‏ Genesis 2

Summary for Gen 2:1-3: 2:1-3  ^a Humankind is the high point of God’s creative acts (1:26-31  ^b), while day 7 is the climax of the creation week. When God rested, he endorsed all of creation—there was nothing more to do! This seven-day framework structured Israel’s week, with the seventh day as the precedent for their weekly Sabbath. The Sabbath was intended to celebrate God’s finished work; the seventh day would be set apart as holy and dedicated to the Creator, who also rested (see Exod 20:8-11  ^c; 31:12-17  ^d; cp. Matt 12:1-8  ^e; Rom 14:5-6  ^f; Col 2:16-17  ^g; Heb 4:1-11  ^h).
2:3  ⁱ The first six days of creation involved separation (light from darkness, day from night, water from dry land). The last act of creation separated what is ordinary from what is holy, thus laying the foundation for Israel’s worship. It also anticipated a coming age of rest (Heb 4:1-11  ^j; 12:2  ^k; 13:14  ^l).

• The absence of the usual “morning and evening” reflects the Creator’s willingness to enter into unending fellowship with humankind.
Summary for Gen 2:4-25: 2:4-25  ^m This account (see study note on 2:4) of the heavens and the earth is not a second creation account; rather, it is a theological and historical expansion on 1:1–2:3  ⁿ. The focus is now on what the cosmos produced rather than on its creation. Special attention is given to the first man and woman. As the story progresses, it is colored by contrasts of good and evil, knowledge and ignorance, life and death, harmony and discord. 2:4  ^o This is the account (literally These are the generations; Hebrew toledoth): This or a similar phrase is repeated throughout Genesis, creating an internal outline for the book. In other occurrences, it introduces the genealogy or story of a key personality (5:1  ^p; 6:9  ^q; 10:1  ^r; 11:10  ^s, 27  ^t; 25:12  ^u, 19  ^v; 36:1  ^w; 37:2  ^x).

• Some have argued that the first half of 2:4  ^y belongs with 1:1–2:3  ^z, but it is more likely the introduction to the account that follows.

• Lord God (Hebrew Yahweh Elohim) is the second name used for God in the early chapters of Genesis. Elohim (1:1–2:3  ^aa) describes the all-powerful creator God. Yahweh Elohim speaks of the eternal God who formed a lasting covenant with Israel (Exod 3:6  ^ab, 13-15  ^ac). Accordingly, Gen 2:4-25  ^ad focuses on God as provider more than as creator. The three themes of sexuality, dominion, and food in ch 1  ^ae are now addressed in reverse order (food, 2:8-17  ^af; dominion, 2:18-20  ^ag; sexuality, 2:21-25  ^ah).
2:5  ^ai cultivate: Work does not result from sin; it was part of the original structure of creation and is directly tied to human identity and purpose (1:28  ^aj; 2:15  ^ak).
2:6  ^al springs: The word refers to subterranean springs that rose to the surface of the ground.
2:7  ^am In 1:1–2:3  ^an, creation happens at a distance, by divine command (“Let there be ... and that is what happened”). In this account, the creative act is much more intimate (see also 2:8-9  ^ao, 21-22  ^ap).

• from the dust of the ground: In Hebrew, ’adamah (“ground”) forms a wordplay with ’adam (“man”). The earth remains the definitive reference point for humans, who in death return to dust (3:17-19  ^aq; 4:11  ^ar; Job 4:19  ^as; 10:8-9  ^at; Isa 29:16  ^au).

• breathed ... into the man’s nostrils: God’s breath is not imparted to other animals; only humans are formed in God’s image (Gen 1:27  ^av) and enjoy dialogue with their Creator (2:16-17  ^aw; 3:8-13  ^ax). They alone have spiritual awareness and moral conscience (see Job 32:8  ^ay).
Summary for Gen 2:8-14: 2:8-14  ^az Analogous to the sacred time marked out on the seventh day of creation (2:2-3  ^ba), the sacred space of the garden in Eden was separate from the surrounding world. It functioned as a garden-temple or sanctuary because the Lord manifested his presence there in a special way. 2:8  ^bb Eden was the general location in which the garden was placed, not the garden itself. The term could mean “plain,” “delight,” or “fertility.” The description that follows favors the idea of fertility.

