And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.
What does Genesis 4:18 mean?
Cain cast off all fear of God, and attended no more on God's ordinances. Hypocritical professors, who dissemble and trifle with God, are justly left to themselves to do something grossly scandalous.
Key themes
Read with
Keep this verse inside Genesis 4:16-18 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Genesis 4:18
The names in this verse seem to denote, respectively, fleet as a wild ass, stricken by God, man of prayer, and youth. They indicate a mingling of thoughts and motives in men's minds, in which the word 'el "mighty" as a name of God occurs. This name is a common noun, signifying hero or potentate, and also power or might, and is transferred to God as "the Potentate," or "Almighty One." It is distinguished from 'elohym "God," since they are put in apposition Joshua 22:22 ; and seems to be properly an epithet applied to God by way of pre-eminence. The denomination, "stricken of the Mighty," is a recognition of the divine power.
Key words
- Enoch
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And unto Enoch was born Irad,.
- Irad
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And unto Enoch was born Irad,.
Context in Genesis 4
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Genesis 4 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as primeval history from creation to Babel. Genesis opens the whole Bible with creation, fall, flood, Babel, and the long patriarchal story that carries the reader from Eden to Egypt. Read this chapter with the wider themes of creation, fall, and covenant in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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Glossary
- Enoch Person
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Initiated. (1. ) The eldest son of Cain ( Gen. 4:17 ), who built a city east of Eden in the land of Nod, and called it “after the name of his son Enoch. ” This is the first “city” mentioned in Scripture.
- Irad Person
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Runner; wild ass, one of the antediluvian patriarchs, the father of Mehujael ( Gen. 4:18 ), and grandson of Cain.
- Mehujael Person
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Smitten by God, the son of Irad, and father of Methusael ( Gen. 4:18 ).
- Methusael People
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Champion of El; man of God, a descendant of Cain ( Gen. 4:18 ), so called, perhaps, to denote that even among the descendants of Cain God had not left himself without a witness.