Genesis 4:17-26

Genesis 4:17-26

Last time we summarized and covered Gen 4:1-16. To review we noted these verses to be a picture of the contrast between believers and unbelievers. We made the following observations:

1. Unbelievers and Believers start off the same, vs 1-2.
2. Unbelievers offer Unacceptable worship, Believers Acceptable worship, vs 3-5a.
3. Unbelievers Resent Believers, vs 5b.
4. Unbelievers Reject the Word, vs 6-8.
5. Unbelievers Resent the Word, vs 9.
6. Unbelievers are ultimately Indicted by God, vs 10.
7. Unbelievers are ultimately judged by God, vs 11-12.
8. Unbelievers will protest Divine Judgement, vs 13-15.
9. Unbelievers live apart from God, vs 16.

Before we get to the rest of the chapter, Let’s review the fourfold judgment on Cain;

1. He was driven from the land (14a). The land will no longer yield crops for Cain (4:12). His days of being a farmer are over.
2. He will be cut off from God’s presence (4:14b). Cain understands God has now ceased relationship with him. He will be separated from God from this point on.
3. He will be a wanderer (4:14c). As Cain can no longer make a living from the ground, he is now forced to be a gatherer.
4. He will fear for his life (4:14d). By this time there are other people about and Cain fears for his life.

God places a mark on Cain and so he leaves and moves to Nod (which means wandering) east of Eden.

Today in vs 17-26 we will see there is a contrast between two families that become two cultures. One family is centered on God and initiates sacred culture, while the other is worldly and unspiritual, therefore initiating secular culture. In fact, these two families /cultures exist today and in reality, are the only two families or cultures in the world, the family and culture of Satan and the family and culture of God, and it is in these verses that we see their origin. Col 1:13 picks up this theme for Paul states, for he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the son he loves.

Every cultural clash in the world today can be explained by the conflict between these two families and their respective cultural values. We can say this because the WOG governs one while the other is not. You see, for us to be governed by the Bible is not a problem but for the family of Satan it is a big problem. Life would be simpler and far less complex without it. There would be no conflict over pornography, homosexuality, false religion, gender identity, polygamy, pedophilia, divorce, adultery, or any number of sins it were not for the Bible.

Cain’s Descendants, The start of Secular Culture, vs 17-24

We now come upon this genealogical section concerning Cain’s descendants. There are seven generations listed and we start with verse 17a.

Vs 17a, Cain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch.

One may ask where did Cain get his wife? Gen 5:4 tells us Adam and Eve had “other sons and daughters” so Cain’s wife could be his sister, or niece, we are not told. Cain becomes the father of Enoch which in Hebrew, means dedication.

Vs 17b, Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch.

We now come to vs 17b which tells us Cain started to build a city. Note God’s command in Gen 1:28 to Adam and Eve had been to multiply and fill the earth. This implies a going forth. In Gen 4:14 God had cursed the soil which Cain would work so had banished him to a life of wandering. But now Cain is no longer wandering. He is settling, in direct disobedience to the general command of Gen 1:28 and the specific command of Gen 4:14. In Hebrew the phrase building a city is in the form he was building a city which implies that he stopped. In other words the idea is that Cain disobeyed God’s command to wander and began to build a city. He then stops for an unnamed reason. We are then told that he names the city after his son Enoch. The idea here is that Enoch took over the construction. Did God force Cain out? We are not told.

Vs 18, To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.

Irad means city man. So Enoch finished this city and raised his son there. Irad was the father of Mehujael which means God makes me live, indicating there is still some God consciousness. Mehujael is the father of Methushael, which means man of God. Methushael was the father of Lamech, which means powerful, who is discussed in verses 19-24.

Vs 19, Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 

This is the first recorded case of polygamy in the Bible. Adah means adorned or ornament while Zillah means shady, twinkling, or tingling. Because of the two name meanings, the rabbinic view of the verse is that Adah was used for child bearing while Zillah was used for sexual pleasure. In any event they each bore Lamech children as we see in verse 20-22.

Vs 20-21, Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. ²¹ His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes. 

In verses 20-21 we have the sons of Adah, Jabal and Jubal. The root of Jabal’s name means to yield or produce. While his predecessor Irad was a city man, Jabal is a wanderer who lives in tents and raises livestock. Livestock here has an expansive meaning of cattle, sheep, donkeys, and camels.

The root of Jubal’s name also means to yield or produce and is also used as the root word for jubilee. As the one son yields shepherds and animal husbandry, the other yields musicians who developed stringed instruments and the pipes, which means wind instruments.

So, in summary: Jabal gives rise to animal husbandry. Jubal to music and instruments.

Vs 22, Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of^[g] bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.

Verse 22 details Zillah’s children, Tubal-Cain, and Naamah. The root for Tubal is the same root for Jabal and Jubal, again which means to yield or produce. This son yields metal working. His sister, Naamah, means graceful and gorgeous. Typically a sister was not mentioned in a genealogical line so for Naamah to be mentioned must have had significance but we are not told what, other than she was beautiful.

Verses 23- 24 records the song of Lamach (also called the song of the sword). It is a Hebrew poem with three couplets. In each couplet the second line parallels the first. The first couplet is in vs 23.

Vs 23a, Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words.

