1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; who conceived and brought forth Cain, saying: I have gotten a man through God.
v.1
VERS. 1.-- « But Adam, » etc.. In paradise virginity, outside it marriage, etc., *as far as* but afterwards begotten in exile. « She conceived and bore, » etc. Cain and Abel, begotten of one mother, are a figure of all men who are propagated into this life from the root of sin; and some are to love the earthly city and its death-bearing delights, and, so far as in them lies, to possess them by ambition; these Cain signifies, who is interpreted *possession.* Others are to seek the city to come, and, mourning over the miseries of this habitation, to pass over with all their desire to the glory to come — these Abel signifies, who is interpreted *mourning,* and is the later: because that which is spiritual is not first, but that which is animal. Hence Cain is called « a husbandman, » that is, one bent upon earthly works; but Abel « a shepherd of sheep, » that is, one loving simplicity and innocence. *Allegorically.* The two sons of Adam express two peoples, namely the Jewish, the elder by birth, etc., *as far as* as though reason did not permit the depraved motion to come to effect, but strove to subdue it.
2 And again she brought forth his brother Abel. And Abel was a shepherd, and Cain a husbandman.
v.2
VERS. 2.-- « And Abel was, » etc. In whom are signified those who mourn over their earthly dwelling. For Abel is interpreted *mourning,* or *vapor,* because he was a mourning to his parents, or, like a vapor, quickly vanished away.
3 And it came to pass after many days, that Cain offered, of the fruits of the earth, gifts to the Lord.
v.3–4
VERS. 3, 4.-- « And it came to pass, » etc. « Abel also offered, » etc. Because the just man in all that he does strives to please God through faith and charity (from which the other virtues arise, and without which they profit nothing), which is signified in the fat that was offered; whence psal. LXII: « As with marrow and fatness let my soul be filled. » Without charity the soul is lean and languid, and in nothing will it please God. « And the Lord had respect to Abel, » etc. Whence could Cain have known this, unless Theodotion's rendering were true: « And the Lord set fire upon Abel and upon his sacrifice, upon Cain and his sacrifice he did not set fire? » Now we read that fire was wont to come from heaven to devour the sacrifice, as at the dedication of the temple under Solomon, and when Elias built an altar on Mount Carmel. If thou offer rightly, and do not rightly divide, thou hast sinned: because, even though the Jews formerly offered those things rightly, in this they are guilty, that they did not distinguish the New Testament from the Old.
4 Abel also offered of the firstlings of his flock, and of their fat: and the Lord had respect to Abel, and to his offerings.
5 But to Cain and his offerings he had no respect: and Cain was exceeding angry, and his countenance fell.
v.5–6
VERS. 5, 6, 7.--.... « In the doors. » That is, sin will accompany thee going in and going out, nor will the Lord keep thy coming in and thy going out.
6 And the Lord said to him: Why art thou angry? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 If thou do well, shalt thou not receive? but if ill, shall not sin forthwith be present at the door? but the lust thereof shall be under thee, and thou shalt have dominion over it.
8 And Cain said to Abel his brother: Let us go forth abroad. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and slew him.
v.8
VERS. 8.-- « And Cain said, » etc. He does not acquiesce in the Lord when he says, Be still, etc., *as far as* Christ therefore, the head of the younger people, is slain by the elder-born.
9 And the Lord said to Cain: Where is thy brother Abel? And he answered: I know not: am I my brother's keeper?
v.9
VERS. 9.-- « And the Lord said to Cain. » *(ISID., ubi supra.)* The Lord questions Cain, not as one ignorant that he may learn, but as a judge that he may punish. To this day the Jews, when we question them out of the Scriptures concerning Christ, answer that they do not know what we say. Cain's lying ignorance is the Jews' false denial: but they would be Christ's keepers, if they believed with the heart and confessed with the mouth.
10 And he said to him: What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth to me from the earth.
v.10
VERS. 10.-- « The voice of the blood, » etc. Great is the power of justice, which demands vengeance for the blood of the innocent.
11 Now therefore cursed shalt thou be upon the earth, which hath opened her mouth and received the blood of thy brother at thy hand.
v.11
VERS. 11.-- « Now therefore thou shalt be cursed, » etc. It is to be noted that in Adam's sin the earth is cursed. But Cain is cursed, because, knowing the condemnation of the first transgression, he added fratricide.
v.11
VERS. 11.-- « Now therefore thou shalt be cursed, » etc. By the place are signified the things which are in the place; as though thou shalt be cursed by those who are upon the earth, who opened their mouth in the confession of sins, to receive the blood which was shed for the remission of them from the hand of the persecutor, who would not be under grace, but under the law, so that he should be cursed by the Church: which understands and shows him to be cursed: for they who are of the works of the law are under a curse.
