ABEL AND CAIN The sin, having set forth, from Eve to Adam, through the deceit of the serpent, all their seed came carrying its microbe in their nature. And as the apostle says: “ Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned...” (Romans 5:12). This was strongly demonstrated in Cain, who, not bearing to see God accepting the offering of his brother, he committed the first homicide in the history of the world. Many Fathers were concerned with the episode of Abel and Cain, being the story of the fallen humanity that harbored hate toward one another 1- Accepting the offering of Abel 1-7. 2- Murdering Abel 8-16. 3- Children of Cain 17-24. 4- Birth of Seth 25-26. 1- ACCEPTING THE OFFERING OF ABEL “Now Adam knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, ‘I have gotten a man from the Lord’” (Gen. 4:1). Philo, the Jew from Alexandria, believed that Abel and Cain were twins, a view not well received by the early Fathers of the Church. Some Origenists depended on this text in our hands to declare that Adam started to ‘Know’ Eve as his wife, after the fall; as though the marital body relationship, according to them, is a fruit of the fall. Some of them even went as far as saying that the fall itself was nothing but the practice of that relationship. This extreme view was strongly rejected, and even attacked, by the Church since its appearance. The Fathers confirmed that God was the Founder of marital life in its complete form; that, with or without fall, this relationship would have been consummated between our first parents, to beget children. Yet this would not have occurred through an evil lust, but as a fruit of pure love. Many Fathers also rejected the view that the fall of our parents has been their carnal union, as that view defiles the concept of the life of marriage. Eve apprehending that her child was a divine gift, she called him “Cain,” saying, “ I have gotten a man from the Lord” (Gen. 4:1). Her joy was probably, because she assumed that the coming of the promised Savior from her seed drew very near, and, would probably be realized in her days. Eve felt that her child was acquired from the Lord; and as St. Ambrose says in his work, ‘Cain and Abel’: [It is fitting for us to apprehend that God is the Creator, as Eve did, and referred the work to the Lord; as though she said that to teach us to follow her example in similar situations, and not to count any success to be a result of our own doing, but to refer it completely to God1.] “Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel” (Gen. 4: 2) St. Ambrose believes that Cain represents the pure reasoning thought, or the school of reasoning. He probably means the ‘Gnostics,’ who put the reasonable knowledge, as the sole way to salvation, instead of faith, considering that man is capable, by his mind, without any divine help, of reaching the knowledge of God, and apprehending his mysteries, through his intellect, senses, feelings, and emotions. Abel, 1 Cain and Abel, 1:1. 4 on the other hand symbolizes the school of faith that depends upon God’s grace, to enjoy God’s mysteries through faith granted to man, without disregarding his mind. Faith does not contradict the mind, but rather lifts it up, and exalts it, through God’s proclamations to man; these two schools, despite their apparent contradiction, are closely connected, as though two brothers are begotten of one same womb, although not able to live together for a long time. The episode of Abel and Cain also presents to us a living portrait of the story of the Spirit and the body as ‘first fruits.’ Although Cain was the first-born to Adam and Eve according to the flesh, yet he lost his status as a result of his evil. That of Abel has been spiritually demonstrated by God’s respect of his offering but rather his whole life was well-pleasing to God contrary to his brother’s. Thus, St. Augustine sees in Cain a symbol of the first Adam, the first-born of humanity according to the flesh, who lost his status to the true Abel - the Lord Christ - the second Adam, as truly a First-born to humanity, in Whom the Father receives us as a sweet aroma. From the words of St. Augustine, the following: [From those first parents of mankind, Cain has been a firstborn, referred to the “city of men;” then Abel was born, referred to the “city of God.” And as it is with individuals, it is also on the level of the human race as a whole; it is said in an apostolic expression discerning the truth: “However the spiritual is not first but the natural, and afterwards the spiritual” (1 Corinthians 15:46). So it happens that every man, detached from his condemned origin, is first born from Adam, the wicked carnal, and afterward becomes good and spiritual, as he is renewed in Christ (by Baptism). So it is for the human