Kline and Ellison both discerned this: Eve's words were "a believing response," to Genesis 3:15, and, although Ellison designated this rendition as "improbable," he nevertheless admitted that it is possible. But Eve's mention here of her tragically mistaken view that Cain would be that Deliverer not only confirms the fact of the Deliverer's having been promised, but also the fact of Eve's having believed it. " The italic words are not in the text, making possible an alternate rendition: "I have gotten a man, even the Lord," or, "I have gotten a man from the Lord." Most scholars today deny that Eve's remark here has any reference to God's promise in Genesis 3:15, but their only reason for this lies embedded in one of their own petty rules, blinding them to the fact that a Great Deliverer is surely promised there. "I have gotten a man with (the help of) Jehovah. " is an expression used in the Bible for sexual intercourse, but it does not mean that this was the first such action on their part, for it is used repeatedly in the same sense, as in Genesis 4:25. Although Cain remained unrepentant, God in his mercy protected him from any possible revenge killing (8-16).Īnd the man knew Eve his wife and she conceived and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man with the help of Jehovah.
God therefore drove Cain into the barren countryside, away from the place where people, though sinners, at least still worshipped God. His taking of Abel’s life called out for revenge from the one who had given that life. That sin was like a wild beast crouching at the door, waiting to attack its victim (6-7).Ĭain failed to overcome his sin and in jealous anger he killed Abel. Since the attitude and conduct of the offerer were more important than his gifts, God told Cain that if he wanted God to accept him, he would have to overcome the sin that threatened to destroy him. Cain’s attitude was arrogant and his life ungodly, and therefore God rejected him (4:1-5 cf. Abel offered the best of his flock in humble faith and God accepted him. We may therefore suppose that את היוה eth Yehovah, THE LORD, is an elliptical form of expression for meeth Yehovah, FROM THE LORD, or through the Divine blessing.Īdam and Eve’s first two sons, Cain and Abel, maintained a belief in God and presented offerings to him. Unless she had been under Divine inspiration she could not have called her son (even supposing him to be the promised seed) Jehovah and that she was not under such an influence her mistake sufficiently proves, for Cain, so far from being the Messiah, was of the wicked one 1 John 3:12.
It is very likely that she meant no more than to acknowledge that it was through God's peculiar blessing that she was enabled to conceive and bring forth a son, and that she had now a well-grounded hope that the race of man should be continued on the earth. This exposition really seems too refined for that period. Most expositors think that Eve imagined Cain to be the promised seed that should bruise the head of the serpent. It is extremely difficult to ascertain the sense in which Eve used these words, which have been as variously translated as understood. Cain, קין, signifies acquisition hence Eve says קנתי kanithi, I have gotten or acquired a man, את יהוה eth Yehovah, the Lord.
0 kommentar(er)
