TEACHING NOTES Genesis 4:11–12 ESV 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” You are cursed from the ground = In Gen. 3:17, the ground is cursed because of Adam. In Gen. 4:11, Cain is cursed from the ground. It could be that “from the ground” means from the good ground of Eden. More clues are provided in the next verse. It shall no longer yield to you its strength = The curse is that the ground will not cooperate with Cain to grow food. This will require Cain to wander about seeking a place that has good ground to grow food. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer = Cain is told to be a lonely nomad. He is a fugitive, which means he is to be alone and exiled from Eden and his family. However, we find out in Gen. 4:16-17 that instead of remaining a lonely wanderer, Cain settles down, takes a wife, and builds a city. ​ Genesis 4:13–14 ESV 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” My punishment is greater than I can bear = We should see this as Cain criticizing God for being too harsh. Cain goes on to list his punishments and adds some of his own. From your face I shall be hidden = God didn’t say this, but Cain assumes that to leave Eden is to leave God’s presence. Whoever finds me will kill me = Apparently, Cain thinks there are people outside of Eden that will find him and kill him. Many Hebrew scholars view Adam and Eve as a special creation to function as priests to the general humanity created earlier in Gen. 1:26-27. If that’s true, then it would make sense that Cain would be afraid of some other humans finding him and killing him. ​ Genesis 4:15 ESV 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. Sevenfold vengeance = In Hebrew, the number seven refers to completion. Therefore, if anyone kills Cain, God will avenge his death completely. The LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him = This is a poor translation. The Hebrew reads, “Yahweh established a sign for Cain, so that anyone who finds him would not strike him.” It’s not a mark on Cain, but a sign for Cain. What is the sign? That no one would even strike Cain. Cain is worried someone will kill him, but God declares that He will protect Cain so much that he will not even be injured. Pattern: Signs of Promise In the Hebrew Bible, a sign is often a visible reminder of God’s promise. The “sign for Cain” begins a pattern of God providing a visible sign to people to prove or remind them of His promise and/or covenant. The rainbow is a sign for Noah in Gen. 9:12-15. Circumcision is a sign for Abraham in Gen. 17:10-14. God delivering the Israels from Egypt is a sign in Exodus 3:12. A staff that changes into a serpent is a sign for Moses in Exodus 4. Plagues are ten signs for Israel (and Egypt) in Exodus 7-12. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a sign for the children of Israel in Exodus 13:9. Keeping the Sabbath is a sign in Exodus 31:13. A virgin who gives birth to a son whose name means “God with us” is a sign in Isa. 7:14. An everlasting tree that will make a name for the LORD is an everlasting sign in Isa. 55:13. A cord of scarlet thread is a sign for Rahab in Joshua 2. In the New Testament, visible signs are portrayed as fulfillments of Old Testament prophesies. A star is a sign for a new king in Matt. 2:1-2. Mary (a virgin) gives birth to a son and names him Yeshua, which means “Yahweh comes to save” in Matt. 1:21-23. Jesus performs seven sign in John’s Gospel. The cross is a sign that God is drawing all people to Himself in John 12:32. The book of Revelation is filled with signs that point to the fulfillment of all things. ​ Genesis 4:16–17 ESV 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. 17 Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. Away from the presence of the LORD = In Gen. 3:8, Adam and Eve “hid themselves from the presence of the LORD”. In Gen. 4:16, Cain “went away from the presence of the LORD.” Perhaps we should see this as Cain’s idea and not God’s plan. God never told Cain that he would not be allowed in God’s presence. Cain assumed that if he couldn’t stay in Eden, he would be deprived of God’s presence. Settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden = Cain is supposed to be a wanderer, but he settles in one place. Nod means “wandering” which seems like an irony. This is likely an intentional irony. Cain settles down and calls the place “wandering” as if to say, “See God, I’m wandering.” Cain knew his wife = Where did Cain find a wife? Apparently, in Nod or on the way to Nod. Again, it seems that the author assumes that other humans exist outside of Eden. Enoch = Heb. חֲנוֹךְ (ḥǎnôḵ) - dedication, inauguration. Enoch (hanok) and the city named after him should be taken as the inauguration of something. We have to keep reading to find out what is being inaugurated. Cain built a city = The Hebrew word for “city” (ir) refers to a fortified city. If there were no other humans in Nod, it seems strange that three people could build such a city. The point here is that Cain is determines to do the opposite of what God told him. And Cain doesn’t trust that God will protect him, so he builds a walled city to protect himself. ​ Genesis 4:18 ESV 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. Note: We find out later that the descendants of Seth will have very similar names. The significance of the names may be found in their meanings, though their meanings are hard to discover. The following Hebrew meanings are derived from the syllables and should not be taken as concrete: Irad = עִירָד (ʿî·rāḏ) - wild or protected city Mehujael = מְחוּיָאֵל (meḥû·yā·ʾēl) - smitten by God (or by a god) Methushael = מְתוּשָׁאֵל (meṯû·šā·ʾēl) - man of God (man of a god) Lamech = לֶמֶךְ (lě·měḵ) - very powerful man The author is making the point that Cain