66

+ Heb. whetter.

19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.

21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.

Before

The birth of Seth and Enos. wives, Adah and Zillah, hear my CHRIST voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken about 3875. unto my speech: for || I have slain

Or, I would

a man to my wounding, and a young slay a man in man || to my hurt.

24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

my wound, &c. || Or, in my hurt.

3874.

tired with his wife, is generally reckoned by the Oriental geographers to have been the low country of Susiana, or Chusistan. Dr. Hales.

19. And Lamech took unto him two wives:] Polygamy was a deviation from the first institution of marriage, Gen. ii. 24. It was brought into use by Cain's offspring; though it was afterwards allowed to the Israelites, as was divorce also in some cases, "for the hardness of their hearts." Bp. Kidder.

It is likely that Lamech was the first who ventured to transgress the original institution, which was observed even by the Cainites till this time. Dr. Allix.

20.

he was the father] The Hebrews call him the "Father" of any thing, who was the first inventor of it; or a most excellent master of that art. Bp. Patrick.

It demonstrates the superintendence of the great Creator and Conservator of the world, that things of great and absolutely necessary use have soon and easily occurred to the invention of man; but things of little use, or of very dangerous use, are rarely and slowly discovered, or still utterly undiscovered. We have, as early as the Mosaick history, an account of the inventions of the more usual crafts and occupations: thus, Gen. iii. 23, Adam was sent "forth from the garden of Eden" by God Himself "to till the ground." And in the next chapter his two sons, Cain and Abel; the one was of the same occupation, "a tiller of the ground," the other a keeper of sheep." And the posterity of these are in the latter end of Gen. iv. recorded; Jabal, to have been "the father of such as dwell in tents;" that is, he was the inventor of tents, and of pitching those moveable houses in the fields, for looking after and depasturing their cattle in the deserts and uncultivated world. Tubal-Cain was an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron;" or the first that found out the art of melting and malleating metals, and making them useful for tools and other necessary implements. And his sister Naamah, whose name is only mentioned, is by some thought to have been the inventor of spinning and clothing. Yea, the very art of musick is thus early ascribed to Jubal: so indulgent was the Creator, to find means to divert melancholy, to cheer the spirits, and to entertain and please mankind. Dr. Derham.

66

23. And Lamech said unto his wives, &c.] The occasion of this speech of Lamech's not being revealed, it cannot be reasonably expected that any man should positively determine the full sense of it. Thus much seems plain, that they are vaunting words, intimating his expectation of God's extraordinary regard to him, (though he had killed, or should kill, a man, as Cain VOL. I.

his

to

+ Heb. Enosh. themselves

Or, to call

by the name of the LORD.

did,) many times beyond what God shewed to Cain, as appears from ver. 24. He seems from Cain's indemnity to encourage himself in his violence and wickedness. Bp. Kidder.

The words should be read as a question, Have I slain a man? or so much as a boy? that you should be afraid of my life? It seems the use of weapons being found out by one of Lamech's sons, and grown common, his wives apprehended that some body or other might make use of them to slay him. But he bids them comfort themselves, for he was not guilty of slaying any body himself, and therefore might reasonably hope no body would hurt him. And then the meaning of the next verse is easy. "If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold." If God hath guarded Cain so strongly, who was a murderer, as to threaten great and long punishments to those that slay him; He will punish them far more, and pursue them with a longer vengeance, who shall slay me, being a guiltless person. Bp. Patrick.

It should seem that Lamech endeavours to reason his family out of fears which were entertained by the descendants of Cain, lest the family of Adam should revenge Abel's death upon them. Shuckford.

25.

called his name Seth:] The word signifies appointed or substituted. Eve gave this son the name of Seth, because she looked on him as appointed by God to be what Cain, she thought, should have been, till God rejected his sacrifice, and he slew Abel. In whose room she believed God had substituted this son to be the seed from whom the Redeemer of the world should come. Dr. Allix.

26. — he called his name Enos:] Signifying the weak and miserable condition of mankind, which he seemed, by giving him this name, to deplore. Bp. Patrick.

then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.] This does not import, that men did not "call upon the Lord," which includes all his worship and service, before this time; but that now they were awakened to be more serious and frequent in religious offices or rather, they began to hold more publick assemblies; for families being now multiplied, to which religion was before confined, they joined together and met in larger societies and communion, for the solemn worship of God by sacrifices and other religious services.

But it being scarce credible, that publick assemblies were not held long before this, some men of note follow our marginal translation, "then began men (that is, the children of Seth) to call themselves by the C

1 The genealogy, age, and death of the patriarchs from Adam unto Noah. 24 The godliness and translation of Enoch.

THIS

HIS is the a book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

b Wisd. 2. 22. 2 b Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

3874.

1. &c.

3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

c1 Chron. 1. 4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years and he begat sons and daughters:

3769.

5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years and he died.

death of the patriarchs,

11 And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.

12 And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat + Mahalaleel:

Before CHRIST 3679.

8609. + Gr.

13 And Cainan lived after he be- Maleleel. gat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:

14 And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.

15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat + Jared:

16 And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:

17 And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.

18 And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat

3679.

+ Heb. Kenan.

7 And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:

8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.

9¶ And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan :

10 And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:

name of the Lord;" that is, the servants or worshippers of the Lord, in distinction from the Cainites, and such profane persons as had forsaken Him. Bp. Patrick.

Moses, in this short account of what passed before the flood, takes no notice of the institution of sacrifices, of the observation of the sabbath, of prayer, of the rules of virtue and morality, no doubt given to Adam; these being received duties, known and practised by all good men from the beginning. Bp. Wilson.

Chap. V. ver. 1. This is the book of the generations of Adam.] That is, here follows a catalogue of the posterity of Adam. So the word "Book" signifies in Matt. i. 1, an account of those, from whom Christ the "second Adam" came; as here an account of those who came from the "first Adam." Yet not of all; but of the principal persons, by whom, in a right line, the succession was continued down to Noah, and Abraham the father of the faithful, and so to the Messiah. As for the collateral lines, which, no doubt, were very many, by the other sons and daughters of the persons here mentioned, they are omitted: because no more was pertinent to Moses's purpose. Bp. Patrick.

in the likeness of God] This is again mentioned, to remind men how highly God had honoured them, and how shamefully they had requited Him. Bp. Patrick.

19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.

3544.

+ Heb. Jered.

3382.

3317.

Mathusala.

21 ¶ And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat + Methuselah: +Gr. 22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

called their name Adam,] Or, Man. The common name to both sexes; like Homo in Latin, &c. Bp. Patrick.

3. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years,] For the more speedy propagation of mankind, for the quicker increase of arts and sciences, and that the knowledge of religion might with the greater certainty be established and conveyed down to posterity, it pleased the Divine Providence to prolong the lives of men before the flood to a much greater age than they have ever since been. Pyle.

-in his own likeness, after his image:] Not so perfect as himself, when he was created; but with those imperfections which impaired him, after he had eaten the forbidden fruit; that is, inclined to sin, and subject to death. For "his own likeness and image," wherein this son was begotten, seems to be opposed to the likeness and image of God, wherein Adam was made; and which, though not quite lost, was lamentably defaced. Bp. Patrick.

22. And Enoch walked with God] That is, was a religious man: he pleased God, and had therefore a true faith in Him, (Heb. xi. 5, 6,) and a firm belief of future rewards, Jude ver. 14, 15. Bp. Kidder. Enoch "walked with God" in the way of his commandments and ordinances: such was the effect and evidence of his faith, which " 'saw Him," who is otherwise "invi

rom Adam unto Noah.

Before CHRIST 3317.

d Ecclus. 44. 16.

Hebr. 11. 5.

3130.

+ Heb. Lemech.

2948. + Gr. Noe.

23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:

24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

25 And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat+Lamech.

26 And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:

27 And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years and he died.

28 And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat

a son:

The wickedness of the world.

30 And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daugh

The wickedness of the world, which provoked God's wrath, and caused the flood. 8 Noah findeth grace. 14 The order, form, and end of the ark.

ND it came to pass, when men

sible," ever present to his soul, and "set the Lord always before him," as the inspector of all his ways. Bp. Horne.

24.

-

he was not;] Moses doth not say, that he died; as he doth of the rest in this chapter, both before and after; but that he "was not" any longer among men in this world; for "God took him," or translated him to another place. Which plainly signifies the different manner of his leaving this world; insomuch that the Apostle saith, " He did not see death," Heb. xi. 5. Bp. Patrick.

God translated him either in soul or body, or both, to a place and state of happiness :-A most convincing argument and proof of a life after this; and sufficient, one would have thought, to have silenced the Sadducees, who received this book: but they had hardened their hearts. God gave the world this instance, perhaps, to convince them, how He would have dealt with Adam, and all his posterity, had they continued in obedience to his command. Bp. Wilson.

