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.
GENESIS 4:26KJVWhat does Genesis 4:26 mean?
Genesis 4:26 records that after Seth’s son Enos was born, people began to “call upon the name of the LORD.” This marks a point in early human history when people started to publicly worship or seek God by name.
In the story, this verse comes after the account of Cain and Abel, and it introduces Seth’s family line. The phrase about calling on the LORD suggests a new or renewed practice of worship, possibly in contrast to the violence and wandering described earlier. The focus is on a turning point where people began to identify themselves with the LORD (Yahweh) in a more open or communal way.
The Hebrew behind Genesis 4:26
- “LORD” is יְהוָה (YHWH, transliterated Yahweh), the personal name for God in the Hebrew Bible. Its use here shows that people were not just praying in general, but specifically addressing the God known by this name.
- “Call” is קָרָא (qara), which often means to call out, proclaim, or invoke. In this context, it carries the sense of making God’s name known or seeking Him in worship, not just speaking His name privately.
- “Men” is חָלַל (chalal), but in this verse, it is used in a form that means “began” or “commenced.” This signals that this was the start of a new practice among people, not something that had always been happening.
Why Genesis 4:26 matters
- Genesis 4:26 clarifies that public worship of the LORD began with the generation of Seth’s son, marking a shift in how people related to God after the earlier stories of sin and violence.
- The verse highlights a contrast between the descendants of Cain and Seth, suggesting a line of people who intentionally sought out and identified with God.
- This verse sets the stage for later developments in Genesis, where the idea of calling on God’s name becomes a key marker of faith and relationship with Him.