• in the east: The exact location of Eden is left to speculation, but it was east of Canaan, Israel’s later home.

• God placed the man in the garden for divine fellowship and physical blessing (see also 2:15  ^bc and study note there).
2:9  ^bd Beauty and bounty characterized humanity’s original environment (cp. 13:10  ^be).

• The tree of life represented God’s presence and provision. The one who ate of it would have everlasting life (3:22  ^bf), which made it a rich image for later Israelite and Christian reflection (Prov 3:18  ^bg; 11:30  ^bh; 13:12  ^bi; Rev 2:7  ^bj; 22:2  ^bk, 14  ^bl, 19  ^bm). The candlestick in Israel’s Tabernacle may have been a stylized representation of it (Exod 25:31-35  ^bn).

• Eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil enabled humanity’s capacity for wisdom (Gen 3:6  ^bo) and moral discernment (3:5  ^bp, 22  ^bq; cp. Deut 1:39  ^br, “innocent”). Eating from it represented a human grasp for autonomy and wisdom that were God’s alone (cp. Prov 30:1-4  ^bs). Humans sidestepped God’s revelation as the means of moral discernment, flaunting their independence rather than submitting to God’s will (cp. Prov 1:7  ^bt). Choosing human wisdom over God’s instruction brings death and destruction (see Ps 19:7-9  ^bu; Ezek 28:6  ^bv, 15-17  ^bw).
Summary for Gen 2:10-14: 2:10-14  ^bx This detailed description portrays the eastern region around Eden as a mountain with rivers flowing out to the world. Eden’s beauty and fertility enriched the whole earth. 2:10  ^by The river that was watering the garden was a material blessing (bringing agricultural fertility) and a symbol of God’s presence (cp. Ps 46:4  ^bz; Ezek 47:1-12  ^ca; Zech 14:8  ^cb; Rev 22:1-2  ^cc).

• dividing into four branches (literally heads): The common understanding is that one river had its source in Eden, flowed down through the garden, and then split into the four rivers named.
2:11  ^cd The Pishon and the Gihon (2:13  ^ce) cannot be identified with certainty. If the land of Havilah was in southeast Arabia or on the African coast, as some biblical data suggest (see 10:7  ^cf; 25:18  ^cg; 1 Sam 15:7  ^ch), then the Pishon was possibly the Nile River. Josephus thought that Havilah and the Pishon were in India (Antiquities 1.1.3). Two other proposals suggest: (1) rivers in the mountains of eastern Turkey where the Tigris and Euphrates (Gen 2:14  ^ci) also flow, and (2) the marshy delta near the Persian Gulf. Current geographical conditions make any theory impossible to prove conclusively.
2:12  ^cj The magnificence and fertility of the garden are pictured as spreading to the surrounding regions through the rivers flowing out from it. The four rivers possibly imply that the garden’s bounty flowed out to the four corners of the earth.

• Gold and onyx were later used for decorating the Tabernacle, the Temple (Exod 25:3-9  ^ck; 1 Chr 29:2  ^cl), and the priests’ clothing (Exod 28:9-14  ^cm, 20  ^cn).

• Resin was used in sacred incense (Exod 30:34  ^co).
2:13  ^cp Gihon: Though unknown, proposals have included the Nile (as in the Greek version of Jer 2:18  ^cq; Josephus, Antiquities 1.1.3), the Jordan, or, according to Jewish tradition, a river that formerly ran through the Kidron Valley (1 Kgs 1:33  ^cr; 2 Chr 33:14  ^cs).

