Bible Commentaries

The east of the garden, where the entrance into it was, the other sides of it being enclosed or secured by God to preserve it from the entrance and annoyance of wild beasts. Or, before the garden, i.e. near to the garden; before any man could come at the garden any way.

Cherubims, i.e. angels, so called from their exquisite knowledge, and therefore fitly here used for the punishment of man, who sinned by affecting Divine knowledge.

And a flaming sword in the cherubims’ hands, as it was upon other occasions, Numbers 22:23 Joshua 5:13 1 Chronicles 21:16, 1 Chronicles 21:27. And this was either a material sword, bright, and being brandished, shining and glittering like a flame of fire; or flaming fire, in the shape of a sword. Or, flaming swords, because there were divers cherubims, and each of them had a sword; the singular number for the plural. Or, a two-edged sword,

which turned every way, was brandished and nimbly whirled about by the cherubims; which posture was fittest for the present service,

to keep the way that leads to Paradise, and so to the tree of life, that man might be deterred and kept from coming thither.

The birth of Cain and Abel, and their employment, Genesis 4:1-2. Cain’s offering, Genesis 4:3. Abel’s sacrifice, and God’s acceptance, Genesis 4:4. Cain’s rejected; his discontent, Genesis 4:5. God expostulates it with him, Genesis 4:6-7. He murders Abel, Genesis 4:8. God makes inquiry after Abel, Genesis 4:9. The cry of his blood, Genesis 4:10. God’s curse upon Cain, Genesis 4:11-12. His complaint, Genesis 4:13-14. God mitigates it, Genesis 4:15. Its execution, Genesis 4:16. Cain’s posterity, Genesis 4:17-18. Lamech’s two wives, Genesis 4:19. They bear unto him sons, who dwell in tents, Genesis 4:20; invent musical instruments, Genesis 4:21; have skill in brass and iron, Genesis 4:22. His boasting, Genesis 4:23-24. The birth of Seth, Genesis 4:25. His son; the revival of religion, Genesis 4:26.

This modest expression is used both in Scripture and other authors, to signify the conjugal act or carnal knowledge. So Genesis 19:8, Genesis 24:16, Numbers 31:17 Matthew 1:25 Luke 1:34.

Cain, whose name signifies a possession. A man, a male child, as Genesis 7:2, which was most welcome.

From the Lord; or, by or with the Lord, i.e. by virtue of his first blessing, Genesis 1:28, and special favour. Or, a man the Lord, as the words properly signify: q.d. God-man, or the Messias, hoping that this was the promised Seed.

Abel signifies vanity, a vain, mortal, miserable man, whereas she thought Cain to be more than an ordinary man; or this name might prophetically design his miserable life, and untimely and unnatural death. To till the ground was esteemed a more honourable calling than that of a shepherd, and therefore either chosen by the elder brother, or allotted to him by his father.

Either,

1. In general, at the return of the set time then appointed, and used for the solemn service of God. Or,

2. At the end of the year, when there might be now, as there was afterward among the Jews, more solemn worship and sacrifices; the word days being often put for a year, as Leviticus 25:29 1 Samuel 1:3, 1 Samuel 27:7. Or,

3. More probably at the end of the days of the week, or upon the seventh and last day of the week, Saturday, which then was the sabbath day, which before this time was blessed and sanctified, Genesis 2:3.

Cain brought an offering, either to the place appointed for the solemn worship of God, or to his father, who at that time was both king, and prophet, and priest. Or brought, i.e. offered.

The firstlings; either,

1. The first-born, which God reserved to himself, both at this time, and afterwards by an express law, Exodus 13:2 Numbers 3:13. Or,

2. The choicest and most eminent of the flock; for the best of any kind are oft called first-born, as Job 18:13 Jeremiah 31:19 Hebrews 12:23.

The fat thereof was either,

1. Properly, the fat being properly now required by God, as afterwards was expressed, Exodus 29:13, Exodus 29:22, Leviticus 3:3. Or,

2. The best of them, as the word fat is often used, as Genesis 45:18, Genesis 49:20, Numbers 18:12 Nehemiah 8:10 Psalm 147:14.

The Lord had respect, or, looked to him with a gracious eye, kindly accepted and owned him and his sacrifice, and testified this { Hebrews 11:4} to Cain and all there present, either by express word, or by some visible sign; probably by consuming his sacrifice by fire from heaven, as the fathers generally think; whereby also God did afterwards frequently signify, his acceptance of sacrifices, as Leviticus 9:24, Jdg 6:21, 1 Kings 18:38 1 Chronicles 21:26 2 Chronicles 7:1. Unto Abel’s person, who was a truly good man; and then to his sacrifice, which was offered with faith in God’s mercy and in the promised Mediator, Hebrews 11:4.

