Genesis 4:26

Gen. 4:26. "And to Seth, to him also," etc. The right translation probably is, "Then began men to call by the name of the Lord," or "in the name of the Lord," - i.e., then they began to call themselves and their children by or in His name, signifying that then the people of God, - of whom Seth was the principal man, and, as it were, their head leader and chief priest, being with his posterity appointed another seed (seed or generation of God) instead of Abel, - I say, then the people of God, openly to distinguish themselves from the wicked apostate world of the posterity of Cain and those that joined with them, began to appear in a visibly distinct society, being called the children of God, when the others were called the children of men. The children and posterity were looked upon as being in the name of the father and upholding his name. See Numbers 27:4; Deuteronomy 9:14; Deuteronomy 25:7; 1 Samuel 24:21; 2 Samuel 14:7; 2 Samuel 18:18; Ruth 4:5; Job 18:17; Isaiah 14:22; Genesis 48:16, compared with Numbers 6:27. On the birth of Enos, it probably first began to be a custom for parents openly to dedicate their children to God and call them by His name, and, as it were, insert them into His name by bringing them to the place of public worship, the transaction being performed by the parents' solemn declaration and covenant, attended with prayer and sacrifice. See Pool, Synop. in loc.