Genesis 4:15

“And the Lord said unto him, etc.] In order to satisfy him, and make him easy in this respect, that: he need not fear an immediate or bodily death, which was showing him great clemency and lenity; or in answer to his begging for death, “therefore”, or as some render the word, taking them for two, “not so” f271; it shall not be that whoever finds thee shall slay thee, thou needest not be afraid of that; nor shall thy request be granted, that thou mightest be slain by the first man that meets thee: it was the will of God, that though Cain deserved to die, yet that he should not die immediately, but live a long miserable life, that it might be a terror to others not to commit the like crime;…”

“whosoever slayeth Cain--By a special act of divine forbearance, the life of Cain was to be spared in the then small state of the human race. set a mark--not any visible mark or brand on his forehead, but some sign or token of assurance that his life would be preserved. This sign is thought by the best writers to have been a wild ferocity of aspect that rendered him an object of universal horror and avoidance.”

“- Section IV - The Family of Adam - Cain and Abel 1. קין qayı̂n, Qain (Cain), “spear-shaft,” and קנה qānah, “set up, establish, gain, buy,” contain the biliteral root קן qan, “set up, erect, gain.” The relations of root words are not confined to the narrow rules of our common etymology, but really extend to such instinctive usages as the unlettered speaker will invent or employ. A full examination of the Hebrew tongue leads to the conclusion that a biliteral root lies at the base of many of those triliterals that consist of two firm consonants and a third weaker one varying in itself and its position. Thus, יטב yāṭab and טיב ṭôb. So קין qayı̂n and קנה qānah grow from one root. 2. הבל…”

“Whosoever slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him seven - fold - God having said in Cain's case Vengeance is mine, I will repay; it had been a daring usurpation for any man to take the sword out of God's hand. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain - To distinguish him from the rest of mankind. What the mark was, God has not told us: therefore the conjectures of men are vain. Genesis 4:16”

“4:15 Sevenfold punishment was the full weight of justice. Cain complained that his punishment was too great, but the full sentence that would fall on anyone who committed Cain’s crime against him shows how gracious the Lord was to Cain. Cain deserved death (see 9:5-6). • The mark graciously provided protection following Cain’s judgment (cp. 3:21).”

“Therefore: Kg1 16:7; Psa 59:11; Hos 1:4; Mat 26:52 sevenfold: Gen 4:24; Lev 26:18, Lev 26:21, Lev 26:24, Lev 26:28; Psa 79:12; Pro 6:31 set a mark: etc. Or, rather, "gave a sign or token to Cain, that those who found him should not kill him." Eze 9:4, Eze 9:6; Rev 14:9, Rev 14:11 Genesis 4:16”

“Although Cain expressed not penitence, but fear of punishment, God displayed His long-suffering and gave him the promise, "Therefore ( not in the sense of , but because it was the case, and there was reason for his complaint) whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." , is cas. absolut. as in Gen 9:6; and avenged, i.e., resented, punished, as Exo 21:20-21. The mark which God put upon Cain is not to be regarded as a mark upon his body, as the Rabbins and others supposed, but as a certain sign which protected him from vengeance, though of what kind it is impossible to determine. God granted him continuance of life, not because banishment from the place of God's…”