Cain was very wroth; partly with God, who, had cast so public a disgrace upon him, and given the preference to his younger brother; and partly with Abel, because he had received more honour from God, and therefore was likely to have more respect and privilege from his parents than himself.

His countenance fell; whereas before it was lifted up and cheerful, now it fell down through sense of guilt, disappointment of his hope, shame and grief, and envy at his brother.

The Lord spoke unto Cain, that he might bring him to repentance, and the knowledge of his sin.

Why is thy countenance fallen? The cause of this dejectedness is not from me, but from thyself.

If thou doest well, or, for the future shalt do well, i.e. repent of thy sin, amend thy life, offer thy offerings with a willing and cheerful mind and honest heart, in faith and love, as Abel did,

shalt thou not be accepted? Or, pardoned, received into favour? Or, exalted, and either preserved in or restored unto those rights of the first-born, which thou art conscious to thyself that thou hast forfeited? Or, elevated in thy looks, i.e. would not, or should not, thy countenance have been upright and pleasant, which now is sad and dejected?

Sin is here taken, either,

1. Properly; so the sense is: Sin will be growing upon thee; one sin will bring in another, and that malice and purpose of revenge against thy brother, which now lies hid in the secret chamber of thy mind and heart, lies at the door ready to break forth into the view of the world in open murder. Or,

2. For the punishment of sin, as it is taken Genesis 19:15 Leviticus 5:1 20:20 Numbers 18:1 2 Kings 7:9 Zechariah 14:19: so the sense is, If thou wilt go on in sin, and execute thy wicked purpose, which I perceive lies working in thy heart, be sure thy sin will find thee out, as it is said Numbers 32:23. Thou shalt not long enjoy the fruits of thy wickedness, but a dreadful judgment shall tread upon the heels of thy sin, and lie like a furious mastiff dog at the very door of thy house, to seize upon thee at thy first coming in or going out. For that person or thing which is very near to us, or at hand, is said to be at the doors, Matthew 24:33 Jam 5:9.

Unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. Those two clauses may relate either,

1. To sin, which may he here spoken of as a person, as it is Romans 7:8-11, &c. So the place may be rendered and expounded thus, The desire of sin is to thee, i.e. to assault, seduce, conquer, and destroy thee; as it is said, Luke 22:31, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you, & c. Or thus, its desire, objectively, not subjectively taken, i.e. thy desire, intention, or resolution of sinning, that evil motion of thy heart against thy brother, shall be against (as the Hebrew particle el oft signifies) thee, i.e. howsoever at present it pleaseth thee, yet it is really not only against him, but against thyself, and will certainly turn to thy own ruin; but (for so the particle and is commonly taken) if thou be wise, give no place to it, but resist it, do thou rule (for the future tense is oft put imperatively, as in the ten commandments, and it frequently signifies not what a man can or shall do, but his duty or what he ought to do, as is evident from Genesis 20:9 Malachi 1:6 Luke 3:14) over it, i.e. conquer and subdue it, which is thy duty; or, thou shalt rule over it, i.e. by my grace assisting thy endeavours, thou shalt be enabled to subdue thy evil concupiscences and passions, and so overrule, prevent, or remove those punishments which otherwise sin will infallibly bring upon thee. Or,

2. To Abel, and so the sense is, and (as for thy brother Abel, to whose faith and piety I have given this public and honourable testimony, which thy naughty heart makes an occasion of envy and malice, and intention of murder, that thou mayst not by a mistake be led to the perpetration of so horrid a crime, know that this favour of mine concerns only his spiritual privilege, and the happiness of the life to come, which thou despisest; but it makes no change in civil rights, nor doth it transfer the dominion from thee, whose it is by birth, unto him; nor doth he so understand it; for notwithstanding this) unto thee shall be his desire, subject, i.e. he shall and will nevertheless yield to thee as his superior, and thou, according to thy own heart’s desire,

shalt rule over him. If it be said the name of Abel is not here mentioned, it may be answered, that this is sufficiently included in the pronouns his and him, and it is not unusual to put those relative pronouns alone, the antecedent being not expressed, but to be gathered either from the foregoing or following words; of which see Poole on "Genesis 3:1".