What does Genesis 4:26 mean?

[rlvaughn]

Genesis 4:26 says, “And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.” (KJV)

What does the Bible mean when it says “men to call upon the name of the LORD {YHWH}.” One of my Bible margins has “call upon themselves the name of the LORD” or “call themselves by the name of the LORD.” One of my former pastors who was also an instructor in Old Testament at a Bible College taught that Genesis 4:26 had that meaning (or connotation). Does this idea have merit? It doesn’t seem that any translation committee has been willing to translate it that way (though The Living Bible paraphrase gives “When Seth grew up, he had a son and named him Enosh. It was during his lifetime that men first began to call themselves ‘the Lord’s people’.”

• ASV: And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh. Then began men to call upon the name of Jehovah.
• JPS Tanakh 1917: And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh; then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.
• NIV: Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on[a] the name of the LORD. [Footnote: Or to proclaim]
• RV 1884: And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.
• YLT: And to Seth, to him also a son hath been born, and he calleth his name Enos; then a beginning was made of preaching in the name of Jehovah.

Bishop Ellicott writes, “That is, the notion of Divinity began now to be attached to this name, and even in their worship men called upon God as Jehovah.” (See BibleHub.) This may represent the majority view. On the other hand, there are those who support the “call themselves by” view.

Gill: the words may be rendered: “then began men to call themselves,” or “to be called by the name of the Lord”

Benson Commentary: “2nd, The worshippers of God began to distinguish themselves: so the margin reads it. Then began men to be called by the name of the Lord — or, to call themselves by it. Now Cain and those that had deserted religion had built a city, and begun to declare for irreligion, and called themselves the sons of men. Those that adhered to God began to declare for him and his worship, and called themselves the sons of God.”

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary: “26. men began to call upon the name of the Lord—rather, by the name of the Lord.”

What think ye? What does “men [began] to call upon the name of the Lord” mean in Genesis 4:26?

 

[HankD]

The full impact of sin and death became known to humankind and certain men cried out for mercy using the sanctified name of God.

Perhaps with the hope of the Genesis 3:15 Promised Deliverer in mind.

HankD

 

[Van]

1 Kings 18:24
Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people said, “That is a good idea.”

2 Kings 5:11
But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.’

Zephaniah 3:9
“For then I will give to the peoples purified lips, That all of them may call on the name of the Lord, To serve Him shoulder to shoulder.

Romans 10:13
for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Three other verses read call upon, rather than call on, Genesis 4:36, Psalm 116:13 and Psalm 116:17.

It seems clear the idea is to petition God according to His promises. The study note for Genesis 4:26 reads in part, "Lamech's proud self reliance, so characteristic of the line of Cain, is contrasted with dependence on God found in the line of Seth,"

The study note for Joel 2:32 (calls on rather than call on) says whoever worships God and prays to Him. See also Acts 2:21 for the NT endorsement.

 

[rlvaughn]

Also in my mind is this question, although I forgot to include it in the opening post. Why only after the birth of Enos would it say that men then began to call upon the name of the LORD? Wasn't Adam and Abel calling on the name of the LORD prior to this?

Thanks.

 

[Van]

As suggested above, it was the initiation of the practice of men in the line of Seth, that is being contrasted with other men.

 

[Van]

I see this is not quite so easy as I mistakenly thought.
I see where the translators supplied "men" which might be the intended message. But if we are in the business of supplying words, why not "then began Seth to call upon the name of the LORD?"

Or ... he began to call upon the name of the LORD.

Here is an English translation from the Septuagint: 4:26 And Seth had a son, and he called his name Enos: he hoped to call on the name of the Lord God

 

[Deacon]

First Observations from the text of Genesis 4

Genesis 4 concerns Cain

Cain’s descendants included Mehujael and Methushael,
The ending of their names >> -el, meaning of God, (of gods)

Seth’s name means anointed
Enosh’s name means man

>> “...call on the name of YHWH” (distinct from el, elohim)

YHWH - personal name of God, (the name YHWH was revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:13-15)

Genesis 5 concerns Seth and his line

Noah's name sounds like bring us relief

Rob

 

[Deacon]

Okay I'm home and can begin to look at the Hebrew text

...and the problem lies with the plasticity of Hebrew prepositions

...specifically it concerns the Hebrew preposition, בְּ (b)​

It's meaning typically is "in" as in "In the beginning..."

but prepositions are tricky things and quite nuanced

the point being: You should never base a doctrine based on a preposition!​

I'll try and simplify a Hebrew Grammar by tomorrow morning, ...gatta mow the lawn.

Rob

 

[Van]

54tn The word “people” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation. The construction uses a passive verb without an expressed subject. “To call was begun” can be interpreted to mean that people began to call.


55tn Heb “call in the name.” The expression refers to worshiping the Lord through prayer and sacrifice (see Gen 12:8; 13:4; 21:33; 26:25). See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:116.

The above NET footnotes support that men or people or Seth or he is supplied as an interpretation. The meaning of call on the name of the LORD, supports the majority of commentary.

 

[Van]

Genesis 4:26Lexham English Bible (LEB)
26 And as for Seth, he also fathered a son, and he called his name Enosh. At that time he [a] began to call on the name of Yahweh.

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 4:26 Or “humankind,” if the 3ms form is considered collective

Occam's Razor points to the LEB being on target, simple, and produces no imponderables.

 

[HankD]

Also in my mind is this question, although I forgot to include it in the opening post. Why only after the birth of Enos would it say that men then began to call upon the name of the LORD? Wasn't Adam and Abel calling on the name of the LORD prior to this?

Thanks.

Perhaps it took a while for the results of sin and death to sink in.

