Antiguo Testamento

Genesis — Capítulo 4

BIRTH OF CAIN AND ABEL. (Gen. 4:1-26) Eve said, I have gotten a man from the Lord--that is, "by the help of the Lord"--an expression of pious gratitude--and she called him Cain, that is, "a possession," as if valued a…

Versión

Texto — Reina-Valera 1960

1Conoció Adán a su mujer Eva, la cual concibió y dio a luz a Caín, y dijo: Por voluntad de Jehová he adquirido varón.

2Después dio a luz a su hermano Abel. Y Abel fue pastor de ovejas, y Caín fue labrador de la tierra.

3Y aconteció andando el tiempo, que Caín trajo del fruto de la tierra una ofrenda a Jehová.

4Y Abel trajo también de los primogénitos de sus ovejas, de lo más gordo de ellas. Y miró Jehová con agrado a Abel y a su ofrenda;

5pero no miró con agrado a Caín y a la ofrenda suya. Y se ensañó Caín en gran manera, y decayó su semblante.

6Entonces Jehová dijo a Caín: ¿Por qué te has ensañado, y por qué ha decaído tu semblante?

7Si bien hicieres, ¿no serás enaltecido? y si no hicieres bien, el pecado está a la puerta; con todo esto, a ti será su deseo, y tú te enseñorearás de él.

8Y dijo Caín a su hermano Abel: Salgamos al campo. Y aconteció que estando ellos en el campo, Caín se levantó contra su hermano Abel, y lo mató.

9Y Jehová dijo a Caín: ¿Dónde está Abel tu hermano? Y él respondió: No sé. ¿Soy yo acaso guarda de mi hermano?

10Y él le dijo: ¿Qué has hecho? La voz de la sangre de tu hermano clama a mí desde la tierra.

11Ahora, pues, maldito seas tú de la tierra, que abrió su boca para recibir de tu mano la sangre de tu hermano.

12Cuando labres la tierra, no te volverá a dar su fuerza; errante y extranjero serás en la tierra.

13Y dijo Caín a Jehová: Grande es mi castigo para ser soportado.

14He aquí me echas hoy de la tierra, y de tu presencia me esconderé, y seré errante y extranjero en la tierra; y sucederá que cualquiera que me hallare, me matará.

15Y le respondió Jehová: Ciertamente cualquiera que matare a Caín, siete veces será castigado. Entonces Jehová puso señal en Caín, para que no lo matase cualquiera que le hallara.

16Salió, pues, Caín de delante de Jehová, y habitó en tierra de Nod, al oriente de Edén.

17Y conoció Caín a su mujer, la cual concibió y dio a luz a Enoc; y edificó una ciudad, y llamó el nombre de la ciudad del nombre de su hijo, Enoc.

18Y a Enoc le nació Irad, e Irad engendró a Mehujael, y Mehujael engendró a Metusael, y Metusael engendró a Lamec.

19Y Lamec tomó para sí dos mujeres; el nombre de la una fue Ada, y el nombre de la otra, Zila.

20Y Ada dio a luz a Jabal, el cual fue padre de los que habitan en tiendas y crían ganados.

21Y el nombre de su hermano fue Jubal, el cual fue padre de todos los que tocan arpa y flauta.

22Y Zila también dio a luz a Tubal-caín, artífice de toda obra de bronce y de hierro; y la hermana de Tubal-caín fue Naama.

23Y dijo Lamec a sus mujeres: Ada y Zila, oíd mi voz; Mujeres de Lamec, escuchad mi dicho: Que un varón mataré por mi herida, Y un joven por mi golpe.

24Si siete veces será vengado Caín, Lamec en verdad setenta veces siete lo será.

25Y conoció de nuevo Adán a su mujer, la cual dio a luz un hijo, y llamó su nombre Set: Porque Dios (dijo ella) me ha sustituido otro hijo en lugar de Abel, a quien mató Caín.

26Y a Set también le nació un hijo, y llamó su nombre Enós. Entonces los hombres comenzaron a invocar el nombre de Jehová.

JAMIESON-FAUSSET-BROWN BIBLE COMMENTARY

Versículo 2

I. Abel was a keeper of sheep--literally, "a feeder of a flock," which, in Oriental countries, alway…

Abel was a keeper of sheep--literally, "a feeder of a flock," which, in Oriental countries, always includes goats as well as sheep. Abel, though the younger, is mentioned first, probably on account of the pre-eminence of his religious character.

Versículo 3

II. in process of time--Hebrew, "at the end of days," probably on the Sabbath.

in process of time--Hebrew, "at the end of days," probably on the Sabbath. brought . . . an offering unto the Lord--Both manifested, by the very act of offering, their faith in the being of God and in His claims to their reverence and worship; and had the kind of offering been left to themselves, what more natural than that the one should bring "of the fruits of the ground," and that the other should bring "of the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof" [Gen 4:4].