12 When thou shalt till it, it shall not yield to thee its fruit: a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be upon the earth.
v.12
VERS. 12.-- « When thou hast tilled, » etc. The reference is made to the word, not to the sense, because "earth" is taken here in one way, above in another: there for the Church, here for the earthly working which the Jew still practises; that is, carnal circumcision, the passover, the sabbath, and the like, which have a hidden power of understanding the grace of God, but do not give fruit to the Jews, who are unwilling to pass over to Christ. By "earth" the flesh of Christ can be understood, in which the Jews by crucifying wrought our salvation. « For he died for our sins, and rose again for our justification: » and because they denied him, they were not justified. « A vagabond and a fugitive, » etc. Scattered among the nations, a fugitive from Jerusalem. LXX: « groaning and trembling. » Groaning, from the grief of the kingdom he has lost; trembling, at the multitude of the Christian people, lest thou be slain. « My iniquity is greater, » etc. He exaggerates his fault, but confesses it proudly, and does not beg pardon.
13 And Cain said to the Lord: My iniquity is greater than that I may deserve pardon.
v.13
VERS. 13.-- « My iniquity is greater. » Adding sins to sins he despairs, and does not believe that he can obtain pardon, which is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which is not forgiven in this world nor in the world to come: because he thinks that God either will not forgive, or cannot, as though either he could not do all things, or begrudged salvation. He does not count it a grievous thing that God is angry with him, but fears that he may be found and killed.
14 Behold thou dost cast me out this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face I shall be hid, and I shall be a vagabond and a fugitive on the earth: every one therefore that findeth me, shall kill me.
v.14
VERS. 14.-- « Every one therefore that shall find me, » etc. Because from the trembling of the body and the agitation of a frenzied mind, whosoever shall find me will know me to be guilty of death.
15 And the Lord said to him: No, it shall not so be: but whosoever shall kill Cain, shall be punished sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, that whosoever found him should not kill him.
v.15
VERS. 15.-- « It shall not be so. » That is, thou shalt not die quickly, as thou wishest, for a remedy of thy torment, but he shall be punished impersonally: that is, punishment shall be made of thee sevenfold, because thou shalt live in torment until the seventh generation, in which thou shalt be slain by Lamech; therefore every one who shall kill — supply the word — shall free thee from that torment of an evil conscience. This sense appears more evidently. According to the LXX. « Every one that killeth Cain shall pay seven vengeances, » that is, whosoever shall kill thee in the seventh generation shall release thee from torment by death, thou who art to be reserved in life until that time, only for punishment, which punishment would be quickly ended if thou wert quickly slain. So he who should punish the Jews with visible death would take away from them the seven vengeances by which they are bound because of the guilt of Christ slain, because he would lighten the miseries and dispersions which they suffer. « Every one that killeth Cain, » etc. LXX: « Shall pay seven vengeances. » Aquila, « sevenfold; » Symmachus, « sevenfold; » Theodotion, « by a week » — so they render it, wherein it is signified that he shall be punished long and completely, lest any one dare to repeat a homicide. « He that killeth Cain, » etc. If any one kill thee « he shall be punished sevenfold, » that is, he shall be punished with the heaviest vengeance: a man ought not to have killed him for whom God reserved life, either for his own punishment, or for the correction of others. « But every one that killeth Cain. » It is to be read by ellipsis, etc., *as far as* and that is fulfilled: « Scatter them in thy strength. » That Aquila put « sevenfold, » etc., *as far as* and might deserve to be absolved. « And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, » etc. Though all the nations subdued by the Romans passed over into their rites, the Jewish nation, whether under Gentiles or under Christian kings, did not leave the sign of circumcision and of carnal observance, etc., *as far as* where paradise was planted. « He dwelt in the land at the eastern quarter of Eden. » LXX: « He dwelt in the land Ναΐδ Naid, in the Hebrew it is called ( *nod* ), that is, unstable and wavering, and of uncertain seat. It is not the land Naid, as our common folk think, but the Lord's sentence is fulfilled, while he strays to and fro a fugitive.
16 And Cain went out from the face of the Lord, and dwelt as a fugitive on the earth at the east side of Eden.
17 And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived, and brought forth Henoch: and he built a city, and called the name thereof by the name of his son Henoch.
v.17
VERS. 17.-- « And Cain knew his wife. » Figuratively the offspring of the impious, seeking a foundation in the very origin of the world, built in this life a city which he called Henoch, which is interpreted *dedication,* because in their first beginnings they dedicate, while in this life which is before them they plant the root of the heart, that here they may flourish to their wish, and wither away from the glory to come. But Abraham dwelt in little cottages, because the saints know themselves to be guests and pilgrims, awaiting the city that has a foundation, whose builder is God. « And he built a city, » etc. It is asked with what helpers he built it, if there were not more men than Scripture says. But it is to be known that there were then far more, because by living long they were able to beget more. Nor is it a wonder, since the children of Israel are read to have been so multiplied in four hundred years that the army could not be numbered.
18 And Henoch begot Irad, and Irad begot Maviael, and Maviael begot Mathusael, and Mathusael begot Lamech,
v.18
VERS. 18.-- « Moreover Enoch, » etc. Not from all these are sure mysteries carved out, nor would they be found, unless first certain roots of the history were laid down; nor wouldst thou gather fruit from the branches of the trees, unless thou hadst first planted the trunks.