Death in those days - who knows? Certainly the horror of a decomposing corpse rotting away and the decomposition of the flesh sent the message of the finality of death to the human race.

To rot away never to return.

Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Or so they thought apart from Genesis 3:15.

A cry for mercy and life?
A cry for the Deliverer?


HankD

 

[TCassidy]

Genesis 4:26

“To Seth, to him also (הוּא גַּם, intensive) there was born a son, and he called his name Enosh.” אֱנֹוֹשׁ, from אָנַשׁ to be weak. In this name the knowledge of human weakness and frailty were expressed; and this knowledge led to God, to that invocation of the name of Jehovah which commenced under Enos. יְהֹוָה בְּשֵׁם קָרָא, literally to call in (or by) the name of Jehovah, is used for a solemn calling of the name of God.

When applied to men, it denotes invocation; to God, calling out or proclaiming His name. The name of God signifies in general “the whole nature of God, by which He attests His personal presence in the relation into which He has entered with man, the divine self-manifestation, or the whole of that revealed side of the divine nature, which is turned towards man” (Oehler).

We have here an account of the commencement of that worship of God which consists in prayer, praise, and thanksgiving, or in the acknowledgment and celebration of the mercy and help of Jehovah.

While the family of Cainites, by the erection of a city, and the invention and development of worldly arts and business, were laying the foundation for the kingdom of this world; the family of the Sethites began, by united invocation of the name of the God of grace, to begin to build the kingdom of God.

This passage, of course, establishes the two descents from Adam, the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, or the Cainites, the Daughters of Men, and the Sethites, the Sons of God. Luke 3:38 "Which was the son of Enos (Enosh), which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

Adam is called "the son of God." This fact, given under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, invalidates the argument that men were never called "son(s) of God" in the Old Testament.

 

[Deacon]

The problem lies with the plasticity of Hebrew prepositions

...specifically it concerns the Hebrew preposition, בְּ (b)

It's meaning typically is "in" as in "In the beginning..."

but prepositions are quite nuanced​

When the Hebrew preposition, בְּ (b) ...

Realizes an action with an instrument (beth instrumenti)

Non-human instrument or agent - Mic. 4:14, With a rod they strike…
Human instrument or agent - Genesis 9:6, Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed​

Realizes an action by cause (beth causa)

Deut 26:11, And you shall rejoice in (or because of ) all the good which the Lord you God has given to you.
Isaiah 59:3, For your hands are defiled with blood​

So... those who support the “call themselves by” view would translate the verses ending,

“…then began men to call (themselves) by or with the name of the LORD.”​

...and the more common use…

“…then began men to call in (or upon) the name of the LORD.”
​

Rob

 

[Deacon]

As I’ve been studying through the Gospel of Matthew I’m sensitized to Hebraisms, particularly those where Jesus’ fulfills OT scriptures.

This might be one of them!​

'Calling in (upon) the name of the LORD' identifies the one praying with the LORD.

THE NAME was powerful.​

Jesus tells us that his name was powerful and so ever closely related to the Father that the two of them were as One.

Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. If you love me, you will keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive him because it doesn’t see him or know him. But you do know him, because he remains with you and will be in you.
John 14:13-14 CSB

In that day you will not ask me anything. Truly I tell you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
John 16:23 CSB​

Rob

 

[Van]

"Then he began to call upon the name of the LORD." Put in main text.
Or possibly, "Then his kind began to call upon the name of the LORD. Put in footnote.

 

[Van]

Jesus said blessed are the poor in spirit. The word translated poor refers to those who depend of others, such as beggars, and the idea is that we should consider ourselves dependent on God. Thus we are admonished to call upon the name of the LORD, to worship Him, to petition Him and to trust in His promises.

 

[Van]

Opening post revisited:

Genesis 4:26: 26 And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD. (NKJV)

First, the NKJV footnote says Enosh is presented as "Enos" in the Greek.
Next, LORD all in capitals indicates the Hebrew text says YHWH.
Lastly the word "men" is in italics indicating the word was supplied by the translators.

Two questions were asked, what is the meaning of "call upon (or on) the name of the LORD" and why did "men" begin to call upon the name then, when it appears both Adam and Abel worshiped Yahweh.

Based on other passages where "call upon the name of the LORD" is found and assuming the intended meaning is close to the same thing, the idea is to worship God, petition God, and trust in the promises of God. In other words a person poor in spirit.

A more rigorous translation (found in the LEB) indicates the Hebrew actually reads "he began to call upon the name of the LORD, thus indicating Seth began calling on the name of the LORD. The LEB also contained a footnote indicating the "he" might be a collective (pointing to a group) and so there is a possible meaning of "his kind began calling on the name of the LORD.

 

[rlvaughn]

Abram calling on the Lord in Genesis 12:8 is worded very similarly. There it clearly is his worshipping of God, not calling himself by God's name. I don't think that necessarily excludes the other possibility in Genesis 4:26.

 

[Aaron]

Quoted by rlvaughn:

Gill: the words may be rendered: “then began men to call themselves,” or “to be called by the name of the Lord”
Benson Commentary: “2nd, The worshippers of God began to distinguish themselves: so the margin reads it. Then began men to be called by the name of the Lord — or, to call themselves by it. Now Cain and those that had deserted religion had built a city, and begun to declare for irreligion, and called themselves the sons of men. Those that adhered to God began to declare for him and his worship, and called themselves the sons of God.”

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary: “26. men began to call upon the name of the Lord—rather, by the name of the Lord.”​

​

I like these explanations. What, wasn't Abel calling upon the name of the LORD in his sacrifices? So it's hard for me to say that Gen. 4:6 would be describing the beginning of prayer.