Génesis 4:26 Midrash: Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Bereshit Rabbah, Midrash Tanchuma & Midrash Tanchuma Buber

(Exodus 15:1) "Az yashir Mosheh": Az ("then") sometimes signals the past and sometimes signals the future. The past: (Genesis 4:26) "Az men began", (Exodus 4:26) "Az she said", (Exodus 15:1) "Az Moses sang", (Numbers 21:17) "Az Israel sang", (Joshua 10:12) "Az Joshua spoke", (I Chronicles 15:2) "Az David said", (I Kings 8:12) "Az Solomon said." And sometimes "Az" signals the future, viz.: Isaiah 60:5) "Az you will see and flow", (Ibid. 58:8) "Az your light shall break forth as the morning", "Then there shall be opened", (Ibid. 35:6) "Az the lame man shall leap as a hart", (Ibid. 5) (Jeremiah 31:12) "Az the virgin will rejoice in the dance", (Psalms 126:2) "Az our mouth will be filled with laughter", (Ibid.) "Az they will say among the nations."

Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon interpreted the verses regarding the generations. “The earth was emptiness and disorder” – this is Adam the first man, who became oblivion and nothingness. “And disorder” – this is Cain, who sought to restore the world to emptiness and disorder. “And darkness” – this is the generation of Enosh,³They profaned God’s name (Genesis 4:26; Bereshit Rabba 23:7). based on the verse: “Their actions are in the dark and they say: Who sees us and who knows of us?” (Isaiah 29:15). “Upon the face of the depths” – this is the generation of the Flood, as it is stated: “On that day all the wellsprings of the great depths were breached” (Genesis 7:11). “And the spirit [ruaḥ] of God was hovering over the surface of the water” – based on the verse: “God passed a wind [ruaḥ] over the earth” (Genesis 8:1).⁴Ruaḥ, too is an allusion to the Flood. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Until when will the world conduct itself in darkness?⁵In the darkness of idol worship. Let some light come.’ “God said: Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3) – this is Abraham. That is what is written [regarding Abraham]: “Who roused [he’ir] righteousness from the east?” (Isaiah 41:2). Do not read it as he’ir,⁶Spelled with an ayin, meaning roused. but rather, he’ir.⁷Spelled with an alef, meaning illuminated.
“God called the light, Day, and the darkness, He called Night. It was evening and it was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5).
“God called the light, Day” – this is Jacob. “And the darkness, He called Night” – this is Esau. “It was evening” – this is Esau; “and it was morning” – this is Jacob. “It was evening” – the evening of Esau;⁸The period of Esau’s waning power. “and it was morning” – the morning of Jacob.⁹The period of Jacob’s rising power. “One day” – as it is stated: “There will be one day, it will be known to the Lord, that is not day and not night…” (Zechariah 14:7).¹⁰This is an allusion to the ultimate redemption, when Jacob’s ascendance over Esau will be asserted. Alternatively, “one day” – which the Holy One blessed be He provided him. Which is that? It is Yom Kippur.¹¹Even in this world there is one day when there is light for Jacob and darkness for the forces of evil.

R. Yossi says: Why "other gods"? Not to give a pretext to the nations of the world to say: If they were called by His name, they would be effectual. Behold, they were called by His name and they remained ineffectual! And when were they called by His name? In the days of Enosh the son of Sheth, viz. (Genesis 4:26) "Then (men and images) were called profanely in the name of the L–rd, (being rendered deities)" — whereupon Oceanus rose and flooded a third of the world, the L–rd, as it were, telling them: You did a new thing and "called"; I, too, shall do a new thing and I shall "call" (to the waters of the sea), as it is written (Amos 5:8) "He 'calls' the waters of the sea, etc."