• Although Cush is the name of ancient Ethiopia, Mesopotamian regions associated with Babylon seem to be the immediate setting (see 10:8  ^ct); Cush is possibly the land of the Kassites, a dynasty ruling in Babylonia.
2:14  ^cu Tigris ... Euphrates: These well-known rivers flow from the mountains of eastern Turkey.
2:15  ^cv to tend and watch over: The garden required maintenance and oversight. Tending the Garden was humanity’s dignifying work. These roles in God’s garden-sanctuary were later applied to God’s Tabernacle (see Lev 8:35  ^cw; Num 3:5-10  ^cx; 4:46-49  ^cy).
2:17  ^cz except (literally but you must not eat): This prohibition is given in the same legal format as Israel’s Ten Commandments (see Exod 20:1-17  ^da; Deut 5:6-21  ^db). The Lord built law and obedience into the fabric of his covenant relationship with humanity.

• the knowledge of good and evil: See study note on 2:9.

• you are sure to die: The consequences of disobedience would be immediate spiritual death (loss of relationship with God) and eventual physical death (see 3:22-23  ^dc; Eccl 12:6-7  ^dd).
Summary for Gen 2:18-23: 2:18-23  ^de As human creation was the climax of ch 1  ^df, so human intimacy is the high point of ch 2  ^dg. God’s concern for mutual human support and companionship finds no parallel in ancient Near Eastern literature. 2:18  ^dh It is not good: This is God’s first negative assessment of an otherwise excellent creation (1:31  ^di). The Lord God is portrayed as a father who obtains a bride for his son (cp. ch 24  ^dj).

• The answer to the man’s need is a helper who is just right for him; she is his perfect complement, made in the same image of God (1:26-27  ^dk), given the same commission (1:28  ^dl; 2:15  ^dm), and obligated by the same prohibition (2:17  ^dn). The man cannot fulfill his created purpose alone.
Summary for Gen 2:19-20: 2:19-20  ^do to see what he would call them: Following God’s example (1:5  ^dp, 8  ^dq, 10  ^dr), the man chose a name for each of the creatures. In so doing, he was exercising his reign over creation (1:26  ^ds, 28  ^dt).
2:23  ^du Adam recognized the woman as a “helper just right for him” (2:20  ^dv). His celebration of her in poetry and song observed his unity with her, not their distinctions (cp. 29:14  ^dw).

• Adam declares that “She will be called ‘woman’ (Hebrew ’ishah) because she was taken from ‘man’ (Hebrew ’ish).” He understood the nature of their connection (see Eph 5:28-29  ^dx). Adam had earlier assessed the animals without finding the characteristics he needed in a partner. How different this evaluation is!
2:24  ^dy Marriage between a man and a woman is not just a human social construct but is rooted in the created order.

• a man leaves ... and is joined: Marriage entails a shift of loyalty from parents to spouse.

• the two are united into one: Marriage and its commitments make it the most fundamental covenant relationship observed among humans. Marriage is a powerful image of Israel’s covenant with God (Hos 2:14-23  ^dz) and of Christ’s relationship to the church (Eph 5:22-32  ^ea). Marriage is designed as an inseparable, exclusive relationship between a man and a woman. The family unit it creates is the basic building block of human society.
2:25  ^eb both naked: Prior to the Fall (ch 3  ^ec), nakedness reflected innocence and trust. After the Fall, it denoted vulnerability and shame (see 9:22-23  ^ed; Lev 18:1-23  ^ee; Isa 47:3  ^ef). Shame is more than embarrassment; it connotes exploitation and humiliation (see Deut 28:48  ^eg; Isa 58:7  ^eh; Jas 2:15-16  ^ei).

‏ Genesis 3

Summary for Gen 3:1-24: 3:1-24  ^ej The rebellion of the man and the woman shattered their unity and harmony with earth, animals, each other, and God. 3:1  ^ek Genesis describes the deceiver as a serpent, one of the animals God created (see also 3:14  ^el and study note). He is later identified as Satan, the great enemy of God’s people (Rev 12:9  ^em; 20:2  ^en). His manipulative language and his disguise as a serpent, the shrewdest of all creatures, show him as a master deceiver. Satan has various methods for opposing God’s people (see 1 Chr 21:1  ^eo; Zech 3:1-2  ^ep); deception remains among his key strategies (cp. 2 Cor 11:3  ^eq, 14  ^er). The Hebrew term for shrewd (‘arum) can be positive (“prudent,” Prov 14:8  ^es) or negative (as here; see Job 5:12  ^et). It forms a wordplay with “naked” (‘arummim) in Gen 2:25  ^eu. Adam and Eve were naked and vulnerable; the serpent was shrewd and cunning.

