1有一日，那人H120和H853他妻子H802夏娃H2332同房H3045，夏娃就懷孕H2029，生了H3205,H853該隱H7014，(就是：得的意思)便說H559：耶和華H3068使我得了H7069一個男子H376。 2又H3254生了H3205該隱的兄弟H251亞伯H1893。亞伯H1893是牧H7462羊H6629的；該隱H7014是種H5647地H127的。 3有一日H7093,H3117，該隱H7014拿H935地H127裡的出產H6529為供物H4503獻給耶和華H3068 4亞伯H1893也將他H1931羊群H6629中頭生的H1062和羊的脂油H2459獻上H935。耶和華H3068看中了H8159亞伯H1893和他的供物H4503， 5只是看不中H8159該隱H7014和他的供物H4503。該隱H7014就大大的H3966發怒H2734，變了H5307臉色H6440。 6耶和華H3068對該隱H7014說H559：你為甚麼發怒H2734呢？你為甚麼變了H5307臉色H6440呢？ 7你若H518行得好H3190，豈不蒙悅納H7613？你若行得不好H3190，罪H2403就伏在H7257門H6607前。它必戀慕H8669你，你卻要制伏H4910它。 8該隱H7014與H413他兄弟H251亞伯H1893說話H559；二人正在田H7704間。該隱H7014起來H6965打H413他兄弟H251亞伯H1893，把他殺了H2026。 9耶和華H3068對該隱H7014說H559：你兄弟H251亞伯H1893在那裡H335？他說H559：我不知道H3045！我豈是看守H8104我兄弟H251的麼？ 10耶和華說H559：你作了H6213甚麼H4100事呢？你兄弟H251的血H1818有聲音H6963從地H127裡向我哀告H6817。 11地開了H6475口H6310，從你手H3027裡接受H3947你兄弟的H251血H1818。現在你必從這地H127受咒詛H779。 12你種H5647地，地H127不再H3254給H5414你效力H3581；你必流離H5128飄蕩H5110在地H776上。 13該隱H7014對耶和華H3068說H559：我的刑罰H5771太重H1419，過於我所能當的H5375。 14你如今H3117趕逐H1644我離開這地H127，以致不見H5641你面H6440；我必流離H5128飄蕩H5110在地H776上，凡遇見H4672我的必殺我H2026。 15耶和華H3068對他說H559：凡殺H2026該隱H7014的，必遭報H5358七倍H7659。耶和華H3068就給該隱H7014立H7760一個記號H226，免得H1115人遇見H4672他就殺H5221他。 16於是該隱H7014離開H3318耶和華H3068的面H6440，去住H3427在伊甸H5731東邊H6926挪得H5113之地H776。 17該隱H7014與妻子H802同房H3045，他妻子就懷孕H2029，生了H3205以諾H2585。該隱建造了H1129一座城H5892，就按著他兒子H1121的名H8034將那城H5892叫作H7121以諾H2585。 18以諾H2585生H3205以拿H5897；以拿H5897生H3205米戶雅利H4232；米戶雅利H4232生H3205瑪土撒利H4967；瑪土撒利H4967生H3205拉麥H3929。 19拉麥H3929娶了H3947兩個H8147妻H802：一個H259名叫H8034亞大H5711，一個H8145名叫H8034洗拉H6741。 20亞大H5711生H3205雅八H2989；雅八就是住H3427帳棚H168、牧養牲畜H4735之人的祖師H1。 21雅八的兄弟H251名叫H8034猶八H3106；他是一切彈H8610琴H3658吹H8610簫H5748之人的祖師H1。 22洗拉H6741又生了H3205土八該隱H8423；他是打造H3913各樣銅H5178鐵H1270利器H2794的。(或作：是銅匠鐵匠的祖師)土八該隱H8423的妹子H269是拿瑪H5279。 23拉麥H3929對他兩個妻子H802說H559：亞大H5711、洗拉H6741，聽H8085我的聲音H6963；拉麥H3929的妻子H802，細聽H238我的話語H565：壯年人H376傷我H6482，我把他殺了H2026；少年人H3206損我H2250，我把他害了(或作：我殺壯士卻傷自己，我害幼童卻損本身。) 24若H3588殺該隱H7014，遭報H5358七倍H7659，殺拉麥H3929，必遭報七十H7657七倍H7651。 25亞當H120又H5750與妻子H802同房H3045，他就生了H3205一個兒子H1121，起名H8034叫H7121塞特H8352，意思說：神H430另H312給我立了H7896一個兒子H2233代替H8478亞伯H1893，因為該隱H7014殺了H2026他。 26塞特H8352也生了H3205一個兒子H1121，起H7121名H8034叫以挪士H583。那時候，人纔H2490求告H7121耶和華H3068的名H8034。
Matthew Henry - Concise Commentary 1 When Cain was born, Eve said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. Perhaps she thought that this was the promised seed. If so, she was wofully disappointed. Abel signifies vanity: when she thought she had the promised seed in Cain, whose name signifies possession, she was so taken up with him that another son was as vanity to her. Observe, each son had a calling. It is the will of God for every one to have something to do in this world. Parents ought to bring up their children to work. Give them a Bible and a calling, said good Mr. Dod, and God be with them. We may believe that God commanded Adam, after the fall, to shed the blood of innocent animals, and after their death to burn part or the whole of their bodies by fire. Thus that punishment which sinners deserve, even the death of the body, and the wrath of God, of which fire is a well-known emblem, and also the sufferings of Christ, were prefigured. Observe that the religious worship of God is no new invention. It was from the beginning; it is the good old way,
Jer 6:16. The offerings of Cain and Abel were different. Cain showed a proud, unbelieving heart. Therefore he and his offering were rejected. Abel came as a sinner, and according to God's appointment, by his sacrifice expressing humility, sincerity, and believing obedience. Thus, seeking the benefit of the new covenant of mercy, through the promised Seed, his sacrifice had a token that God accepted it. Abel offered in faith, and Cain did not,
Hebre 11:4. In all ages there have been two sorts of worshippers, such as Cain and Abel; namely, proud, hardened despisers of the gospel method of salvation, who attempt to please God in ways of their own devising; and humble believers, who draw near to him in the way he has revealed. Cain indulged malignant anger against Abel. He harboured an evil spirit of discontent and rebellion against God. God notices all our sinful passions and discontents. There is not an angry, envious, or fretful look, that escapes his observing eye. The Lord reasoned with this rebellious man; if he came in the right way, he should be accepted. Some understand this as an intimation of mercy. If thou doest not well, sin, that is, the sin-offering, lies at the door, and thou mayest take the benefit of it. The same word signifies sin, and a sacrifice for sin. Though thou hast not done well, yet do not despair; the remedy is at hand. Christ, the great sin-offering, is said to stand at the door,
Revel 3:20. And those well deserve to perish in their sins, that will not go to the door to ask for the benefit of this sin-offering. God's acceptance of Abel's offering did not change the birthright, and make it his; why then should Cain be so angry? Sinful heats and disquiets vanish before a strict and fair inquiry into the cause.
