Genesis 4:26

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Genesis 4:26 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “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.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

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.
Genesis 4:26 — American Standard Version

Context — Genesis 4

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
26And 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.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And to Seth, to him also there was born a son, etc.] When he was an hundred and five years old, (<010506>Genesis 5:6) and this is mentioned as a further proof and instance of God’s goodness to Adam’s family in this line, that there was a succession in it, where the true worship of God was kept, and from whence the Messiah was to arise, and as a pledge and confirmation of it: and he called his name Enos; which is generally interpreted a weak, feeble, frail, mortal, miserable man; which Seth being sensible of, and observing the sorrows of human life, and especially an increase of them among good men through the growing corruptions of the age, gave this name to his son; though it may be…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“men began to call upon the name of the Lord--rather, by the name of the Lord. God's people, a name probably applied to them in contempt by the world. Next: Genesis Chapter 5”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“- XX. Sheth 25. שׁת shēt, Sheth, “placed, put.” 26. אנישׁ 'enôsh, Enosh, “man, sickly.” בשׁם קרא qero' beshēm means, first, to call an object by its name Isaiah 40:26; Isaiah 43:1; Isaiah 45:3-4; second, to call an object by the name of another, who is the parent, leader, husband, owner Numbers 32:42; Judges 18:29; Psalms 49:12; Isaiah 43:7; Isaiah 44:5; Isaiah 48:1; Isaiah 65:1; third, to proclaim the name of Exodus 33:19; Exodus 35:5-6; fourth, to call upon the name of God, to address him by his proper name with an audible voice in the form of prayer. This is the most common meaning of the phrase. In this sense it is followed by Yahweh as the proper name of the true God among the…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“And to Seth was born a son called Enos, which is the general name for all men, and speaks the weakness, frailty, and misery of man's state. Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord - Doubtless God's name was called upon before, but now, 1. The worshippers of God began to stir up themselves to do more in religion than they had done; perhaps not more than had been done at first, but more than had been done since the defection of Cain. Now men began to worship God, not only in their closets and families, but in public and solemn assemblies. 2. 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…”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“4:26 Enosh means “humankind.” In the Old Testament, the term is often used in poetic texts that emphasize human mortality, frailty, and weakness (e.g., Ps 144:3, “mere mortals”). Enosh was born at the time when people began to worship the Lord by name (literally call on the name of the Lord). In Genesis, that meant calling on the name of the Lord through sacrifice and prayer (similar Hebrew terminology is found in Gen 12:8; 13:4; 21:33; 26:25).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“am 235, bc 3769 To him: Gen 4:6-8 Enos: Heb. Enosh, to call upon the name of the Lord. or, call themselves by the name of the Lord. Deu 26:17, Deu 26:18; Kg1 18:24; Psa 116:17; Isa 44:5, Isa 48:1, Isa 63:19; Jer 33:16; Joe 2:32; Zep 3:9; Act 2:21, Act 11:26; Rom 10:13; Co1 1:2; Eph 3:14, Eph 3:15 Next: Genesis Chapter 5 Sacred Texts | Bible Previous: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge: Genesis: Genesis Chapter 3 Index Next: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge: Genesis: Genesis Chapter 5”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“"To Seth, to him also ( , intensive, vid., Ges. 121, 3) there was born a son, and he called his name Enosh." , from to be weak, faint, frail, designates man from his frail and mortal condition (Psa 8:4; Psa 90:3; Psa 103:15, etc.). In this name, therefore, the feeling and knowledge of human weakness and frailty were expressed (the opposite of the pride and arrogance displayed by the Canaanitish family); and this feeling led to God, to that invocation of the name of Jehovah which commenced under Enos. , 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 (here and Gen 12:8; Gen 13:4, etc.); to God,…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification