A Daily Genesis

Genesis 4:23-26

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[B][COLOR=#ff0000]†.[/COLOR] Gen 4:23-24 . . And Lamech said to his wives: Adah and Zillah, hear my voice! O wives of Lamech, give ear to my speech! I have slain a man for wounding me, and a lad for bruising me. If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.[/B]

Brag, Brag, Brag-- boy, I tell you some men sure love to show off and glorify themselves in front of women; no doubt about it. Apparently ol' Lamech figured the homicide he committed wasn't nearly as severe as Cain's because he killed in retribution; whereas Cain killed in a rage. Also, Cain killed his kid brother, whereas Lamech killed a relative a little more distant.

So in Lamech's estimation, Cain's killing was a much more serious crime; and if a dirty rotten scoundrel like gramps was under God's divine protections, then, in Lamech's mind, he certainly deserved to be under them even more so; or so that's the way it was in his judicious estimation.

It almost appears that Lamech killed two people, but really it was only one; and in fact a person younger than himself. Two words describe Lamech's opponent. The first word is from [I]'enowsh[/I] (en-oshe') and simply means a mortal; viz: a human being (of either gender), in general (singly or collectively). The second word reveals the person's age. The word for "lad" is [I]yeled[/I] (yeh'-led) and means something born, i.e. a lad or offspring-- boy, child, fruit, son, young one and/or young man.

Apparently Lamech got in a disagreement with somebody and they settled their differences in a fight. The injury Lamech received in the ensuing scuffle could have been something as simple as the man biting his ear or kicking him in the groin. It's my guess Lamech over-reacted and stabbed the man to death with a spiffy hunting knife that his son Tubal-cain made for him over in the blacksmith shop.

Lamech's sense of right and wrong reflects the humanistic conscience of a man void of God's mentoring. In his earthly mind, revenge was an okay thing; which is a common attitude in many primitive cultures. But his opponent only wounded him. In return, Lamech took his life.

The scales of justice don't balance in a situation like that-- they tip. Pure law says eye for eye, tooth for tooth, burning for burning, stripe for stripe, life for life, and no more. If the lad's intent was obviously upon great bodily harm; Lamech would probably be justified to kill him in self defense since his opponent was a younger man and had the advantage in age. However, according to Lamech's own testimony, he killed the man in revenge; not self defense.

Cain's side of the Adams family is characterized by technology, invention, boasting, achievement, commerce, and violence. But not one word is recorded concerning its association with, nor its interest in, their maker. Cain's entire community was Godless and went on to be completely destroyed right down to the last man, woman, and child in Noah's flood. No one survives him today.

The Bible doesn't record even one single incident of a Cainite blessing God for His goodness; nor for His mercy, nor for His providence. There is no record that any of them ever said even one single prayer-- not even a simple lay-me-down-to-sleep kind of prayer. Every one of the little kids in Enochville went to bed each night without the slightest assurance that humanity's creator cared at all for the well being of their little souls.

How many homes right here today in modern America reflect that very same Cainish culture? The parents and the children are unthankful, unholy, and irreligious; caring little or nothing for things of eternal value: moving towards an inevitable head-on rendezvous with death and the hereafter, and totally unprepared to meet their maker.

[B][COLOR=#ff0000]†.[/COLOR] Gen 4:26a . . And to Seth, in turn, a son was born, and he named him Enosh.[/B]

Sometimes the record shows the mother naming a child, and sometimes the father; which suggests that in all cases there was very likely mutual consultation between husband and wife on this important decision. But it's always important for the father to take a hand in naming the children because the act testifies that he has legally, and officially, accepted them as his own (e.g. Gen 15:16, Gen 21:3, Matt 1:21, Luke 1:13, Luke 1:63, Rev 2:17).

"Enosh" is from [I]'enowsh[/I] (en-oshe') and means[B]:[/B] a mortal; hence a man in general, singly or collectively (and thus differing from the more dignified [I]'adam[/I] (aw-dawm') which means[B]:[/B] a human being) There's really nothing special about an 'enowsh-- just a feller; like the man that Lamech slew. Sometimes boys are named Guy, or Buddy, so 'enowsh would be a common enough name.

[B][COLOR=#ff0000]†.[/COLOR] Gen 4:26b . .Then men began to call on the name of The Lord.[/B]

That doesn't mean people began communicating with God only just then. It only means they began calling upon God by a personal name instead of an official title. "The Lord" here in Gen 4:26 is from the Hebrew proper noun [I]yhvh[/I]. According to a note in the Stone Tanach, the four letters of this name are those of the Hebrew words "He always was, He always is, and He always will be" signifying that Yhvh is timeless, perpetual, and infinite; ergo: self existent.

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