Genesis 4

1Now Adam* slept with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When the time came, she gave birth to Cain,** and she said, "With the LORD's help, I have brought forth*** a man!"
*(Hebrew the man )
**Cain sounds like a Hebrew term that can mean "bring forth" or "acquire."
***Or I have acquired.

2Later she gave birth to a second son and named him *Abel.
When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain was a farmer.
Abel is the first mentioned in the long line of men of faith recorded in Hebrews 11.
Sheep weren’t food. For the wool and sacrifice.

3At *harvest-time Cain brought to the LORD a gift of his farm produce,
*Literally “at the end of the days” possibly referring to the “seventh day”.
Probably, the gift was at the entrance to the garden, guarded by the cherubim.
Possibly, Cain had previously brought the proper sacrifice, but thought this would do now that he had a harvest. Cain didn’t want to get the sacrificial animals from Abel – jealousy and pride. Cain’s was a bloodless religion.

4while Abel brought *several choice lambs from the best of his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his offering,
*KJ – “firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof”
Hebrews 11:4 – “It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. God accepted Abel's offering to show that he was a righteous man. And although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us because of his faith.”
Hebrews 9:22 – “In fact, we can say that according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified by sprinkling with blood. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.”
Hebrews 12:24 – “You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which graciously forgives instead of crying out for vengeance as the blood of Abel did.”

5but he did not accept Cain and his offering. This made Cain very angry and dejected.

Proverbs 21:27 – “God loathes the sacrifice of an evil person, especially when it is brought with ulterior motives.”

Why didn’t God accept Cain’s offering? Possible reasons:
His offering was the result of his own efforts – “farmer” – “tiller of the ground” in KJ.
His offering was from the ground that God had cursed – “produce” – “fruit of the ground”in KJ
His offering was inferior to Abel’s – “firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof”
Malachi 1:7-8, 12-14 – “You have despised my name by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar. Then you ask, `How have we defiled the sacrifices?' You defile them by saying the altar of the LORD deserves no respect. When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn't that wrong? And isn't it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!" says the LORD Almighty.” … "But you dishonor my name with your actions. By bringing contemptible food, you are saying it's all right to defile the Lord's table. You say, `It's too hard to serve the LORD,' and you turn up your noses at his commands," says the LORD Almighty. "Think of it! Animals that are stolen and mutilated, crippled and sick--presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?" asks the LORD. "Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the LORD Almighty, "and my name is feared among the nations”
Proverbs 3:9-10 – “Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything your land produces. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with the finest wine.”
His offering was brought with a bad attitude – Proverbs 21:27 – “God loathes the sacrifice of an evil person, especially when it is brought with ulterior motives.”
His offering was not an animal sacrifice
Numbers 16:15 – “However, you may not redeem the firstborn of cattle, sheep, or goats. They are holy and have been set apart for the LORD. Sprinkle their blood on the altar, and burn their fat as an offering given by fire, very pleasing to the LORD.”
Leviticus 9:24 – “Fire blazed forth from the LORD's presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When the people saw all this, they shouted with joy and fell face down on the ground.”
Heb 11:4 – “It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. God accepted Abel's offering to show that he was a righteous man. And although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us because of his faith.”
Both brought an offering to the Lord, implying that they both knew the need to worship the Lord.
God clothed his parents with animal skins: Gen 3:21,
Numbers 18:17 – “However, you may not redeem the firstborn of cattle, sheep, or goats. They are holy and have been set apart for the LORD. Sprinkle their blood on the altar, and burn their fat as an offering given by fire, very pleasing to the LORD.”

*6"Why are you so *angry?" the LORD asked him. "Why do you look so dejected?
*Angry - “charah” – Hebrew for extreme anger. Genesis 30:2 – “Jacob flew into a rage.”

7You will be accepted if you respond in the *right way. But if you refuse to respond correctly, then watch out! **Sin is waiting to attack and destroy you, and you must subdue it."
*the right way – Caleb was unwilling to bring the correct offering.
**1st use of the word “sin”.

8Later Cain suggested to his brother, Abel, "Let's go out into the fields." And while they were there, Cain attacked and killed his brother.
What did they talk about? Probably why Abel’s sacrifice was acceptable and Cains’ wasn’t.
Cain’s anger led to jealousy that led to murder.
James 1:19-20 – “My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Your anger can never make things right in God's sight.”

9Afterward the LORD asked Cain, "Where is your brother? Where is Abel?"
"I don't know!" Cain retorted. "Am I supposed to keep track of him wherever he goes?"

Cain couldn’t hide his sin from God. He lied. He refused to accept responsibility for his brother’s welfare. This time God went to Cain rather than Cain going to God.

10But the LORD said, "What have you done? Listen--your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground!

11You are hereby banished from the ground you have defiled with your brother's blood.

12No longer will it yield abundant crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless fugitive on the earth, constantly wandering from place to place."

13Cain replied to the LORD, "My punishment* is too great for me to bear!
*Or My sin
Cain can only think of the consequences for himself of his sin. There is no repentance, only regret over what he has lost. How can he cope with a life of loneliness and wandering, ever afraid of every kinsman he meets? Living in terror that he will be hunted down in vengeance.

14You have banished me from my land and from your presence; you have made me a wandering fugitive. *All who see me will try to kill me!"

*Obviously, a lot of people alive then.

15The LORD replied, "They will not kill you, for I will give seven times your punishment to anyone who does." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him.

16So Cain left the LORD's presence and settled in the land of Nod,* east of Eden.

* Nod means "wandering."

17Then Cain's wife became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and they named him Enoch. When Cain founded a city, he named it Enoch after his son.

Where did Cain get his wife? Gen 5:4 “After the birth of Seth, Adam lived another 800 years, and he had other sons and daughters.”

18
Enoch was the father of (ancestor) Irad.

Irad was the father of Mehujael.

Mehujael was the father of Methushael.

Methushael was the father of Lamech.

19Lamech married two women--*Adah and **Zillah.
*Adah = “ornament”
**Zillah = “shade”
1st instance of bigamy – a step downward from God’s original intent.

20Adah gave birth to a baby named Jabal. He became the first of the herdsmen who live in tents.

21His brother's name was Jubal, the first musician--the inventor of the harp and flute.

22To Lamech's other wife, Zillah, was born Tubal-cain. He was the first to work with metal, forging instruments of bronze and iron. Tubal-cain had a sister named Naamah.

23One day Lamech said to Adah and Zillah, "Listen to me, my wives. I have killed a youth who attacked and wounded me.

24If anyone who kills Cain is to be punished seven times, anyone who takes revenge against me will be punished seventy-seven times!"

25Adam slept with his wife again, and she gave birth to another son. She named him *Seth, for she said, "**God has granted me another son in place of Abel, the one Cain killed."
* Seth probably means "granted"; the name may also mean "appointed" or “substituted”. Eve hoped that God’s promise would come through Seth.
**God = “Elohim”

Now, there are 2 lines – Cain and Seth.

26When Seth grew up, he had a son and named him *Enosh. It was during his lifetime that people first began to **worship the LORD.
*Enosh is another word for ‘man’. It stresses the frailty of man.
**worship can also be translated “profane”.