• Probably the serpent asked the woman because the prohibition was given to Adam prior to Eve’s creation (see 2:16-17  ^ev). Adam was probably aware of the serpent’s cunning, having assessed and named all the animals before Eve was created (2:19-20  ^ew, 23  ^ex).

• Did God really say? The deceiver began by twisting God’s language to cast doubt on God’s goodness. God’s original prohibition applied to only one tree (2:16-17  ^ey), not to all (any) of them.
Summary for Gen 3:2-3: 3:2-3  ^ez The woman attempted to set the record straight; in the process, she belittled the privileges God had given her and her husband in several ways: (1) She reduced God’s “freely eat” (2:16  ^fa) to may eat; (2) she downplayed God’s emphasis on the availability of fruit from every tree but one (2:17  ^fb); (3) she added not touching to God’s prohibition against eating (2:17  ^fc); and (4) she softened the certainty of death (2:17  ^fd).
Summary for Gen 3:4-5: 3:4-5  ^fe You won’t die! This is the exact negation of God’s clear and emphatic words: “you are sure to die” (2:17  ^ff). The serpent capitalizes on the woman’s uncertainty by baldly denying the penalty and quickly diverting her attention to the supposed prize—to be like God, knowing both good and evil. The deceiver falsely implies that this would be an unqualified good for them. The term rendered God is Elohim; it can also mean “divine beings” (i.e., God and the angels; e.g., Pss 29:1  ^fg; 89:7  ^fh).
3:6  ^fi She saw ... she wanted: The woman made two grave errors. (1) She assumed the right to decide what was and was not good, though God alone has this right; and (2) she coveted God’s wisdom (see Deut 5:21  ^fj).

• her husband ... with her: Although Scripture is clear about the woman’s central role in the Fall (cp. 1 Tim 2:14  ^fk), the man was clearly present and culpable as well. He comes to center stage in the verses that follow and in biblical theology. The consequence of his sin for the entire human race was immense. The Good News is that in Jesus Christ, the “second Adam,” God has made salvation universally available (Rom 5:12-21  ^fl).
3:7  ^fm Shame is opposite to the naked innocence Adam and Eve enjoyed prior to their rebellion (2:25  ^fn). Their relationship with one another and with God was fractured.

• sewed fig leaves together: These covered their physical bodies, but not their shame. They could not mend their broken relationships (see also 3:21  ^fo and study note).
3:8  ^fp When the cool evening breezes were blowing: The Hebrew has traditionally been interpreted as referring to the cool part of the day, most likely the evening. Others think that the language refers to a powerful manifestation of God’s presence (a theophany; see Exod 19:16-25  ^fq; 1 Sam 7:10  ^fr) as a storm. If this view is correct, the man and the woman were hiding from the sound of the Lord appearing in judgment (see 2 Sam 5:24  ^fs; Ps 29  ^ft).

• God put trees in the garden as an environment for humanity to enjoy fellowship with God. Now the man and woman used them to evade the divine presence.
Summary for Gen 3:9-10: 3:9-10  ^fu Where are you? The true intent of this rhetorical question is revealed in the man’s answer (3:10  ^fv). The real question was, why are you hiding? (cp. 4:9-10  ^fw).

• I was afraid because I was naked: Modesty was not the issue. The shame brought on by rebellion drove Adam and his wife to hide. Possibly they also feared punishment (see study note on 3:8).
3:12  ^fx It was the woman you gave me: Rather than confessing, the man became evasive. He blamed the woman for giving him the fruit and God for giving him the woman.
3:13  ^fy What have you done? is another rhetorical question that is really an exclamation of horror (cp. 4:10  ^fz).