"It is appointed unto all men once to die:" this is the general rule; but we meet with an exception to it in the case of Enoch; and another in that of Elijah. Thus it pleased God to vouchsafe the world two rehearsals of the ascension of the holy Jesus: one for the building up of those before the law, the other, of those under the law, in the faith of that great and important article; and both, that we of these latter days might admire the wisdom of God in foresehwing what hath been accomplished, and adore his mercy and power in the accomplishment of what was foreshewn. Bp. Horne. God took him.] At the time appointed by the Father for the accomplishment of Enoch's prophecy, when the Lord shall come to judgment with ten thousand of his saints, Jude ver. 14; that which was foreshewn by the translation of Enoch, and fulfilled in the ascension of the natural body of Christ, shall be brought to pass likewise in his mystical body, the Church, and the members thereof. They shall not be found" in the ruins of a burning world, because God shall have "translated" them to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for them. This is but the completion of that great

the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair;

Before CHRIST 2353.

2448.

work begun in them by the Spirit of God in this life, renewing and transforming their souls by hearty repentance, lively faith, and fervent charity; by prayer, and fasting, and alms-deeds; by holy mourning, and pious meditation; by reading, hearing, and communicating; thus training them up by the means of grace to the hope of glory. Blessed and holy is he, who hath part in this first "translation" from sin to righteousness, the sure pledge and earnest of the second from dust to glory. Bp. Horne.

29. he called his name Noah,] Which signifies rest; or refreshment, which proceeds from rest and quiet: because, as his father foretold of him, "This same shall comfort us." Some think that his father expected him to be the promised Seed. In fact, he brought “comfort and "rest" to mankind, by improving the art of husbandry, and so easing men as to the toil of their hands; by planting a vineyard, and finding out the art of making wine, which cheers the heart and revives the spirits of men, that are spent with labour; and by restoring the world, after it had been dispeopled by the flood, and upon his oblations receiving the assurance that "God would not again curse the ground any more for man's sake." Bps. Patrick and Kidder, Dr. Wells.

32. and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.] Of these three sons, the eldest was Japheth, as appears from chap. x. 21, the second was Shem, from x. 21, and the youngest Ham, from ix. 24. Nevertheless both here, and a little lower, Shem is named first; whether it was that the rights of primogeniture were transferred to him, though the sacred historian says nothing of it; or that God was minded thus early to shew that He would not be confined to the order of nature in the disposal of his favours, which He frequently bestowed upon the younger children; or, what I think the most likely, because the nation of the Jews were to descend from him; and he and his posterity were to be the principal subject of this whole history. Stackhouse.

Chap. VI. ver. 2. the sons of God] There are two famous interpretations of these words, besides that of some of the ancients, who took them to mean angels. Some understand by "the sons of God," the great

The wickedness of the world.

Before

CHRIST 2448.

2469.

3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty

years.

4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became

men, nobles, rulers, and judges; who being captivated with the beauty of "the daughters of men," that is, of the meaner sort, took by force and violence as many as they pleased.

But there are other ancient interpreters, and most of the later, who by "the sons of God" understand the posterity of Seth, who were worshippers of the true God, chap. iv. 26, and who now saw,' or conversed with, "the daughters of men," that is, the daughters of the ungodly race of Cain. Bps. Patrick and Kidder.

66

of all which they chose.] Whomsoever they liked, without regard to any thing else but their beauty. It is supposed, that the Cainites spent their time in feasting, musick, dancing, and sports: this allured the children of Seth to come down from the mountainous country, which under a solemn injunction from their godly forefathers they inhabited; and marry with the descendants of Cain. The consequence was all manner of impurity, impiety, idolatry, rapine, and violence. For "evil communications" naturally "corrupt good manners." And so the example of the wicked prevailed, and by degrees consumed, with few exceptions, all remains of religion in the posterity of Seth. Moses takes notice of these things, that he may give the reason why the descendants of Seth, even those who sprung from that holy man Enoch, except Noah and his family, were overwhelmed with the deluge, as well as the family of Cain. Stackhouse.

These daughters of Cain proved to the sons of Seth what the Moabitish women were afterwards to the children of Israel, and what women of bad principles always have been, and always will be, to men of good ones, who are no wiser than to contract alliances with them in their state of error and delusion. Bp. Horne.

