Genesis Framework

GF41 Genesis 4.1-2
June 19, 2016
Part 41

 

NKJ Genesis 4:1-5
1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the LORD."
2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD.
4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering,
5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

NKJ Genesis 4:1
Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the LORD."

"I have acquired a man from the LORD."

First, the expression “I have acquired a man” is poetic in form, a way of expressing the past for the present.

It is very similar in effect to the Greek use of the perfect-tense; whereby events and actions that began in the past, continued to develop to a point of culmination, producing results which have been carried forward in such a manner as to have a significant effect in the present; and the entire process is now to be understood from a perspective view-point in the present.

What a fitting way to view conception, pregnancy, and giving birth.

In the Hebrew, instead of having a single Greek grammatical device (perfect-tense verb) to produce such an expression, a similar effect is accomplished through the use of a combination of Hebrew grammatical elements.

Some interpretations of this verse suggest that Eve was gloating over having somehow “gotten one over on” God, by having acquired a man from the Lord. It does possibly seem that way at first, but at closer inspection of the language, that idea doesn’t make sense. In fact, her tone actually seems rather reverent and thankful instead.

The evidence of that is found in the word “to acquire.” Let’s look at its use here together...

qah-nah' to get, to acquire

Root:

Action: to acquire

Concrete: a nest

Abstract: zealous

Combined: lit. “gathering for the seeds”… …as in when the birds go about gathering materials to build a nest as a place where they will raise their seeds( eggs) We keep this root meaning in mind as we now look at the whole word…

qah-nah' to get, to acquire

Whole word:

Action: to gather

Concrete: a branch

“a measure of (acquisition) wealth and blessing” As a verb, depending on context, in human terms, it means to acquire something through a purchase or some other method.

This verb is not to be translated in isolation; we must look to the context for the rest of the meaning…

The text tells us plainly that the other method through which this provisional blessing was acquired is…

eth Yahweh

This takes us, once again, to one of those often overlooked little, yet very important, two character words; namely, eth

eth with a maqqeph (tie binder)

Action: to plow

Concrete: a mark

“an ox moving toward a mark”

It is the vivid picture of an ox being driven by the plowman toward a distant mark of some sort in order to keep the furrows straight.

Every time we use a map while traveling, after locating our destination, we at least mark it mentally as that place toward which we will continue to press, until we finally arrive there. Interestingly, this little word is also used (with and without the maqqeph) as a silent grammatical indicator that that points to the word immediately following it as the direct object in a given sentence.

Do you see the function of “eth” as a destination marker, something to keep an eye directed toward it, to guide and motivate one to continue toward a final destination?

Furthermore, this little word is also used to designate an agreement or covenant by two individuals, where a sign or mark of the agreement is made as a reminder to both parties.

Every time we speak of a thing as being a sign and seal of the covenant with God, we invoke or call this “eth” function into action.

So, if the thought has not yet sunk into your understanding, a better translation that captures the meaning of the Hebrew might help…“I have acquired a man through the LORD.”

“I have acquired a man through the LORD.”

This expression points, literally, to a destination having been in Eve’s mind all along during that long process of conception, pregnancy, and giving birth; pointing to the same covenant destination as the mark intended by Yahweh God; and the acquisition of it having been made possible only through the provisional means of His divine covenant help, and general temporal grace.

We will soon see more corroboration of that fact; but for now, we can say with confidence that by all appearance, Eve was expressing the first realization of the hope and trust in the covenant promise of God, and the present result of His help for her in acquiring the covenant goal-mark of actually becoming the mother of all seed of mankind upon the earth.

Final translation…“I have acquired a man through (the help of) the LORD.”

I see absolutely no reason to accuse Eve of expressing the thought that she had gotten something over on the Lord.

NKJ Genesis 4:1-5
Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the LORD."

Now let’s take a look at the name “Cain.”

The name Cain appears 19 times in the Bible; 16 times in the Book of Genesis, and 3 times in the New Testament.

New Testament interpretations of our Genesis text…

NKJ Hebrews 11:4
By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

NKJ 1 John 3:11f
For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous.

NKJ Jude 1:11
Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

What does the name Cain mean?

Traditionally: Cain means "possession."

Qah'-yin Cain

Root: same root as before with “to acquire”

Action: to acquire

Concrete: a nest Combined: lit. “gathering for the seeds”

Abstract: zealous

Whole word: Cain

Concrete: a bill, as in the bill of a bird used for feeding its young, and as a weapon… also, a spearhead like the bill of a bird used to
defend the nest

More in the future…

NKJ Genesis 4:2
2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

“Then she caused an increase in that direction to the bringing forth of the brother of him Abel …” Qah’-yin and Heb’el The direction implied is the direction provided by the mark, the covenant of the Lord

she caused an increase in that direction to the bringing forth of the brother

yah-saph’ Hiphil causative active, to cause to add, to cause to increase

Root: “a turning of the mouth, lip, bowl”

Action: to gather

Concrete: a lip, a bowl

Whole word: includes the function of the arm and hand, as in taking an active hand in the process of turning the bowl to receive more ingathering; and in this context, of adding to the family by receiving more blessing in that direction.

NKJ Genesis 4:2
2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

Abel ,…means a breath

The ancient pictographic visual gives us this information:

Action: to flow

Concrete: an empty thing (one)

Abstract: nothing

“behold a flowing out that empties the house”

This meaning is a very significant expression of what actually came into being in the murder of Abel with the obvious outflow of his blood upon the earth; but more subtly, as the consequence of the combined death and judgment of the sons, the house of Adam and Eve was abruptly emptied of its most lively contents.

Imagine the heart-ache that would have caused.

What are we to make of this?

Abel became the first martyr of the faith of God.

The true martyr is a person of two sides.

First, a positive righteous witness who is known to pour out his praise and worship to the glory of God. Second, one whose life is poured out by the unrighteous actions of fallen man, whose despise for God is re-directed toward him as a symbolic killing and an emptying out of the precious life-blood of the righteous upon the earth-soil.

This is also among the first of pre-figures pointing forward in the redemptive-covenant promise of a Christ to come.

NKJ Genesis 4:2
Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. “And it came about that Abel was one who shepherds small cattle (sheep, goats for food, wool, milk, sacrificial victims) and Cain it came about was one who tills the soil.”

Many will be surprised on the Day of Judgment when they discover that it was just as the Word of God says; only the righteousness of Christ is able to save you. All men are sinners and no one can save himself. God is just, so He must punish sin; but He is also merciful, moreover gracious, and offers His Son as the perfect sacrifice in order to purchase a place for you in heaven, which He offers to you as the free gift of eternal life.

Jesus is God Incarnate

In order to pay the debt of our sins, He came from Heaven, having been sent by the Father, where He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father even unto the shameful death upon the cross in order to pay the debt of your sins.

This gift must be received by faith, believing that Jesus’ perfect life and Cross Work was His complete and necessary Atonement for your sins, in your behalf.

Faith is a gift that comes by the Power of God the Holy Spirit working in a person’s innermost being.

The Holy Spirit has the authority and power to quicken your dead spirit, to make it come to life.

If you have not done so before this moment, ask Jesus to forgive you your sins, tell Him you’ve stop trying to be your own savior, and ask Him to come into your life right now, and to give you eternal life.

Then, in faith believing, thank Him for the gift that He is giving you, the one He paid for in full in your place, in Jesus’ name, AMEN

Copyright June, 2016
Rev. Jim Craig
All Rights Reserved