Autobiography commentary on genesis 4

Home / Religious & Spiritual Figures / Autobiography commentary on genesis 4

the general significance of names, we shall scarcely go astray if with Kalisch we find in the name of the sister of Tubal-cain, "the beautiful," as compared with that of Adam's wife, "the living," a growing symptom of the degeneracy of the times.

3. For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed—semen singulars (Calvin); filium,Eve having borne daughters previously (Onkelos, Jonathon, Dathe, Rosenmüller)—instead of Abel.

i. The names of Lamech's wives were suggestive of sensual attractions.

And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Genesis 4:9

And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? Speaking of certain earthworks of great antiquity that have been discovered in the Mississippi valley, camps, or works of defense, sacred enclosures, with their connected groups of circles, octagons, squares, ellipses, polished and ornamented pottery, &c.,—the same distinguished writer says.

267).

Genesis 4:23

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.

Verses 23, 24. Kalisch, connecting it with kun or kin, to strike, sees an allusion to his character and subsequent history as a murderer, and supposes it was not given to him at birth, but at a later period.

Later, at the Passover, it will be one lamb for a family. Some commentators even speculated that they were twins.

v.2b-5. Still it cannot be doubted that the need for cities was a proof of sin, as the building of the first city was an act of sin. 'Ugabh, from a root signifying to breathe or blow (Gesenius), or to make a lovely sound (Furst); hence generally a wind instrument - tibia, ftstula, syrinx; the shepherd's reed or bagpipe (Keil); the pipe or flute (Onkelos); the organon, i.e.

A city. (Luther); Is there not acceptance with God. (Speaker s Commentary); Is there not a bearing away of blessing? In Cain's birth she recognized the earnest and guarantee of the promised seed, and in token of her faith gave her child a name (cf. by giving up thy wrath and restraining thine evil propensities - a word of hopeful encouragement to draw the sinner back to holy paths (Keil); or, "peccatum tanquam muller impudica sistitur, quae hominem ad libidinem suam explendam tentet, cut igitur resistere debeat" (Rosenmüller); or,

(3) the sacrificial victim is not far to seek, it is already courting thine acceptance, and thou mayst at once avail thyself of it (Candlish).

"A vagabond and a runagate" (Tyndale, Coverdale, 'Bishops' Bible'). Of course the עִיר which Cain erected was not a city according to modern ideas, but a keep or fort, enclosed with a wall for the defense of those who dwelt within (Murphy). Lindsay, 'Lectures on Hebrews,' Edin. at the gate of Eden, which does not contradict (Kalisch) the great Biblical truth of the Divine omnipresence (cf.

"in a place where it will surely be disturbed; and, therefore, it is impossible but that it must be awoke and roused up, when as a furious beast it will lay hold on thee ' (Luther); i.e.