3. My spirit] Either speaking by his prophets, such as Enoch had been, and Noah was; or, working inwardly in all men's hearts. "Shall not always strive with man," chide and reprove them, and thereby endeavour to bring them to repentance; but proceed to punish them. For that he also is flesh;" for that, besides his wicked actions, he is grown wholly fleshly in his inclinations and affections. He savours nothing but carnal things, and consequently is incurable. "Yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years;" yet I will not destroy mankind presently; but have patience with them so long, that it may appear I would willingly have saved them. Bp. Patrick.

The time of the primary denunciation of this sad judgment was no less than 120 years before it came. Which was, suppose, the time that "the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing," 1 Pet. iii. 20; and while Noah himself, the great "preacher of righteousness," warned them of the certainty and greatness of this impending calamity. Whiston.

As it was with the world in the days of Noah, so

of renown.

Before CHRIST 2469.

othe gintion. The

whole ima

Hebrew word signifieth not

only the imait also the pur

gination, but

6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and grieved him at his heart.

poses and desires.

a Chap. 8. 21.

7 And the LORD said, I will des- Matt. 15. 19. troy man whom I have created from every

day.

will it be also in the days of the Son of Man, and so is it in the present days with nations and individuals. They have their times and their seasons of trial and probation, and they have their warnings: after which the axe is laid to the root of the tree, and nothing in heaven or in earth can stay for one moment the uplifted hand of Justice from striking the fatal stroke. Open then, blessed Lord, our eyes, that we may see the things which belong unto our peace, before they are hid for ever from our sight! Bp. Horne.

4. There were giants in the earth in those days;] It is not agreed upon by interpreters, whether Moses intended, by this phrase, to express the uncommon stature and bulkiness of these men; or the cruelty, rapine, and violence of their dispositions and practices, describing them as thieves, robbers, and oppressors. Pyle.

They were giants, of the property of giants: not that they were greater men of stature and strength of body, than other men were; but they were "giants" for their cruelty, violence, and covetous oppression. Bp. Latimer.

From the marriages of the sons of Seth with the daughters of Cain sprang a race of men, who, whatever they were as to stature, became overgrown monsters of apostacy, impiety, and iniquity: so that in process of time the earth was totally overspread with "corruption" and "violence" of all kinds. Bp. Horne.

5. And God saw] That is, when the merciful space of "an hundred and twenty years," allowed for man's repentance, was expired. Pyle.

every imagination &c.] All the secret thoughts and purposes of his mind were always bent upon evil. Not only the practices of men were evil, (as it is said, "God saw that the wickedness of man was great,") but the principles, from whence those actions flowed, were generally corrupted also. Bp. Kidder.

While principles remain, practices may be altered and amended: but those once gone, there remains no farther hope of a reformation, because there is then nothing to ground one upon. Let this be a warning to all, who would avert the judgments of God, that they spare no time or pains in fixing Christian principles in the hearts of those for whom they are concerned. Bp. Horne.

This is a description of an extraordinary degeneracy of men, signifying that the world was then extremely bad, and depraved to the highest degree. God gives this as a reason, why He was resolved to drown the world, and to " destroy man from the face of the earth," because their wickedness was grown to so great an height. Abp. Tillotson.

6. And it repented the Lord &c.] God can properly neither repent, nor be grieved. But such expressions signify He resolved to do, as men do; who, when they repent of any thing, endeavour to undo it. Bp. Patrick. As the conversion of a sinner is said to cause "joy in heaven," so here, to shew the exceeding love of God

towards us, and his unwillingness that any should perish, He is represented as "repenting that He had made man, and being grieved at his heart." Thus an all-merciful God is pleased to represent Himself as feeling for us, what we, alas! do not feel for ourselves, or for one another. Bp. Horne.

It is manifest, that this is only an emphatical way of expression, to signify God's just displeasure at the great and universal wickedness of mankind, and at their having so far fallen from the noble end of their creation: and that therefore, after having tried the methods of indulgence towards them, He saw fit to send a destructive deluge, for exterminating that incorrigible race. And it is plain, that according to the doctrine of the sacred writings, which every where represent God as foreknowing the actions of men, this corruption of mankind was what He foresaw from the beginning: and the punishing of them in this manner made a par tof the original scheme of Divine Providence, though it did not actually take effect till the proper time came for executing it. Dr. Leland.

