“And Cain went out from the face of the Lord, and dwelt as a fugitive on the earth at the east side of Eden.”
“Egressusque Cain a facie Domini, habitavit profugus in terra ad orientalem plagam Eden.”
“And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.”
“So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.”
“Cain left Yahweh’s presence, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.”
“And Cain went out from the presence of Jehovah, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.”
A fugitive, according to his sentence. Hebrew nod, which the Septuagint have taken for a proper name. “In the land of Naid, over against Eden,” (Haydock) or in the fields of Nyse, in Hyrcania, to the east of Eden and Armenia. (Calmet)
I. He tamely submitted to that part of his sentence by which he was hidden from God's face; for (v. 16) he went out from the presence of the Lord, that is, he willingly renounced God and religion, and was content to forego its privileges, so that he might not be under its precepts. He forsook Adam's family and altar, and cast off all pretensions to the fear of God, and never came among good people, nor attended on God's ordinances, any more. Note, hypocritical professors, that have dissembled and trifled with God Almighty, are justly left to themselves, to do something that is grossly scandalous, and so to throw off that form of godliness to which they have been a reproach, and under colour of which they have denied the power of it. Cain went out now from the presence of the Lord, and we never find that he came into it again, to his comfort. Hell is destruction from the presence of the Lord, 2 Thess 1 9. It is a perpetual banishment from the fountain of all good. This is the choice of sinners; and so shall their doom be, to their eternal confusion.
Verses 16-18 Cain cast off all fear of God, and attended no more on God's ordinances. Hypocritical professors, who dissemble and trifle with God, are justly left to themselves to do something grossly scandalous. So they throw off that form of godliness to which they have been a reproach, and of which they deny the power. Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and we never find that he came into it again, to his comfort. The land Cain dwelt in was called the land of Nod, which means, 'shaking,' or 'trembling,' and so shows the restlessness and uneasiness of his own spirit, or 'the land of a vagabond:' they that depart from God cannot find rest any where else. Those on earth who looked for the heavenly city, chose to dwell in tabernacles or tents; but Cain, as not minding that city, built one on earth. Thus all who are cursed of God seek their settlement and satisfaction here below.
“And when they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in paradise at the afternoon air, Adam and his wife hid themselves from the face of the Lord God, amidst the trees of paradise.”
“Behold thou dost cast me out this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face I shall be hid, and I shall be a vagabond and a fugitive on the earth: every one therefore that findeth me, shall kill me.”