Genesis 4:26 - Printer Friendly

ESV: To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD.

NIV: Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the LORD.

NASB: To Seth also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then people began to call upon the name of the Lord.

CSB: A son was born to Seth also, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.

NLT: When Seth grew up, he had a son and named him Enosh. At that time people first began to worship the Lord by name.

KJV: And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

NKJV: And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him E´nosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.

The next chapter will detail the descendants of Seth all of the way through to Noah. Judging by Lamech's story, Cain's legacy seems to be one of productive work and innovation, but also of arrogance and violence. Seth's line, though, includes several examples of people who were overtly faithful to God.

We will learn that Seth was 105 years old when his son Enosh was born. These first generations after the garden had extraordinarily long lifespans (and reproductive years) by our standards.

We're told that starting around the time of Enosh's birth, people began to call on or proclaim the name of the Lord. This may well have been a direct response, and certainly a contrast, to the descendants of Cain. As shown in prior verses, his offspring were deeply sinful. And, that sin would eventually spread to pollute almost the entire human race (Genesis 6:5).

Following Eve's example, the people of Seth apparently expressed their dependence on God and perhaps worshiped Him publicly.

Genesis 4:17–26 describes Cain's family line after his murder of Abel. While the details are limited, Scripture does mention a few points of concern. Lamech, Cain's great-great-great-grandson not only took two wives, he also bragged about murdering a younger man. This attitude of blatant defiance sets the stage for God's judgment of a depraved earth in the story of the flood in Genesis chapter 6. This passage also describes Adam and Eve's son Seth, born after Cain, who becomes the ancestor of Noah.

The consequences of sin become apparent in chapter 4: envy, arrogance, rebellion, murder, punishment, separation from family, and separation from God. Adam and Eve's firstborn son, Cain, jealously murders his brother Abel and loses everything. Adam and Eve lose them both. Cain's descendants amplify his sinfulness. Still, God provides help for Eve in childbirth and even provides protection for Cain in his wandering. Eve remains a woman of faith, even in her loss. And the sons of Seth, born after the murder of Abel, become a people who proclaim the name of the Lord.

The first three chapters of Genesis explain the creation and loss of paradise, as Adam and Eve are separated from God both physically and spiritually. Their relationship with Him does not end, however. Eve recognizes His help in bearing her son Cain and later Seth. Cain and Abel both worship God until Cain kills Abel. God provides protection for Cain, whose descendants become innovative, artful, arrogant, and violent. The descendants of Seth, however, begin to call on the Lord's name. This chapter bridges the story of Genesis from our ultimate origins to the story of Noah, introduced in the next chapter.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 4/29/2024 9:37:45 AM