Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 4:1-16

2. The murder of Abel 4:1-16Chapter 4 shows the spread of sin from Adam’s family to the larger society that his descendants produced. Not only did sin affect everyone, but people became increasingly more wicked as time passed. Human self-assertion leads to violence. Genesis 4:1-16 show that the Fall affected Adam and Eve’s children as well as themselves. Genesis 4:17-26 trace what became of Cain and Seth and their descendants. Note that the chapter begins and ends with the subject of... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 4:4-26

B. What became of the creation 2:4-4:26Moses described what happened to the creation by recording significant events in the Garden of Eden, the murder of Abel, and the family of Cain."The section begins with a description of the creation of Adam and Eve and traces their sin, God’s curse on sin, and the expansion of sin in their descendants. No longer at rest, mankind experienced flight and fear, making his way in the world, surviving, and developing civilization. As if in answer to the... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 4:1-26

Cain and Abel. The Descendants of CainThe narrative, which forms part of the Primitive document, impressively shows how sin, having once appeared, became hereditary in the human race, and speedily developed into its most revolting form. Its details enable us to see how jealousy, when indulged, leads to hatred and murder, and violates not only the ties of humanity but those of family affection; how the sinner casts off all regard for the truth and for his natural obligations; how progress in sin... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 4:1

IV.THE FOUNDING OF THE FAMILY, AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE NON-PARADISIACAL LIFE.(1) She . . . bare Cain, and said . . . —In this chapter we have the history of the founding of the family of Cain, a race godless and wanton, but who, nevertheless, far outstripped the descendants of Seth in the arts of civilisation. To tillage and a pastoral life they added metallurgy and music; and the knowledge not only of copper and its uses, but even of iron (Genesis 4:22), must have given them a command over the... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 4:2

(2) Abel.—Of this name Dr. Oppert imagined that it was the Assyrian Abil, a son. Really it is Hebel; and there is no reason why we should prefer an Assyrian to a Hebrew etymology. An Accadian derivation would have been important, but Assyrian is only a Semitic dialect, and Abil is the Hebrew ben. Hebel means a thing unstable, not abiding, like a breath or vapour. Now, we can scarcely suppose that Eve so called her child from a presentiment of evil or a mere passing depression of spirits; more... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 4:3-4

(3, 4) In process of time.—Heb., at the end of days: not at the end of a week, or a year, or of harvest-time, but of a long indefinite period, shown by the age of Adam at the birth of Seth to have been something less than 130 years.An offering.—Heb., a thank-offering, a present. We must be careful not to introduce here any of the later Levitical ideas about sacrifice. All that we know about this offering is that it was an act of worship, and apparently something usual. Now, each brought of his... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Genesis 4:1-26

Genesis 4:0 'Marriage, which has been the bourne of so many narratives, is still a great beginning, or it was to Adam and Eve, who kept their honeymoon in Eden, but had their first little one among the thorns and thistles of the wilderness. It is still the beginning of the home epic the gradual conquest or irremediable loss of that complete union which makes the advancing years a climax, and age the harvest of sweet memories in common.' George Eliot, Middlemarch. Cain and Abel Genesis 4:3-5... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Genesis 4:1-26

CAIN AND ABELGenesis 4:1-26IT is not the purpose of this narrator to write the history of the world. It is not his purpose to write even the history of mankind. His object is to write the history of redemption. Starting from the broad fact of man’s alienation from God, he means to trace that element in human history which results in the perfect re-union of God and man. The keynote has been struck in the promise already given that the seed of the woman should prevail over the seed of the... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Genesis 4:1-26

CHAPTER 4 After the Fall and the Two Seeds 1. Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1-2 ) 2. Their offerings (Genesis 4:3-5 ) 3. The divine remonstrance (Genesis 4:6-7 ) 4. Abel slain by his brother (Genesis 4:8 ) 5. Cain’s judgment (Genesis 4:9-16 ) 6. Cain and his offspring and the progress of the world (Genesis 4:17-24 ) 7. Seth in place of Abel (Genesis 4:25-26 ) This chapter is filled with many lessons. Here are types of the Seed of the Woman, Christ. Christ as the Good Shepherd, the... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Genesis 4:1

4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she {a} conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man {b} from the LORD.(a) Man’s nature, the estate of marriage, and God’s blessing were not utterly abolished through sin, but the quality or condition of it was changed.(b) That is, according to the Lord’s promise, as some read Genesis 3:15, "To the Lord" rejoicing for the son she had born, whom she would offer to the Lord as the first fruits of her birth. read more

Group of Brands