19 Who took two wives: the name of the one was Ada, and the name of the other Sella.
v.19
VERS. 19.-- « Who took two wives, » etc. It is to be noted that the generations from Adam through Cain are terminated in the eleventh, in which transgression is signified. For Lamech is the seventh, to whom three sons and one daughter are added, that the eleventh may be filled out, by which sin is signified: for the generation is closed also by a woman, who was the beginning of sin, through which is the pleasure of the flesh, which resists the spirit. Whence she is called Noema, that is, *pleasure.* In this offspring Lamech first, against custom, against nature, committed adultery through bigamy.
20 And Ada brought forth Jabel: who was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of herdsmen.
v.20
VERS. 20.-- « And Ada bore Jabel, » etc. Of bigamy is born Jabel dwelling in tents, which, being changeable, figure the instability of those who are carried about with every wind of doctrine. There is born also Tubal, who was the inventor of music, etc., *as far as* like Jabel, Tubal and Tubalcain.
21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of them that play upon the harp and the organs.
v.21
VERS. 21.-- « And his brother's name was Jubal. » Josephus writes that he wrote music on two columns, the one of stone, the other of brick, of which the one would not be dissolved by the flood, the other which would not be dissolved by fire: which two judgments Adam had foretold were to come.
22 Sella also brought forth Tubalcain, who was a hammerer and artificer in every work of brass and iron. And the sister of Tubalcain was Noema.
v.22
VERS. 22.--... « Tubalcain. Who according to Josephus practised the arts of war, and fittingly taught the smith's craft; he also invented certain things which belong to the concupiscence of the eyes.
23 And Lamech said to his wives Ada and Sella: Hear my voice, ye wives of Lamech, hearken to my speech: for I have slain a man to the wounding of myself, and a stripling to my own bruising.
v.23
VERS. 23.-- « And Lamech said, » etc. The Hebrews say that Lamech by long living fell into a darkening of the eyes, and had a young man as his leader and the director of his way. Practising the hunt, therefore, he aimed an arrow where the young man pointed, and by chance killed Cain lurking among the bushes; and this is what he says: « I have slain a man to my own wounding, » that is, by the wound which I inflicted I killed not a beast but a man; whence also, kindled with fury, he killed the young man.
v.23
VERS. 23.--... « I have slain a man, » etc. That is, Cain: « to my own wounding, » because for him I shall be wounded, that is, slain; « and a young man to my own bruising, » because for him too I shall be condemned.
24 Sevenfold vengeance shall be taken for Cain: but for Lamech seventy times sevenfold.
v.24
VERS. 24.-- « Sevenfold vengeance shall be given, » etc. *Allegorically.* The sin of Lamech (who is interpreted *humbled* ) signifies the casting down of the human race, which fell when Adam transgressed, and could not rise, neither by the law, or by circumcision, nor by its own justice, until, after seventy-seven generations according to Luke, Christ, coming into the world, blotted out sin by the shedding of his blood; whence Matth. XVIII: « I say not to thee seven times, but until seventy times seven times, » that is, that the Jew is to be received after seventy-seven vengeances, if he shall come to himself again and seek Christ's indulgence. The number seven signifies universality: by which, the eleventh being multiplied, there comes the seventy-seventh, in which transgression of every kind is signified; which nevertheless in the Gospel is commanded to be forgiven to one who repents. They say that from Adam to Christ there are seventy-seven generations according to Luke. As therefore in the seventh generation Cain's sin was loosed: « For God will not judge twice for the same thing, » and he who has once received in his life will not suffer in death the same torments which he suffered in his life: so also Lamech, that is, the sin of the whole world, shall be loosed by Christ's coming. A certain Hebrew told me that seventy-seven souls came forth from Lamech, who all perished in the flood.
25 Adam also knew his wife again: and she brought forth a son, and called his name Seth, saying: God hath given me another seed for Abel, whom Cain slew.
v.25
VERS. 25.-- « He knew also again, » etc. Through Seth, who is interpreted *resurrection,* is signified the life of Christ from the dead: which is signified in the mother's words: « The Lord hath given me another seed, » as though the Church said: I who bore mourning for the dead rejoice over him raised again.
26 But to Seth also was born a son, whom he called Enos: this man began to call upon the name of the Lord.
v.26
VERS. 26.-- « Whom he called Enos, » etc. Enos is interpreted *man:* who « began to call upon the name of the Lord, » because through the death of Christ, which Abel signified, and through the resurrection, which Seth signifies, man becomes one confessing the Lord as founder, and as restorer of the life that was lost. « Whom he called Enos. » Enos is interpreted *man,* who « began to call upon the name of the Lord: » as Adam is interpreted *man,* so also Enos according to the Hebrew truth is *man,* or *husband;* and beautifully, because he had this name, it is said that then was the beginning of calling upon the name of the Lord: although very many of the Hebrews think that then for the first time idols were fashioned in the name of the Lord and in his likeness.