8 Malice in the heart ends in murder by the hands. Cain slew Abel, his own brother, his own mother's son, whom he ought to have loved; his younger brother, whom he ought to have protected; a good brother, who had never done him any wrong. What fatal effects were these of our first parents' sin, and how must their hearts have been filled with anguish! Observe the pride, unbelief, and impenitence of Cain. He denies the crime, as if he could conceal it from God. He tries to cover a deliberate murder with a deliberate lie. Murder is a crying sin. Blood calls for blood, the blood of the murdered for the blood of the murderer. Who knows the extent and weight of a Divine curse, how far it reaches, how deep it pierces? Only in Christ are believers saved from it, and inherit the blessing. Cain was cursed from the earth. He found his punishment there where he chose his portion, and set his heart. Every creature is to us what God makes it, a comfort or a cross, a blessing or a curse. The wickedness of the wicked brings a curse upon all they do, and all they have. Cain complains not of his sin, but of his punishment. It shows great hardness of heart to be more concerned about our sufferings than our sins. God has wise and holy ends in prolonging the lives even of very wicked men. It is in vain to inquire what was the mark set upon Cain. It was doubtless known, both as a brand of infamy on Cain, and a token from God that they should not kill him. Abel, being dead, yet speaketh. He tells the heinous guilt of murder, and warns us to stifle the first risings of wrath, and teaches us that persecution must be expected by the righteous. Also, that there is a future state, and an eternal recompence to be enjoyed, through faith in Christ and his atoning sacrifice. And he tells us the excellency of faith in the atoning sacrifice and blood of the Lamb of God. Cain slew his brother, because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous,
1John 3:12. In consequence of the enmity put between the Seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, the war broke out, which has been waged ever since. In this war we are all concerned, none are neuter; our Captain has declared, He that is not with me is against me. Let us decidedly, yet in meekness, support the cause of truth and righteousness against Satan.
16 Cain cast off all fear of God, and attended no more on God's ordinances. Hypocritical professors, who dissemble and trifle with God, are justly left to themselves to do something grossly scandalous. So they throw off that form of godliness to which they have been a reproach, and of which they deny the power. Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and we never find that he came into it again, to his comfort. The land Cain dwelt in was called the land of Nod, which means, 'shaking,' or 'trembling,' and so shows the restlessness and uneasiness of his own spirit, or 'the land of a vagabond:' they that depart from God cannot find rest any where else. Those on earth who looked for the heavenly city, chose to dwell in tabernacles or tents; but Cain, as not minding that city, built one on earth. Thus all who are cursed of God seek their settlement and satisfaction here below.
19 One of Cain's wicked race is the first recorded, as having broken the law of marriage. Hitherto, one man had but one wife at a time; but Lamech took two. Wordly things, are the only things that carnal, wicked people set their hearts upon, and are most clever and industrious about. So it was with this race of Cain. Here was a father of shepherds, and a father of musicians, but not a father of the faithful. Here is one to teach about brass and iron, but none to teach the good knowledge of the Lord: here are devices how to be rich, and how to be mighty, and how to be merry; but nothing of God, of his fear and service. Present things fill the heads of most. Lamech had enemies, whom he had provoked. He draws a comparison betwixt himself and his ancestor Cain; and flatters himself that he is much less criminal. He seems to abuse the patience of God in sparing Cain, into an encouragement to expect that he may sin unpunished.
25 Our first parents were comforted in their affliction by the birth of a son, whom they called Seth, that is, 'set,' 'settled,' or 'placed;' in his seed mankind should continue to the end of time, and from him the Messiah should descend. While Cain, the head of the apostasy, is made a wanderer, Seth, from whom the true church was to come, is one fixed. In Christ and his church is the only true settlement. Seth walked in the steps of his martyred brother Abel; he was a partaker of like precious faith in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ, and so became a fresh witness of the grace and influence of God the Holy Spirit. God gave Adam and Eve to see the revival of religion in their family. The worshippers of God began to do more in religion; some, by an open profession of true religion, protested against the wickedness of the world around. The worse others are, the better we should be, and the more zealous. Then began the distinction between professors and profane, which has been kept up ever since, and will be, while the world stands.