• The serpent deceived me: As the man implicated the woman (3:12  ^ga), the woman accused the serpent. The serpent did play a role and would be punished (3:14  ^gb), but that did not release the woman or the man from their guilt.
Summary for Gen 3:14-19: 3:14-19  ^gc The parties were judged in the order of their transgression—serpent, woman, man. Each received a punishment unique to his or her situation, and each had a key relationship altered. God is principled in judgment, not fickle; each punishment is proportionate to the offense. 3:14  ^gd to the serpent: Though later revelation identifies the deceiver as Satan, it is the created animal who was cursed, like the ground (3:17  ^ge).

• Groveling in the dust reflects a posture of humiliation and defeat (Ps 72:9  ^gf; Mic 7:17  ^gg).
3:15  ^gh hostility: The prophet Isaiah envisions the day when the Messiah’s kingdom will restore all of creation to a harmonious state like the Garden of Eden before humans sinned (see Isa 11:8  ^gi).

• her offspring (literally her seed): This collective noun can refer to a single descendant or many. The ancient Near Eastern concept of corporate solidarity (e.g., “you and your descendants,” Gen 28:14  ^gj) is also behind this description of the ongoing hostility that would exist between humans and snakes. The pattern is set using singular terms (He ... you). Christian interpreters have traditionally understood this verse as a prophecy of Christ, the seed of Abraham and the culmination of the woman’s seed (Gal 3:16  ^gk; 4:4  ^gl).

• strike: The striking of his heel is a reference to the suffering of God’s servant (see Isa 53  ^gm), while striking the serpent’s head—a more definitive blow—is ultimately fulfilled in Christ’s death, resurrection, and final victory over Satan (1 Cor 15:55-57  ^gn; Rev 12:7-9  ^go; 20:7-10  ^gp).
3:16  ^gq Judgment falls on the woman’s unique role of childbearing and on her relationship with her husband.

• And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you: The marriage relationship now included an element of antagonism rather than just security and fulfillment. New life in Christ allows for the restoration of a man and a woman’s marriage relationship (Eph 5:18-32  ^gr; cp. Matt 20:25-28  ^gs).
Summary for Gen 3:17-19: 3:17-19  ^gt God highlighted his original command not to eat the fruit by speaking of eating several times in 3:17-19  ^gu. The judgment affected humanity’s ability to get food, and it was proportionate to their offense of eating what had been prohibited.

• the ground is cursed: The relationship of the man to the ground (see study note on 2:7) was now antagonistic as judgment fell on his primary role (2:5  ^gv, 15  ^gw). He must labor and toil to work the ground, but with diminished productivity. Human sin has broad effects on creation (see 4:12  ^gx; 6:7  ^gy; Lev 26  ^gz; Deut 11:13-17  ^ha, 28  ^hb; Rom 8:22  ^hc).
Summary for Gen 3:20-24: 3:20-24  ^hd Soon after they were judged for their sin, Adam and Eve were banished from the garden. 3:20  ^he Eve (Hebrew khawah) sounds like a Hebrew term (khayah) that means “to give life.” Following God’s pronouncement of Adam’s impending death (3:19  ^hf), Adam expressed hope by giving Eve a name associated with life. Adam’s naming of Eve in such close proximity to 3:16  ^hg may suggest that the narrator views it as Adam’s first act of ruling over the woman after the Fall (see study note on 2:19-20).
3:21  ^hh God mercifully provided more substantial clothing for Adam and Eve (cp. 3:7  ^hi) before expelling them into the harsh environment outside the garden.
3:22  ^hj like us: The plural probably reflects God’s conversation with his angelic court (see study note on 1:26).

• the tree of life ... live forever! Mercifully, God prevented humankind from eating of the tree of life and having to live forever in a fallen state. Through Jesus Christ, however, eternal life is once again made available (see Rev 2:7  ^hk; 22:2  ^hl, 14  ^hm, 19  ^hn).
3:23  ^ho So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden: Before the Fall, the garden was a sanctuary in which humans could move freely in God’s holy presence. Now their sin required expulsion from that environment. This same principle was behind the laws that restricted an Israelite’s access to God’s presence in the Tabernacle or Temple (e.g., Lev 16:1-2  ^hp; Num 5:3  ^hq).
3:24  ^hr Cherubim are a class of angelic beings that guard access to God’s presence (Exod 26:31  ^hs; Ezek 28:14  ^ht).

