous. But he would still perpetuate the name of his family in connection with the city which he had founded. The circumstance reminds us of the words of the Psalmist, Ps. 49. 11, 'Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling-places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.' Enoch (Heb. Chanoch) means initiated or dedicated. Why he was so called it is impossible to determine.

18. Unto Enoch was born Irad, &c. The names here recited were doubtless those of the first-born, through whom the sacred genealogies are generally reckoned. There is nothing peculiarly worthy of note in respect to the persons composing this line, except the remarkable resemblance of the names those of the descendants of Seth mentioned in the subsequent chapter-a circumstance for which it is difficult to account. Their ages are not mentioned, and the list is very quickly despatched, as if unworthy of being dwelt upon.

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19. Lamech took unto him two wives. The first recorded instance of polygamy; a practice which directly contravenes the original ordinance of heaven, that two only should constitute one flesh, and for introducing which Lamech is here condemned to infamous notoriety as long as the sacred narra tive shall be read.

20. The father of such as dwell in tents, &c. Heb. 'the father of the in

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21 And his brother's name was the sister of Tubal-cain was Jubal: he was the father of all Naamah. such as handle the harp and organ. 22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron: and

r Rom. 4. 11, 12.

habiter of the tent and cattle.' Chal 'the master.' The original author, deviser, or founder of any particular craft or calling is termed the father of such as follow it. Jabal set the first example of that unsettled, nomadic mode of life which was adopted in after ages by those whose property consisted principally in flocks and herds, and who from residing in tents instead of more permanent habitations could easily transfer themselves from one region to another as the prospect of water or pasturage should chance to invite. In later times the descendants of Ishmael, the wandering Bedouin Arabs, have been peculiarly noted for these roving habits. And of such as have cattle. Gr. 'feeders of cattle.' The literal import of the original is possession, from the fact that in the early ages of the world men's principal possessions consisted in flocks and herds. The 'father of such as have cattle' is the title of him who first set the example of keeping and managing cattle, or who followed the shepherd's occupation.

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

David is expressly described as playing upon it with his hand; but it appears from Josephus that it was also struck or played upon with a plectrum or bow. It seems to have been light and portable, as we find David playing upon it, as he danced before the ark. It was called by the Hebrews, 'the pleasant instrument,' and was not only used in their religious solemnities, but also in their private entertainments and occasions of enjoyment. The organ ( o0gab) certainly could not resemble the modern instrument of that name. It is supposed to have been a kind of flute, composed of one or two, and afterwards of about seven pipes of reeds, of unequal length and thickness, joined together; being nearly identical with the pipe of Pan among the Greeks, or that simple instrument called a 'mouthorgan,' which is still in common use in some countries of Europe.

22. Tubal-cain. From this name comes, by very obvious derivation, the Greek Vulcan the name of the fabled god of smiths.-T Instructor. Heb. 'whetter or sharpener;' he whose precepts and example first set the ingenuity of men at work in fabricating the various implements of brass and iron which are so indispensable in the arts of agriculture, architecture, and the different mechanical occupations.

21. The father of all such as handle the harp and the organ. Chal. 'The master of all that play on the psaltery and of such as know music.' The Heb. term for organ has the import of loveliness or delight, but upon the precise form and construction, of these instruments we cannot pronounce with much 23. I have slain a man to my woundcertainty. They are perhaps general ing, &c. The Heb. particle rendered terms for all stringed and wind instru- 'for' sometimes has a conditional meanments. The harp ( kinnoor) of ing, equivalent to if, although, suppothe Hebrews seems to have resembled sing that. It is not unlikely, therefore, the modern instrument in its form. It that Lamech's words are to be underhad ten strings, and in 1 Sam. 16. 23, I stood, not as relating a matter of fact

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24 If Cain shall be avenged seven-fold, truly Lamech seventy and seven-fold.

25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me an

t ch. 5. 3.

other 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 w to call upon the name of the LORD.

u ch. 5. 6. w 1 Kings 18. 24. Ps. 116. 17. Jo el 2. 32. Zeph. 3. 9. I Cor. 1. 2.

by Eve, but doubtless with Adam's concurrence, implying especially that he was substituted for his slain brother.

-T Another seed. Another child; the term seed being applied to a single individual, as it is also Gen. 21. 13, and 38. 8. This usage confirms the apostle's argument, Gal. 3. 16, 'He saith not, and to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ.'

which had actually happened, but as intimating the consequences of such a fact, provided it should happen. 'Suppose that when designedly and dangerously wounded by a murderous weapon, in the hand of a ruffian, I should slay my assailant, whether a grown man or a daring youth, yet as it would be done in self defence, I should not incur the guilt of murder. For if the man that should have killed Cain, who-The manner in which the mother of slew his brother without provocation, were to be punished seven-fold, then he who should undertake to inflict vengeance upon me for slaying a man in my own defence, shall be punished seventy and seven-fold.' Thus one sinner takes liberty to sin from the suspension of judgment towards another.