race as a whole, as we find people of this world born first (meaning the old man within us), then followed by those foreign to it (the new man we became in Christ), namely those referred to the (city of God), who by grace are designated, by grace are chosen, by grace lived as foreigners here, and by grace lived as citizens high up there... God, as a Potter, from the same lump of clay, makes one vessel for honor and another for dishonor (Romans 9:21); but He made first the one for dishonor then the one for honor1.] This corresponds to the verse in St. Paul’s epistle (1 Cor. 15:49) “And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.” That is next to the first image where we become a new creation deserving to be a vessel of honor. It is amazing how this issue of the body and Spirit as firstborns extended along the generations. So we find that God elected Abraham as a father to all peoples, although he was not the firstborn among his brothers; and elected Isaac, who was younger than Ishmael; and Jacob who was younger than Esau; then the Lord Christ from the seed of Perez, born by Tamar - Perez breached his brother Zerah, while still in his mother’s womb to take away his right as firstborn (Gen 38:27-30). The genealogy of the Lord Christ came presenting a great group of fathers, who were not firstborn according to the flesh. We have previously dealt with the concept of the firstborn and its relation to the Lord Christ, the Firstborn, in our study of the Book of Numbers2. St. Ambrose believes that Cain symbolizes the Jews who were the firstborn according to the knowledge of God, but denied faith in the Savior, and had their synagogue spoiled by the blood of the innocent. Then came Abel as a representative of the Church of the New Testament that embraces members of the Gentiles, to take over 1 City of God 15:1. . 2 سفر العدد، ١٩٨١ 5 her identity as a firstborn, and to be counted as the Church of the Firstborn (Hebrew 12:23), through her union with the Lord, the Firstborn. St. Ambrose says: [In Cain we see the Jewish people, spoiled by the blood of their Lord, their Creator, and also their Friend; and in Abel we apprehend the Christian man, attached to God, according to the words of David: “But it is good for me to draw near to God” (Psalm 73:28), namely, his soul would become connected to the heavenly, and would avoid the earthly; who also says: “My soul faints for Your salvation” (Psalm 119:81), which shows that the law of his life was directed to contemplating in the Word (Christ), and not in the lusts of the world1.] When the Holy Scripture spoke of carnal birth, it started with Cain, the firstborn according to the flesh, then Abel. Yet, as each of them got settled in his preferred work, Abel came to take over the forward position, as though breaching his brother’s firstborn position; as it was said: “Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground” (Gen. 4:2). And as St. Ambrose said, the Holy Scripture did not mention Abel first for no reason, despite his birth after Cain, but: [He mentioned the younger first, as he referred to work, efficiency and natural gift, to realize the differences between their professions. According to our experience, tending and tilling the ground come first, yet of a less position than keeping the sheep2.] Tilling the ground probably refers to the carnal man, who concentrates his eyes and all his energies on the earthly and the worldly; while keeping the sheep refers to someone who is interested in caring, ordaining, and controlling the flesh with all its energies (the sheep). That is why it is fitting for us, not to be tillers of the ground, caring for the flesh and its lusts, but its spiritual caretakers for the sake of the kingdom of God. St. Didymus the Blind discerns between the professions of Abel and Cain, seeing Abel as a keeper of the sheep, one who controls his body; while Cain was a “tiller” of the ground, and not a “farmer’ as was Noah (Gen. 9:20), discerning between a laborer and farmer: a farmer is one who supervises the agricultural work, knows when to till, when to sow the seeds, and when to reap the harvest with wisdom and prudence. The laborer, on the other hand is a worker in the land who does not make use of these qualifications as if they are absent. St. Didymus says: [The Scripture did not say that Cain was a farmer, but a tiller of the ground, not as Noah who was a farmer (Gen. 9:20)... Abel was a keeper of sheep, namely, a controller of senses, who submits his knowledge and controls his emotions and lusts, and one of prudence as a leader; while Cain was connected to the earth and earthly, not as a farmer but as a tiller of the ground, as a friend of the flesh, who works with no prudence or ordinance... according to the saying: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (Isaiah 22:13; 1 Corinthians 15:32). As to the one who does these things according to a divine ordinance, he is following the principle saying: “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31)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. Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock and their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell” (Gen. 4:3-5) Why did not God respect Cain and his offering? (1) St. Didymus the Blind, and St. Ambrose, both believe that the 1 Cain and Abel, 1:2. 2 Cain and Abel, 1:3. 3 In Gen. 119, 120. 6 expression: “And in the process of time” refers to the fact that he probably lacked enthusiasm in his offering, and did it with a motive other than love. As the first one says: [Cain presented his offering with negligence, while Abel offered it with honesty1.] The other said: [Cain’s offering came “in the process of time’... and not promptly and with longing; hence the commandment: “When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it” (Deuteronomy 23:21); and: “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it... It is better not to vow, than to vow and not pay” (Ecclesiastes 5:4 -5)2.] (2) God probably rejected Cain’s offering because it was “of the fruit of the ground,” and not of its “first-fruit;” he did not offer the best he has. While Abel presented “of the firstlings of his flock and their fat.”.. He gave God the priority! (3) Cain’s offering was of the fruit of the ground, incapable of reconciliation between God and man; While that of Abel was a blood sacrifice, that carries a symbol of the that of the Lord Christ, who is alone capable of reconciling us with the Father, through shedding His blood for our sake. (4) St. Jerome believes that Cain offered the fruit of the ground, and did not offer his heart; namely, he presented an outer offering and not something from within. As to how Cain knew that God respected Abel’s offering and not his, this can be, as St. Didymus the Blind, says, because a fire probably came down and consumed the offering, as it happened with Aaron and his children, when “Fire came out from before Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces” (Leviticus 9:24); and as it happened with the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 18:38-40)3. The first consequence of the rejection of that offering was: “Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell” (Gen. 4:5) Sin corrupts and destroys man’s peace, to live in anger and misery; and lets his countenance fall to the dust, instead of rising to heaven. And as the wise Solomon says: “A man’s wisdom makes his face shine” (Ecclesiastes 8:1); and “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken” (Proverbs 15:13). By sin man’s countenance falls with grief, and by Christ Jesus, it rises merrily, to say: “We all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Now, as Cain’s countenance fell, God did not forsake him, but approached him asking: “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door, and its desire is for you, but you should rule over it” (Gen. Gen. 4:7). Indeed He did not accept his offering because it did not come from a pure heart, yet he does not forsake him in his fallen condition, but approaches him with love and converses with him frankly and clearly: “If you do well, will you not be accepted?!,” as though he admonishes him, saying: If you do well, wouldn’t I accept you anew?! Why do you surrender yourself to anger, and why should you let your countenance fall?! And warns him, saying: “And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door, and its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” As though He is telling him: I behold the sin of murder lying at the door, desiring to infiltrate your depths, although you can rule over it, namely you are the one with authority and will. It is up 1 In Gen. 121. 2 Cain and Abel, 1:7. 3 In Gen. 121. 7 to you to accept or to reject it. You are still a master of it, but if you accept it, you will fall down under its servitude. As long as it lies at the door, it is weak, but if it gets inside, you would be weaker before it, and would bow before it with the spirit of servitude. 2- MURDERING ABEL “Now Cain talked with Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they where in the field, that Cain rose against Abel his brother and killed him... Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?,’ and he said, ‘I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper? ‘And He said, ‘what have you done / The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground” (Gen. 4:8-10). Cain assumed that by killing his brother, he had nothing more to worry about, but God came to inquire, to persuade him to repent. He does not want us to cover up our sins by an outer cover, while corruption is still digging in the depths, but as a spiritual Physician, He intends to reveal and expose the wounds to heal them. From another side, God wanted to confirm to Cain that He is the God of Abel, who does not forget him even if he got killed. And as St. Didymus the Blind says on the Lord’s tongue: [Do not think that your crime escaped My eye that never wink1.] And as St. John Chrysostom says: [He got rid of him because he saw how he was beloved, assuming that by killing him he deprives him of love; yet what he did made him more beloved by God, who sought him, asking Cain: ‘Where is Abel your brother?2] Cain hid his brother’s body, but he could not suppress the voice of the soul crying to God, expressed by God, saying: “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.” The blood refers to the soul, being a sign of life. If blood is shed, the soul stays crying, through the blood unfairly shed on the ground. That crying voice is that of every man afflicted for the sake of Truth, to be counted as a witness or a martyr for the Truth. His cries would remain screaming beyond the earth (the place) and the death (the time). About that voice, St. Ambrose says: [Blood has a loud voice, that reaches from earth to heaven3.] Affliction does not suppress the tongue of the soul, but on the contrary, makes it more unified with the living and crucified Word of God, acquiring the voice, that is never to be overcome by death, or shut in by the grave. It is as though, the source of the blood unfairly shed, is the unification of man with the Living Crucified One. St. Clement of Alexandria saw in the blood of Abel, the righteous, a symbol of that of Christ, whose atoning voice or work would never cease, saying: [It was not possible for the blood to utter a voice, unless we see it referred to the incarnated Word; Abel, the righteous man of the old, was a symbol of the new Righteous One (Christ, the Word of God); and what the old blood intercedes for, is to be realized through the new blood, that cries to the Father that the Word is suffering4.] If Cain had destroyed his brother’s body, and silenced his tongue completely, yet it was impossible for him to silence the tongue of his heart, and his inner screams, listened to by God, who hears the hidden sighs. And as said by St. John Chrysostom: [Moses was in grief, and prayed with his heart, to which God responded by saying: ‘Why do you cry to Me?’ (Exodus 14:15); although he did not cry with his mouth; So also did Hannah, whose voice, although not heard, yet she got all she prayed for, as 1 In Gen. 129. 2 In Rom. hom 8. 3 Ep. 22:23. 4 Instr. 1:6. 8 her heart was crying loud (1 Samuel 1:13). Abel, even when dead, his blood cried with a voice louder than a trumpet1.] Cain disregarded his brother’s life; thus disregarding God Himself in his talk to Him. Every sin directed to our brothers, makes us err against God Himself; and as said by St. John Chrysostom: [I wish we do not despise one another, as that makes us as though despising God Himself, who commanded us to care for others... When Cain despised his brother, he instantly disregarded God Himself2.] If the rebellion of Adam and Eve has carried a tangible punishment, that is still reminding humanity of the bitterness of disobedience, the first crime presented Abel with an effective punishment that reveals to him what got into his depths, as he was told: “When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you” (Gen. 4:12). Because of his crime, the land was affected by a kind of barrenness, to reveal what also affected the (land) of man, namely his body, that, through sin became barren, and does not yield a fitting spiritual fruit. St. Didymus the Blind, comments on that divine chastisement, by saying: [It happens sometimes that, because of man’s sins, the land becomes barren and cease to yield fruit, as is said, “The land will mourn, and everyone who dwells there will waste away” (Hosea 4:3). The land was granted to yield fruit, for those who keep their minds uncorrupted... but the fruits get less by the will of God, until men forsake their corruption3.] If land refers to the body, that loses its authentic work, to become of no spiritual fruit, so also the soul, as it loses its inner peace; As he is told: “A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth” (Gen. 4:12). It is as though, the soul that submitted to the earthly body, will find it barren, to live in it with no peace or comfort, but in a condition of fear and loss. That is confirmed by the Holy Scripture, saying: “Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden” (Gen. 4:16) Namely, the soul goes out of the bosom of its Lord, the source of its peace, to dwell in the land of ‘Nod,’ which means getting lost and confused. And as St. Didymus the Blind says, [Nod means confusion; and there, dwells who forsakes the peaceful virtue to get into confusion4.] St. Jerome says: [Nod is translated as ‘getting lost;’ thus getting put away from the presence of God, Cain naturally dwelt in Nod and got lost. So also the Jews, having crucified their Lord, they wandered here and there, seeking their sustenance; They got into a Diaspora all over the world away from their own land. They beg for spiritual fulfillment, as they have no prophets, Law, priests, nor sacrifice; they became beggars in every sense of the word5.] The cause of losing their way is their going out of the presence of the Lord (Gen. 4:16); not place-wise, but out of fellowship with Him and enjoying Him. St. Didymus the Blind says: [We should not take it as though Cain has gone away from God place-wise, but we say that every sinner is out of the Lord in the same sense, carried by the expression: “Come before His presence with singing” (Psalm 100:2). When we come before His presence, we cast away every outer thing, namely sins, in order to enjoy other things that are out of this world, to partake of the 1 In Matt. Hom 19:4. 2 In 2 Tim. hom 7. 3 In Gen. 129. 4 In Gen. 136. 5 On Ps. hom 35. 9 knowledge of God. God is not confined to a certain place, despite setting a temple for Him. Cain went out, because he counted himself as unworthy of beholding the face of the Lord; as he has, not any more the thought of the Lord1.] St. Basil the Great believes that the harshest punishment that man would fall under, is being deprived of the presence of the Lord2. Cain realized the seriousness of his situation, so he confessed to the Lord, saying: “My punishment is greater than I can bear! Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me. And the Lord said to him, ‘Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him” (Gen. 4:13-15). It is obvious from Cain’s confession, that he felt remorse, not out of hate for sin, but out of fear from earthly punishment. And yet, God opened before him a door of hope. He did not promise that he would not get killed, but whoever kills him would be bitterly punished - sevenfold; setting a mark on him, lest anyone finding him should kill him. Thus, God starts by treating Cain with love, hoping for him to return and throw himself into His bosom, through true repentance. St. Basil the Great3 believes that Cain committed seven sins, and deserved seven chastisements. His seven sins were: [envying his brother Abel; lying to God; deceiving Abel into going to the field; and what is more horrible is killing his brother, offering a terrible example to humanity at the dawn of its history; and erring to his parents by killing their son.] As to the seven chastisements, they are: [Because of him the earth was cursed, turning into an enemy to him, denying him its fruits; he lives in grief and in terror. Subsequently he is driven out to live lost on earth; and to be alienated from the face of the Lord.] As to the mark set by God for Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him, it probably is that of the sign of the cross, in which a sinner is hidden, to find security and peace, through his reconciliation with God. This is the mark by which the children of God, who are not defiled, are marked, to get protected from the angel of destruction, as was seen by the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 9:6). St. Augustine believes it to be the mark of the covenant, that was given to people of the Old Testament, as a shadow of the cross, as proclaimed in their Law and rites; saying: [This mark is for the Jews as they kept their Law, got circumcised; kept the Sabbath, sacrificed the Passover, and ate unleavened bread4.] 3- CHILDREN OF CAIN God opened the door of hope before Cain, despite the horrible evil he committed against God and men. Yet, instead of returning to Him with repentance to restore his peace, Cain built a city he called after the name of his son - Enoch (Gen. 4:17), so that his children would not live like him as fugitives. In that he was following the example of his parents, who sewed beforehand fig leaves for themselves to cover their nakedness (Gen 3:7); leaving the inner corruption with no cure. That was the first city built by man, to resort to it away from God’s decrees and chastisements; or in other words to resort away from the loss he brought upon 1 In Gen. 135. 2 Ep. 260:4. 3 Ep. 260. 4 On Ps. 49. 