• east ... of Eden: In Genesis, movement eastward often implies leaving the presence or blessing of God, whether in judgment (see also Gen 4:16  ^hu), self-aggrandizement (11:2  ^hv; 13:11  ^hw), or estrangement (25:6  ^hx).

‏ Genesis 4

4:1  ^hy had sexual relations (literally knew): In certain contexts, the Hebrew term meaning “to know” is an idiom for sexual knowledge of another person (4:17  ^hz; 19:33  ^ia, 35  ^ib). It is never used of animals, which mate by instinct.

• With the Lord’s help:: Eve fulfilled her God-given role of procreation despite the negative effects of the Fall (see 3:16  ^ic, 20  ^id).

• I have produced: Cain (Hebrew qayin) sounds like a Hebrew term (qanah) that can mean “produce” or “acquire.”
4:2  ^ie his brother ... Abel: The name (Hebrew habel) means “breath,” “vapor,” or “meaningless,” anticipating his tragically brief life (cp. Eccl 1:2  ^if).
4:3  ^ig There was nothing wrong with offering grain to the Lord (Lev 2:14  ^ih; Deut 26:2-4  ⁱⁱ), but Cain brought only a token gift (some of his crops), whereas God requires the first and best (Exod 23:16  ^ij, 19  ^ik; 34:22  ^il, 26  ^im). Cain’s heart attitude made his offering inferior to Abel’s (cp. Heb 11:4  ⁱⁿ).
Summary for Gen 4:4-5: 4:4-5  ^io the best portions of the firstborn lambs: Or the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. Abel was giving God the best animals and the richest parts. Abel’s offering, in contrast to Cain’s, was the best he had to offer. True worship is a costly privilege.
4:7  ^ip Sin is crouching at the door ... you must subdue it: Sin is pictured as a vicious animal lying in wait to pounce on Cain (cp. study note on 3:16). Either sin will dominate Cain, or Cain will resist the temptation to sin. There is no neutral ground in that conflict.
4:8  ^iq The effects of the Fall on human relationships are tragically expressed in the first murder.

• The word brother is used seven times in 4:2-11  ^ir, highlighting Cain’s fratricide in the face of familial responsibility.
4:9  ^is Where is your brother? The questions God asked Cain (4:6  ^it, 9  ^iu, 10  ^iv) recall those that God asked Cain’s parents (3:9-13  ^iw). In both cases, humans put up evasive answers (cp. 3:12-13  ^ix). Cain’s answer is shockingly defiant—another clue that the problem with his token offering was the attitude that lay behind it.
4:10  ^iy What have you done? is more an expression of horror and rebuke than a fact-finding question (cp. 3:13  ^iz).

• Abel’s blood is personified as a legal witness that cries out against Cain.

• from the ground: See study note on 4:11-12.
Summary for Gen 4:11-12: 4:11-12  ^ja As with his father (cp. 3:9-12  ^jb, 17-19  ^jc), Cain’s interrogation (4:9-10  ^jd) was followed by God’s verdict. Adam’s sin had already caused the ground to be cursed. Now Cain was cursed and banished from the land he farmed because he had contaminated it with innocent blood.

• homeless wanderer: Cain was condemned to ceaseless roving in a land that would provide neither sustenance nor security. The effects of sin were escalating.
Summary for Gen 4:13-14: 4:13-14  ^je For Cain, eviction from the land—the domain of his vocation as a farmer (see 4:2  ^jf; cp. 3:23  ^jg)—amounted to exile from God’s presence. The Israelites were warned that unfaithfulness to the Sinai covenant would similarly result in eviction from the Promised Land and from God’s presence in the Temple (see, e.g., Lev 26:27-32  ^jh).
4:15  ^ji Sevenfold punishment was the full weight of justice. Cain complained that his punishment was too great, but the full sentence that would fall on anyone who committed Cain’s crime against him shows how gracious the Lord was to Cain. Cain deserved death (see 9:5-6  ^jj).