Versículo 4

III. the Lord had respect unto Abel, not unto Cain, &c.--The words, "had respect to," signify in Hebre…

the Lord had respect unto Abel, not unto Cain, &c.--The words, "had respect to," signify in Hebrew,--"to look at any thing with a keen earnest glance," which has been translated, "kindle into a fire," so that the divine approval of Abel's offering was shown in its being consumed by fire (see Gen 15:17; Jdg 13:20).

Versículo 7

IV. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?--A better rendering is, "Shalt thou not have the …

If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?--A better rendering is, "Shalt thou not have the excellency"? which is the true sense of the words referring to the high privileges and authority belonging to the first-born in patriarchal times. sin lieth at the door--sin, that is, a sin offering--a common meaning of the word in Scripture (as in Hos 4:8; Co2 5:21; Heb 9:28). The purport of the divine rebuke to Cain was this, "Why art thou angry, as if unjustly treated? If thou doest well (that is, wert innocent and sinless) a thank offering would have been accepted as a token of thy dependence as a creature. But as thou doest not well (that is, art a sinner), a sin offering is necessary, by bringing which thou wouldest have met with acceptance and retained the honors of thy birthright." This language implies that previous instructions had been given as to the mode of worship; Abel offered through faith (Heb 11:4). unto thee shall be his desire--The high distinction conferred by priority of birth is described (Gen 27:29); and it was Cain's conviction, that this honor had been withdrawn from him, by the rejection of his sacrifice, and conferred on his younger brother--hence the secret flame of jealousy, which kindled into a settled hatred and fell revenge.

Versículo 8

V. And Cain talked with Abel his brother--Under the guise of brotherly familiarity, he concealed his…

And Cain talked with Abel his brother--Under the guise of brotherly familiarity, he concealed his premeditated purpose till a convenient time and place occurred for the murder (Jo1 3:12; Jde 1:11).

Versículo 9

VI. I know not--a falsehood. One sin leads to another.

I know not--a falsehood. One sin leads to another.

Versículo 10

VII. the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me--Cain, to lull suspicion, had probably been engag…

the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me--Cain, to lull suspicion, had probably been engaging in the solemnities of religion when he was challenged directly from the Shekinah itself.

Versículo 11

VIII. now art thou cursed from the earth--a curse superadded to the general one denounced on the ground…

now art thou cursed from the earth--a curse superadded to the general one denounced on the ground for Adam's sin.

Versículo 12

IX. a fugitive--condemned to perpetual exile; a degraded outcast; the miserable victim of an accusing…

a fugitive--condemned to perpetual exile; a degraded outcast; the miserable victim of an accusing conscience.

Versículo 13

X. And Cain said . . . My punishment is greater than I can bear--What an overwhelming sense of miser…

And Cain said . . . My punishment is greater than I can bear--What an overwhelming sense of misery; but no sign of penitence, nor cry for pardon.

Versículo 14

XI. every one that findeth me shall slay me--This shows that the population of the world was now cons…

every one that findeth me shall slay me--This shows that the population of the world was now considerably increased.

Versículo 15

XII. whosoever slayeth Cain--By a special act of divine forbearance, the life of Cain was to be spared…

whosoever slayeth Cain--By a special act of divine forbearance, the life of Cain was to be spared in the then small state of the human race. set a mark--not any visible mark or brand on his forehead, but some sign or token of assurance that his life would be preserved. This sign is thought by the best writers to have been a wild ferocity of aspect that rendered him an object of universal horror and avoidance.

Versículo 16

XIII. presence of the Lord--the appointed place of worship at Eden. Leaving it, he not only severed him…

presence of the Lord--the appointed place of worship at Eden. Leaving it, he not only severed himself from his relatives but forsook the ordinances of religion, probably casting off all fear of God from his eyes so that the last end of this man is worse than the first (Mat 12:45). land of Nod--of flight or exile--thought by many to have been Arabia-PetrÃ&brvbra--which was cursed to sterility on his account.

Versículo 17

XIV. builded a city--It has been in cities that the human race has ever made the greatest social progr…

builded a city--It has been in cities that the human race has ever made the greatest social progress; and several of Cain's descendants distinguished themselves by their inventive genius in the arts.

Versículo 19

XV. Lamech took unto him two wives--This is the first transgression of the law of marriage on record,…

Lamech took unto him two wives--This is the first transgression of the law of marriage on record, and the practice of polygamy, like all other breaches of God's institutions, has been a fruitful source of corruption and misery.

Versículo 23

16. Lamech said unto his wives--This speech is in a poetical form, probably the fragment of an old po…

Lamech said unto his wives--This speech is in a poetical form, probably the fragment of an old poem, transmitted to the time of Moses. It seems to indicate that Lamech had slain a man in self-defense, and its drift is to assure his wives, by the preservation of Cain, that an unintentional homicide, as he was, could be in no danger.

Versículo 26

17. men began to call upon the name of the Lord--rather, by the name of the Lord. God's people, a nam…

men began to call upon the name of the Lord--rather, by the name of the Lord. God's people, a name probably applied to them in contempt by the world. Next: Genesis Chapter 5

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