B.
The second fall — from man's conscience to others' control
4:1-26
1.
The background
vv. 1-2
Gen. 4
:1
4:1
And the man knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to
1Cain and said, I have
aacquired a man,
2Jehovah.
Gen. 4
:2
4:2
And again she gave birth, to his brother
1Abel. And Abel was a
2atender of sheep, but Cain was a
3btiller of the ground.
2.
Man's presumption, anger, murder, lying, and arrogance
vv. 3-9
Gen. 4
:3
4:3
And in the course of time Cain brought an
1offering to Jehovah from the fruit of the ground.
Gen. 4
:4
4:4
And Abel also brought
an 1offering, from the
afirstlings of his flock, that is, from their fat portions. And Jehovah had regard for Abel and for his offering.
Gen. 4
:5
4:5
But for
aCain and for his offering He had
1no regard. And Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.
Gen. 4
:6
4:6
And Jehovah said to Cain, Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen?
Gen. 4
:7
4:7
If you do well, will not
your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well,
1sin is crouching at the door; and his desire is for you, but you must rule over him.
Gen. 4
:8
4:8
And Cain said to Abel his brother,
1Let us go into the field. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel his brother and
2aslew him.
Gen. 4
:9
4:9
Then Jehovah said to Cain, Where is Abel your brother? And he said,
1I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?
3.
God's dealing with man's second fall — cursing man and making him a fugitive and a wanderer
vv. 10-15
Gen. 4
:10
4:10
And He said, What have you done? The voice of your brother’s
1ablood is crying out to Me from the ground.
Gen. 4
:11
4:11
And now you are
acursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s
bblood from your hand.
Gen. 4
:12
4:12
When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you. You will be a fugitive and a
awanderer on the earth.
Gen. 4
:13
4:13
And Cain said to Jehovah, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
Gen. 4
:14
4:14
Now You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground, and from Your
aface I will be hidden; and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will
bkill me.
Gen. 4
:15
4:15
And Jehovah said to him, Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold. And Jehovah put a mark on Cain, so that anyone who found him would not strike him.
4.
Man producing a culture without God
vv. 16-24
Gen. 4
:16
4:16
And Cain went forth from the presence of Jehovah and dwelt in the land of
1Nod, east of Eden.
Gen. 4
:17
4:17
And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to
1Enoch; and he built a
2acity and called the name of the city after the name of his son Enoch.
Gen. 4
:18
4:18
And Irad was born to Enoch, and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lamech.
Gen. 4
:19
4:19
And Lamech took two wives for himself: The name of the first was Adah, and the name of the second Zillah.
Gen. 4
:20
4:20
And Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and
raise cattle.
Gen. 4
:21
4:21
And his brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.
Gen. 4
:22
4:22
And Zillah also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of bronze and iron; and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
Gen. 4
:23
4:23
And Lamech said to his wives,
Adah and Zillah, listen to my voice;
O wives of Lamech, hearken to my speech;
For I have slain a man for wounding me,
Even a young man for striking me.
Gen. 4
:24
4:24
If Cain is avenged
asevenfold,
Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.
5.
The way to escape man's second fall — man realizing his fragility and calling on the name of Jehovah
vv. 25-26
Gen. 4
:25
4:25
And Adam knew his wife again. And she gave birth to a son and called his name
1aSeth, for,
she said, God has appointed me another seed instead of Abel, because Cain slew him.
Gen. 4
:26
4:26
And to Seth also a son was born, and he called his name
1aEnosh. At that time
men began to
2bcall upon the name of Jehovah.