descendants were wild and violent and that Lamech is the seventh descendant from Adam. ​ Genesis 4:19 ESV 19 And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. Lamech took two wives = This is the first occurrence of polygamy. The emphasis is on “took” implying that the women in the city of Enoch did not have a choice. Adah = Heb. עָדָה (ʿā·ḏāh) - from the root ‘dh to adorn, ornament. Her son Jubal was the creator of musical instruments. Zillah = Heb. צִלָּה (ṣil·lāh) - shadow, protection, resonate, ring, tremble. Her son Tubal-Cain was the creator of bronze and iron weapons. ​ Genesis 4:20–21 ESV 20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. Jabal = father to shepherds who live in the wilderness in tents Jubal = father to musicians ​ Genesis 4:22 ESV 22 Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. Tubal-Cain = Heb. תּוּבַל קַיִן (tû·ḇǎl qǎ·yin) - tribute offering of Cain Forger = Heb. לָטַשׁ (lā·ṭǎš) - hammerer or sharpener of metal Naamah = Heb. נַעֲמָה (nǎ·ʿǎmā(h)) - beautiful charmer Point: The author is showing us something about the descendants of Cain and the city of Enoch. The names and their descriptions refer to the development of human civilization. Ancient readers would have viewed the city of Enoch negatively. Jabal: father of shepherds (mass animal farming) Jubal: father of musicians (musical art) Tubal-Cain: father of forging metal (metallurgy) Naamah: mother of beautiful charmers (see Gen. 6:1-2) ​ Genesis 4:23–24 ESV 23 Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. 24 If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.” Poem: Notice that Lamech’s speech is a poem. The author intends for this speech to stand out to the reader. It emphasizes the violence and pride of Lamech. Killed a man for wounding me = Lamech is quick-tempered and unjust. A young man for striking me = Since Lamech means “power man”, his killing of a young man is portrayed as oppressing the weak. Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold = God gave Cain a sign of protection. Lamech declares his own protection. ​ Genesis 4:25 ESV 25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” Seth = Heb. שֵׁת (šēṯ) - to set a foundation, to ordain, to appoint Appointed = Heb. שִׁית (šîṯ) - to ordain, to cause to occur The author is showing a contrast between Eve’s attitude in Gen. 4:1 and her attitude in Gen. 4:25. At the beginning of the chapter, Eve declares that SHE has “created” a man in comparison to God. At the end of the chapter, Eve declares that GOD has caused/ordained another son to be born. ​ Genesis 4:26 ESV 26 To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord. Enosh = Heb. אֱנוֹשׁ (ʾěnôš) - humanity, intimate relationship People began to call upon the name of the LORD = Up to this point people have hidden from Yahweh and went away from Him. Abel’s blood cried out to Yahweh from the ground. Seth’s descendants begin to pray. Call = Heb. qero - to call, name, proclaim, summon Point: Humanity is starting over with Seth’s descendants. Cain’s descendants are “away from the presence of the LORD” and killing each other. Seth’s descendants are “calling on the name of the LORD” for help. When we read on to Gen. 5 we find that Noah’s genealogy begins with Seth and Cain’s line is left out. This implies that Seth’s descendants are the good guys from which comes Noah. Pattern: Calling on the Name of the LORD Gen. 4:26 is the first mention of people calling on God’s name (Yahweh). This begins a pattern that repeats throughout the Bible. In Gen. 12:8 God appears to Abram by a tree at Bethel so he builds an altar and “called upon the name of the LORD”. In Gen. 21:33 Abraham plants a tree in Beersheba and “called there on the name of the LORD”. The Psalms are filled with “calling on the name of the LORD” for help, protection, justice, deliverance, and salvation. Psalm 116:17 refers to a sacrifice of thanksgiving (which is what Cain & Abel were doing in Gen. 4) and calling on the name of the LORD. In Joel 2:32 the prophet describes a coming time when God will pour out His Spirit on all people and “everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” Peter quotes from Joel 2 in his famous sermon at Pentecost in Acts 2. Paul quotes Joel 2:32 in Rom. 10:13 to declare that in Christ Joel’s prophesy has been fulfilled. Two Lines of Humans: Gen. 4 ends with showing two family lines: 1) Cain’s line and 2) Seth’s line. As we continue to read we find out that the author prioritizes the line of Seth. The genealogy of Adam to Noah in Gen. 5 leaves out Cain altogether. This indicates that the descendants of Seth will carry the story of God forward. What is this story telling us? Sin has entered the world with a desire to control humans. Humans can and must rule over sin, but mostly do not. Sin increases and leads to violence and destruction. Humans need God’s help to rule over sin. Paul’s View of Sin’s Progression: see Romans 1. In Rom. 1 we find Paul’s definition of God’s wrath. While God’s wrath is often understood as God adding additional punishments, Paul tells us that God’s wrath is giving us what we want. The result is a progression of evil. God’s attributes are evident in creation. Humans chose to dishonor God and refused to show gratefulness. Humans became futile and foolish by worshiping created things. God gave humans over to what they wanted. Humans dishonored their bodies through unnatural relations. Humans display a depraved mindset filled with evil. Humans do evil and approve/promote the continuing in evil. Paul goes on in Romans to show that all people choose to sin and need salvation. Paul argues in many ways that Jesus is the only solution to our sin. The Main Point of Gen. 4: Calling on the name of the LORD is our only hope to rule over sin and reflect the image of God.