7 If H518 thou doest well, H3190 shalt thou not be accepted? H7613 and if thou doest not well, H3190 sin H2403 lieth H7257 at the door. H6607 And unto thee shall be his desire, H8669 and thou shalt rule H4910 over him.
Then G1534 when lust G1939 hath conceived, G4815 it bringeth forth G5088 sin: G266 and G1161 sin, G266 when it is finished, G658 bringeth forth G616 death. G2288
But G1161 sin, G266 taking G2983 occasion G874 by G1223 the commandment, G1785 wrought G2716 in G1722 me G1698 all manner of G3956 concupiscence. G1939 For G1063 without G5565 the law G3551 sin G266 was dead. G3498 For G1161 I G1473 was alive G2198 without G5565 the law G3551 once: G4218 but G1161 when the commandment G1785 came, G2064 sin G266 revived, G326 and G1161 I G1473 died. G599
By faith G4102 Abel G6 offered G4374 unto God G2316 a more excellent G4119 sacrifice G2378 than G3844 Cain, G2535 by G1223 which G3739 he obtained witness G3140 that he was G1511 righteous, G1342 God G2316 testifying G3140 of G1909 his G846 gifts: G1435 and G2532 by G1223 it G846 he being dead G599 yet G2089 speaketh. G2980 G2980
Know ye G1492 not, G3756 that G3754 to whom G3739 ye yield G3936 yourselves G1438 servants G1401 to G1519 obey, G5218 his servants G1401 ye are G2075 to whom G3739 ye obey; G5219 whether G2273 of sin G266 unto G1519 death, G2288 or G2228 of obedience G5218 unto G1519 righteousness? G1343
Who G3739 will render G591 to every man G1538 according G2596 to his G846 deeds: G2041 To them who by G3303 G2596 patient continuance G5281 in well G18 doing G2041 seek G2212 for glory G1391 and G2532 honour G5092 and G2532 immortality, G861 eternal G166 life: G2222 But G1161 unto them that are contentious, G1537 G2052 and G2532 do not obey G544 G3303 the truth, G225 but G1161 obey G3982 unrighteousness, G93 indignation G2372 and G2532 wrath, G3709 Tribulation G2347 and G2532 anguish, G4730 upon G1909 every G3956 soul G5590 of man G444 that doeth G2716 evil, G2556 of the Jew G2453 first, G4412 and G5037 also G2532 of the Gentile; G1672 But G1161 G2532 glory, G1391 honour, G5092 and G2532 peace, G1515 to every man G3956 that worketh G2038 good, G18 to the Jew G2453 first, G4412 and G5037 also G2532 to the Gentile: G1672
Ye said H559 also, Behold, what a weariness H4972 is it! and ye have snuffed H5301 at it, saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 and ye brought H935 that which was torn, H1497 and the lame, H6455 and the sick; H2470 thus ye brought H935 an offering: H4503 should I accept H7521 this of your hand? H3027 saith H559 the LORD. H3068
Say H559 ye to the righteous, H6662 that it shall be well H2896 with him: for they shall eat H398 the fruit H6529 of their doings. H4611 Woe H188 unto the wicked! H7563 it shall be ill H7451 with him: for the reward H1576 of his hands H3027 shall be given H6213 him.
I beseech G3870 you G5209 therefore, G3767 brethren, G80 by G1223 the mercies G3628 of God, G2316 that ye present G3936 your G5216 bodies G4983 a living G2198 sacrifice, G2378 holy, G40 acceptable G2101 unto God, G2316 which is your G5216 reasonable G3050 service. G2999
Who is there even among you that would shut H5462 the doors H1817 for nought? neither do ye kindle H215 fire on mine altar H4196 for nought. H2600 I have no pleasure H2656 in you, saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 neither will I accept H7521 an offering H4503 at your hand. H3027
The sacrifice H2077 of the wicked H7563 is abomination: H8441 how much more, when he bringeth H935 it with a wicked mind? H2154
And if ye offer H5066 the blind H5787 for sacrifice, H2076 is it not evil? H7451 and if ye offer H5066 the lame H6455 and sick, H2470 is it not evil? H7451 offer H7126 it now unto thy governor; H6346 will he be pleased H7521 with thee, or accept H5375 thy person? H6440 saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635
To what purpose cometh H935 there to me incense H3828 from Sheba, H7614 and the sweet H2896 cane H7070 from a far H4801 country? H776 your burnt offerings H5930 are not acceptable, H7522 nor your sacrifices H2077 sweet H6149 unto me.