The

mankind speaks on this occasion is much in favour of her personal religion. The language implies, that though at first she had doated upon Cain, yet as the brothers grew up, and developed their respective characters, Abel was preferred. He was the child in whom all the hopes of the family seem to have concentraspeech was prompted, perhaps, by La- ted; and therefore when he fell a sacrimech's having witnessed the mischiev-fice to his brother's cruelty, it was conous effects of some of his sons' newly-sidered as a very heavy loss. She was invented instruments of iron and brass, not without a son when Seth was which probably began to be wielded to born, for Cain was yet alive; but he the injury or destruction of human life. was considered as none, or as worse The Chal. renders the passage, 'For I than none, and therefore when Seth have not killed a man that I should was born, she hoped to find in him a bear sin for him; nor destroyed a successor to Abel. And so it proved; young man that my seed should be for his was doubtless the family in consumed for him.' The speech is in which the true religion was preserved hemistichs, according to the genius of in after ages. Hebrew poetry, and, as it seems, not written by Moses, but handed down by tradition. Thus ends the account of the murderer Cain. We hear no more of his posterity, unless it be as tempters of the sons of God,' till they were all swept away by the deluge!

25. Called his name Seth. Heb. set, put, appointed; a name bestowed

26. Called his name Enos.

Heb.

Enosh; i. e. sick, weak, sorrowful, miserable; so called perhaps from the prevailing degenerate state of the world at that time.- -T Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord. The true import of these words, as read in the original, is somewhat difficult to be determined. As the Heb.

by taking upon them the profession of God's holy name, and by being recognised as his true worshippers. A similar phraseology obtains Is. 44. 5, 'One shall say, I am the Lord's and another shall call himself by the name (

term for 'began' will admit of being rendered profaned or profanely began, the Jewish interpreters for the most part understand it of the commencement of idolatry, which consists in profanely calling upon and worshipping idols under the name and titles of the) of Jacob.' Ch. 48. 1, 'Hear ye true God, and thus as marking the beginnings of that great degeneracy which finally led to the destruction of the earth and its guilty inhabitants by the flood. Accordingly, the Chaldee Targum reads it,' Then the sons of men left off from praying in the name of the Lord,' or, 'became profane so that they prayed not.' The more common interpretation, however, is, that about this time there began to be a more marked separation on the part of the pious from the ungodly, that the name of the Lord began to be invoked in a more open and public manner, and the various ceremonies of his worship to be more solemnly observed. Adam and his pious offspring had undoubtedly before this maintained the worship of God both in their families and their closets; but till the human race were considerably multiplied there was no occasion for what may be called public worship. But when the families became so numerous that they were obliged to separate, then it was necessary to call them together at stated times and seasons, that, by forming different congregations, they might all receive instruction at once, and keep up in their minds an habitual reverence for God. 'Calling upon the name of the Lord' is an expression elsewhere used to denote all the appropriate acts and exercises of the stated worship of God. Gen. 12 8.-13. 4.-21. 33. 1 Chron. 16. 8. Ps. 105. 1. et al. Comp. Acts, 9. 14. The marginal rendering, for which there is also some ground, is, 'Then began men to be called by the name of the Lord,' i. e. then began a portion of men (viz. the children of Seth) to be distinguished from others, the descendants of Cain,

this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel;' i. e. who profess to belong to the people of Israel and to be of the same religion. Perhaps the distinction of 'sons of God' and 'sons of men,' alluded to in the following chapter, then began more generally to prevail. On the whole, however, we incline to the opinion that the sense of profane invocation is really conveyed by the original word; but that the other idea also of a pious profession of the name and worship of Jehovah is directly and necessarily inferred from it, for the f ct of the increasing profaneness and irreligion of one portion of the race would naturally tend to produce a more public and decided adherence to the worship of God by the other, and the Heb. idiom, we believe, allows us to consider both facts to be alluded to by one and the same term.-In respect to this period of the sacred history we may properly cite the words of the celebrated Jewish writer Maimonides as translated by Ainsworth :-'In the days of Enos the sons of Adam erred with great error, and the counsel of the wise men of that age became brutish; and their error was this: They said, forasmuch as God hath created these stars and spheres to govern the world, and set them on high, and imparted honour unto them, and they are ministers that minister before him; it is meet that men should laud, and glorify, and give them honour. For this is the will of God, that we might magnify and honour whomsoever he magnifieth and honoureth, even as a king would have them magnified that stand before him. When this thing was come up into their heart, they be

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