• The mark graciously provided protection following Cain’s judgment (cp. 3:21  ^jk).
4:16  ^jl The name Nod speaks more of Cain’s fate (see 4:12  ^jm, 14  ^jn) than of a specific geographical area (the location is unknown). Cain’s sin denied him rest and a sense of belonging.

• Cain’s exile east of Eden is another point of connection with Adam’s story (cp. 3:24  ^jo). Cain did not learn from his father’s mistake, so he also suffered estrangement from the ground and exile to the east (see study note on 3:24).
Summary for Gen 4:17-5:32: 4:17–5:32  ^jp These back-to-back genealogies do more than list names for the record. They contrast the ways that human culture spread, some in rebellion against God (Cain, 4:17-24  ^jq) and some in obedience to God (Seth, 4:25–5:32  ^jr). In Genesis, the history of the rejected branch is generally explained before carrying forward the line that led to Israel. Two points of contrast are especially worth noting: (1) Lamech, the seventh from Adam through the lineage of Cain, is the main focus of the first genealogy. Like his ancestor, Lamech took human life and had to live in constant fear of death as a consequence (4:23-24  ^js). By contrast, Enoch, the seventh from Adam through the lineage of Seth (see 4:25–5:32  ^jt), lived in a way that pleased God and avoided death altogether (5:24  ^ju). (2) Advances in human culture and technology came through Cain’s line (the first city, livestock, shelter, metallurgy, music), but the effects of sin still dominated. No technological advances are mentioned in Seth’s line; instead, people began “to worship the Lord” (4:26  ^jv) and to find “favor with the Lord” (see 6:8  ^jw). 4:17  ^jx Cain’s wife was probably one of his sisters (5:4  ^jy). Cain’s marriage to his sister would not have caused genetic problems so early in the development of the human gene pool.

• Cain was condemned to be a wanderer. Perhaps he founded a city in rebellion against that verdict, seeking to defend himself by enclosing it in walls. Naming it after his son reflects a tendency among those who rebel against God to idolize humanity and its achievements.
4:18  ^jz the father of: Or the ancestor of, and so throughout the verse. Hebrew genealogies do not necessarily list every single generation.
4:19  ^ka Marrying two women was contrary to God’s ideal pattern for marriage (2:24  ^kb) and might be another manifestation of the arrogance and rebellion of Cain’s descendants.
Summary for Gen 4:20-22: 4:20-22  ^kc Technological advancement masks increasing self-assertion and distance from God (see study note on 4:17–5:32).
Summary for Gen 4:23-24: 4:23-24  ^kd Lamech’s chilling taunt shows the further escalation of sin’s effects on humanity. Cain’s line had reached a crescendo of violence with Lamech’s contempt for life. In his arrogance, he put his deed into poetic verse.

• punished seventy-seven times! God warned that anyone who tried to kill Cain would experience the full weight of justice (4:15  ^ke). Lamech’s declaration that anyone who harmed him would receive an even more severe penalty is a claim to be accountable to no one, including God.
Summary for Gen 4:25-26: 4:25–5:32  ^kf The story returns to Adam and follows the line of Seth, whose lineage led to Abraham and the Israelite nation. 4:25  ^kg another son in place of Abel: Cain (4:8-16  ^kh) and Lamech (4:19-24  ^ki) illustrate sin’s consequences; the birth of Seth brought renewed hope. See also study note on 5:1-2.
4:26  ^kj Enosh means “humankind.” In the Old Testament, the term is often used in poetic texts that emphasize human mortality, frailty, and weakness (e.g., Ps 144:3  ^kk, “mere mortals”). Enosh was born at the time when people began to worship the Lord by name (literally call on the name of the Lord). In Genesis, that meant calling on the name of the Lord through sacrifice and prayer (similar Hebrew terminology is found in Gen 12:8  ^kl; 13:4  ^km; 21:33  ^kn; 26:25  ^ko).