Though a sinner H2398 do H6213 evil H7451 an hundred times, H3967 and his days be prolonged, H748 yet surely I know H3045 that it shall be well H2896 with them that fear H3373 God, H430 which fear H3372 before H6440 him: But it shall not be well H2896 with the wicked, H7563 neither shall he prolong H748 his days, H3117 which are as a shadow; H6738 because he feareth H3373 not before H6440 God. H430
It is not good H2896 to accept H5375 the person H6440 of the wicked, H7563 to overthrow H5186 the righteous H6662 in judgment. H4941
Therefore take H3947 unto you now seven H7651 bullocks H6499 and seven H7651 rams, H352 and go H3212 to my servant H5650 Job, H347 and offer up H5927 for yourselves a burnt offering; H5930 and my servant H5650 Job H347 shall pray H6419 for you: for him H6440 will I accept: H5375 lest I deal H6213 with you after your folly, H5039 in that ye have not spoken H1696 of me the thing which is right, H3559 like my servant H5650 Job. H347
And he went H3212 with Joram H3141 the son H1121 of Ahab H256 to the war H4421 against Hazael H2371 king H4428 of Syria H758 in Ramothgilead; H7433 H1568 and the Syrians H761 wounded H5221 Joram. H3141
And he said H559 unto him, See, H2009 I have accepted H5375 thee H6440 concerning this thing H1697 also, that I will not overthrow H2015 this city, H5892 for the which H834 thou hast spoken. H1696
And Cain H7014 talked H559 with H413 Abel H1893 his brother: H251 and it came to pass, when they were in the field, H7704 that Cain H7014 rose up H6965 against H413 Abel H1893 his brother, H251 and slew him. H2026 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Cain, H7014 Where H335 is Abel H1893 thy brother? H251 And he said, H559 I know H3045 not: Am I my brother's H251 keeper? H8104 And he said, H559 What H4100 hast thou done? H6213 the voice H6963 of thy brother's H251 blood H1818 crieth H6817 unto me from the ground. H127 And now art thou cursed H779 from the earth, H127 which hath opened H6475 her mouth H6310 to receive H3947 thy brother's H251 blood H1818 from thy hand; H3027 When H3588 thou tillest H5647 the ground, H127 it shall not henceforth H3254 yield H5414 unto thee her strength; H3581 a fugitive H5128 and a vagabond H5110 shalt thou be in the earth. H776 And Cain H7014 said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 My punishment H5771 is greater H1419 than I can bear. H5375
That I G3165 should be G1519 G1511 the minister G3011 of Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 to G1519 the Gentiles, G1484 ministering G2418 the gospel G2098 of God, G2316 that G2443 the offering up G4376 of the Gentiles G1484 might be G1096 acceptable, G2144 being sanctified G37 by G1722 the Holy G40 Ghost. G4151
But G1161 if any G1536 widow G5503 have G2192 children G5043 or G2228 nephews, G1549 let them learn G3129 first G4412 to shew piety G2151 at home, G2398 G3624 and G2532 to requite G287 G591 their parents: G4269 for G1063 that G5124 is G2076 good G2570 and G2532 acceptable G587 before G1799 God. G2316
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 4
Commentary on Genesis 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
In this chapter we have both the world and the church in a family, in a little family, in Adam's family, and a specimen given of the character and state of both in after-ages, nay, in all ages, to the end of time. As all mankind were represented in Adam, so that great distinction of mankind into saints and sinners, godly and wicked, the children of God and the children of the wicked one, was here represented in Cain and Abel, and an early instance is given of the enmity which was lately put between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. We have here,
Gen 4:1-2
Adam and Eve had many sons and daughters, ch. 5:4. But Cain and Abel seem to have been the two eldest. Some think they were twins, and, as Esau and Jacob, the elder hated and the younger loved. Though God had cast our first parents out of paradise, he did not write them childless; but, to show that he had other blessings in store for them, he preserved to them the benefit of that first blessing of increase. Though they were sinners, nay, though they felt the humiliation and sorrow of penitents, they did not write themselves comfortless, having the promise of a Saviour to support themselves with. We have here,
Gen 4:3-5
Here we have,
Gen 4:6-7
God is here reasoning with Cain, to convince him of the sin and folly of his anger and discontent, and to bring him into a good temper again, that further mischief might be prevented. It is an instance of God's patience and condescending goodness that he would deal thus tenderly with so bad a man, in so bad an affair. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Thus the father of the prodigal argued the case with the elder son (Lu. 15:28, etc.), and God with those Israelites who said, The way of the Lord is not equal, Eze. 18:25.
Gen 4:8
We have here the progress of Cain's anger, and the issue of it in Abel's murder, which may be considered two ways:-
Gen 4:9-12
We have here a full account of the trial and condemnation of the first murderer. Civil courts of judicature not being yet erected for this purpose, as they were afterwards (ch. 9:6), God himself sits Judge; for he is the God to whom vengeance belongs, and who will be sure to make inquisition for blood, especially the blood of saints. Observe,
This was the sentence passed upon Cain; and even in this there was mercy mixed, inasmuch as he was not immediately cut off, but had space given him to repent; for God is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish.
Gen 4:13-15
We have here a further account of the proceedings against Cain.
Gen 4:16-18
We have here a further account of Cain, and what became of him after he was rejected of God.
Gen 4:19-22
We have here some particulars concerning Lamech, the seventh from Adam in the line of Cain. Observe,
Gen 4:23-24
By this speech of Lamech, which is here recorded, and probably was much talked of in those times, he further appears to have been a wicked man, as Cain's accursed race generally were. Observe,
Now this is all we have upon record in scripture concerning the family and posterity of cursed Cain, till we find them all cut off and perishing in the universal deluge.
Gen 4:25-26
This is the first mention of Adam in the story of this chapter. No question, the murder of Abel, and the impenitence and apostasy of Cain, were a very great grief to him and Eve, and the more because their own wickedness did now correct them and their backslidings did reprove them. Their folly had given sin and death entrance into the world; and now they smarted by it, being, by means thereof, deprived of both their sons in one day, ch. 27:45. When parents are grieved by their children's wickedness they should take occasion thence to lament that corruption of nature which was derived from them, and which is the root of bitterness. But here we have that which was a relief to our first parents in their affliction.