The following observations from Stackhouse apply to a variety of passages in the sacred volume, and are well worthy of the attention of the reader: " When the holy Scriptures speak of God, they ascribe hands, and eyes, and feet to Him; not that He has any of these members, according to the literal signification; but the meaning is, that He has a power to execute all those acts, to the effecting of which these parts in us are instrumental: that is, He can converse with men, as well as if He had a tongue or mouth; can discern all that we do or say, as perfectly as if He had eyes and ears; and can reach us as well as if He had hands or feet, &c. In like manner, the Scripture frequently represents Him as affected with such passions as we perceive in ourselves; namely, as angry and pleased, loving and hating, repenting and grieving, &c. and yet upon reflection we cannot suppose, that any of these passions can literally affect the Divine Nature: and therefore the meaning is, that He will as certainly punish the wicked, as if He were inflamed with the passion of anger against them; as infallibly reward the good, as we will those for whom we have a particular affection: and that, when He finds any alteration in his creatures, either for the better or the worse, He will as surely change His dispensations towards them, as if He really repented or changed his mind. It is by way of analogy and comparison therefore, that the nature and passions of men are ascribed to God: so that when He is said to repent or grieve, the meaning must be, not that He perceived any thing that He was ignorant of before, to give Him any uneasiness; (for "known unto God are all his works from the beginning;") but only that He altered his conduct with regard to men, as they varied in their behaviour towards Him, just as we are wont to do, when we are moved by any of these passions and changes of affection."

Dr. Leland has noticed upon this subject the observation of a deistical writer, that, "we must speak of God after the manner of men:" and the remarkable concession of another, that "was not God to be repreby expressions which, literally understood, attribute to Him human passions and actions, they,

sented

being just and upright.

9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and || perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

Before CHRIST 2448.

b Ecclus. 44.

17.

2 Pet. 2. 5.

10 And Noah begat three sons, Or, upright. Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

who by their occupations in the world, are incapable of those more just ideas, which men of thought know to belong to that Being, would perhaps think Him incapable of taking cognizance of their actions. And therefore to make a revelation useful and credible in itself, it must consist of words whose literal meaning is false, but whose real meaning is consistent with the justest notions of reason and philosophy."

8. But Noah found grace] The phrase here means, obtained favour. Compare Heb. xi. 7. Bp. Kidder. This single person God resolved to spare, because (as it follows) he continued untainted, in the midst of an universal contagion. Bp. Patrick.

9. These are the generations of Noah:] This is an account of his family or these are the things which befel him and his family. Bp. Patrick.

Noah was a just man &c.] Had not the same Spirit by St. Peter, 2 Pet. ii. 5, told us that he was preacher of righteousness," we should not have known it. This shews that a great many things in this short account which Moses gives are omitted. Noah, having been convinced of God's hatred to sin by his own deliverance, and the punishment of the former world, no doubt took all imaginable pains, and became a great "preacher of righteousness" to the new world as well as to the old. Bp. Wilson.

· perfect in his generations,] He was an upright and sincere man, and unblamable in the midst of a wicked and ungodly world. Bp. Kidder.

66

Perfect," not as the holy Jesus was perfect, or as "the spirits of just men" are to be made perfect in heaven; but with such perfection as man can attain unto in this his state of pilgrimage. Bp. Horne.

Sincerity, or integrity of heart, is that which God is pleased to accept of in the new covenant, instead of perfection, and is frequently called by that name: as where Noah is said to be a just man and perfect," Gen. vi. 9, and Job to be a "perfect and upright" man, chap. i. 1; that is, they were cordial and sincere in all their duties to God, serving Him in holiness and righteousness before Him or in his sight all their days, Luke i. 75. Thus God Himself seems to explain the word, when He ratified and confirmed the new covenant with Abram, saying, "Walk before me, and be thou perfect," Gen. xvii. 1. As if He had said, "Walk always as in my sight, so as to keep thy heart right and sincere before me, and then by the covenant, which I now establish with thee, thou shalt be perfect, for I will accept of thee as such." Bp. Beveridge.

and Noah walked with God.] It is of unspeakable advantage to possess our minds with an habitual good intention, and to aim all our thoughts, words, and actions at some laudable end, whether it be the glory of our Maker, the good of mankind, or the benefit of our own souls. A person who is possessed with such an habitual good intention, enters upon no single circumstance of life, without considering it as well-pleasing to the Author of his being, conformable to the dictates of reason, suitable to human nature in general, or to that particular station in which Providence has placed him. He lives in a perpetual sense of the Divine Presence, regards himself as acting, in the whole course of his existence, under the observation and inspection of that