10 himself; That is why St. Jerome says: [The great city built by Cain and called after the name of his son Enoch, symbolizes this world, built by the devil through evil, supported it by crime and filled it by wickedness1.] And St. Augustine says: [It was recorded that Cain built a city, while his brother, as a transient, built nothing for himself, because the city of saints is up there; although it begets for itself citizens here below, to depart in due time to their permanent home; where they gather together, in the day of resurrection, to be granted the promised kingdom, where they reign with the King of all ages, Amen2.] While Cain begot ‘Enoch,’ and built for him an earthly city to protect him from loss, instead of spiritual blessings; the Scripture presents us with a succession of Cain’s descendants, until it reaches Lamech, a husband of two wives: Adah and Zillah; from the first wife he begot Jabal and Jubal, and from the second, Tobal and his sister Naamah. St. Jerome sees in Lamech the first to marry two women, a reference to the action of heretics, who divide the Church into churches that are deviated from faith3. Anyhow, if Cain presented the worst example of crime at the dawn of humanity, by killing his brother, the fruit of this crime is heresy that corrupts the Church of God, deviates it away from faith, and leads it to atheism.] Some4 see Lamech’s life with these two women, as representing an atheist or forsaking God. So if Adah in Hebrew means “beauty” or “adornment;” and “Zillah” means “shadow,” the first refers to the lust of the eye, while the second refers to the lust of the body. The first with its beauty or adornment deviates the eye away from looking up to heavenly, while the other as a shadow, draws the soul toward servitude to the lusts of the body, which represents just a shadow that would soon vanish; namely, draws it to temporary worldly things. In Assyrian language Adah is a derivative from ‘Adhato,’ meaning “darkness,” while ‘Zillah,’ is a derivative from ‘Zillato,’ meaning “shadows of the night.” It is as though Lamech, in his wickedness, chose to unite with darkness and night shadows, through his evil life. Before speaking about what Lamech said to his two wives, we shall explain the meaning of the names mentioned in this chapter: a- Irad, son of Enoch; The name Irad is a derivative from the Hebrew word ‘Ir,’ meaning a “city,” probably because Cain built the first city in the world, that he called after the name of his son - Enoch. Some believe that the word ‘Ir’ in Hebrew means a “colt” or “cautious.” b- Mehujael, son of Irad, a name that means “stricken by the Lord.” c- Methushael, son of Mehujael, a name that means “Hero of God” or “Man of God.” d- Lamech means “strong.” Lamech addressed his two wives with the first poetry in Hebrew literature, called the ‘the song of the sword by Lamech,’ in which he said: “O wives of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, even a young man for hurting me. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold” (Gen. 4:23-24). In this song you feel the spirit of pride and self-esteem, through self-defense, and confidence in man’s strength and violence. Some see Lamech proclaiming to his 1 Ep. 46:7. 2 City of God 15:1. 3 Ep. 123:2. 4 Edersheim: The Bible History, V. 1. p. 30. 11 two wives that he is using the sword that was invented by his son Tubal, who was described as an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron (Gen 4: 22); and as he uses it to defend himself, he would be considered innocent if he happens to kill someone in the process; so if Cain, as a killer of his brother is avenged sevenfold, Lamech, as a defender of himself would be avenged seventy-sevenfold. As interpretation of that song, some believe that Lamech, almost blind with old age, and guided by his grandson during a hunting mission, killed his grandfather Cain unintentionally; and when the grandson screamed proclaiming the death of Cain, Lamech also killed the boy; that is why he said: “ I have killed a man (Cain) for wounding me, even a young man for hurting me.” He realized that, as a killer, he would surely be killed; yet because he did that unintentionally, God will avenge him seventy-sevenfold. Some believe that the figure 77 reminds us with the genealogy of the Lord Christ, as it came in the gospel of Luke (3:23-38); sin and justice would be avenged through the coming of the Savior, who will pay the whole price on the cross. 4- BIRTH OF SETH As Eve got Cain from the Lord, she thought of him as a blessing to all generations; but soon he had his life corrupted and killed his righteous brother. God did not leave Eve broken-hearted, but granted her a new beginning through begetting Seth in place of Abel. Seth in Hebrew means a “substitute” or a “helper;” as though God brought him as a substitute for Abel, and set him as head of a sanctified generation. Actually Seth begot a son, by the name of Enosh, meaning “human;” “Then men began to call on the name of the Lord” (Gen 4:26).
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