Note in the second phrase, the wives of Lamech parallel Adah and Zillah in the first phrase, while hear my words parallels listen to me.

Vs 23b, I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me.

Again, note the parallel between I have killed a man and a young man; and for wounding me and for injuring me.

Vs 24, If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.”

Lastly, there is a parallel between Cain is avenged seven times and Lamech seventy -seven times.

What is going on here? Lamech is boasting to his wives that he got into a fight and a young man wounded him. In response, Lamech killed him. He then says if anyone comes after him, he will impose vengeance ten times greater than what God had promised to do to someone who would hurt Cain.

While Cain had appealed to God for protection, Lamech boasts of his own strength and security. Lamech preaches to avenge Seventy seven times while Jesus teaches us to forgive seventy seven times (see Mt 18:21-22). The take away is that Lamech is trusting and resting in his own abilities and strength.

As we finish with Cain’s line a few observations can be made.

1. We see by this time in human history there has been both the development of cities (Cain, Enoch, Irad) and nomadic peoples (Jabal).
2. There is an evolving differentiation of skills; animal husbandry, music, metallurgy, and poetry.
3. Polygamy is introduced, which will become prominent in the years to come.
4. There is an increasing pattern of sin from Cain to Lamech, who no longer appeals to God for anything, violates the model of marriage, and boasts of his own strength and prowess.
5. In Jude 11, while discussing false prophets, Jude states they have taken the way of Cain. What is that way?

It is bringing to God the fruit of your own righteousness in order to gain merit.

It is rejecting both the Word of God and the people of God.

And that rejection causes resentment and anger against both.

Which leads to a world view of blame, self-pity, and a failure to take responsibility for your actions.

The Line of Seth, the start of Sacred Culture, vs 25-26.

Vs 25, Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth,saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.

The narrative now shifts focus to another child whom Eve names Seth. Notice Eve names him which shows she, as Adams wife, shared in the authority of the home. The name Seth, means appointed but comes from a root meaning foundation. Eve recognizes that this new child will be a foundation upon which a new line will be established since Abel’s line ended with Abel. The line can be read, “God appointed me a new foundation whom I have named Seth.” In Gen 5:4 we will note Adam and Eve go on to have many other sons and daughters, but Eve recognizes it is this child to whom the seed promised in Gen 3:15 will come.

Vs 26a, Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh.

This verse is given to indicate that Seth’s line goes on. The emphasis at the end of verse 25 is that Cain killed Abel. Abel’s line ended. But Moses wants us to know Seth’s line is just beginning. Enosh means frail man. It is a reminder that our days and lives are fragile. Abel’s life was fragile and so are we all, but God’s purposes will be done. As Ps 103:14-16 notes, for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. ¹⁵ The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; ¹⁶ the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

Vs 26b, At that time people began to call on^[i] the name of the Lord.

The chapter (and this first toldot) ends with the observation that this family line sought God. The verse implies seeking Him in It is in marked contrast to the line of Cain.

Weirsbe notes the following, “As the Cainites were gradually wandering away from the true worship of God, the Sethites were returning to Him (v. 26) and establishing again their worship of the Lord. Civilization today is Cainite in origin. It has such elements as agriculture, industry, arts, great cities, and religion without faith in the blood of Christ. Also, like Cain’s civilization of old, it will be destroyed. We still have boasting murderers like Lamech, and we still have people (like Lamech) who violate the sacred vows of marriage. Men still reject divine revelation and depend on their own human resources. The true Christian does not belong to this “world system” that is passing away (1 Jn 2:15-17), and should not get involved with it (Rm 12:1-2, 2 Cor 6:14-7:1).

A few things and themes to take away from this first toldot.

1. Men and Women are made in the image of God, (physically, morally, rationally, spiritually).
2. They are to equally share dominion over the earth.
3. But in doing so they have different functional roles (the complementarian view).
4. Sin caused both short term (eyes opened, saw they were naked, sewed fig leaves, hid) and long term consequences (the judgment on the serpent, Satan, the woman, the man, and creation).
5. God still pursued man in spite of our sin and gave a promise of redemption.
6. But we have to live with our choices—so Adam and Eve get expelled from the garden.
7. Their first born son, Cain, becomes a murderer.
8. We see two lines of peoples and culture developing, one Secular—which gives us cities, technological advancements, but also increasing sin–polygamy, prideful boasting, and independence from God, and one Godly from which we will get the Savior of the world.

! will share two more things that are interesting. The first is a quote from Fructenbaum’s commentary on Genesis regarding this first toldot and the number seven.

“The name Abel appears seven times. The name Cain appears fourteen times, which is two times seven. The references to “brother” in pronoun form (your, his mine), also appear seven times. Cain is to be avenged seven times. Lamech is to avenged seventy times seven. There are seven generations from Adam to Lamech. All names listed in Cain’s family, counting parents and sisters, total fourteen, which is two times seven. The word “name” appears seven times. By combing Gen 2-4 the word land is found seven times. The word field is found seven times and the word ground is found seven times. The combined usage of Adonai and Elohim, or Jehovah and God, appear thirty five times, which is five times seven. In chapters 1-5, the combined usage of Adonai and Elohim appear seventy times, which is ten times seven. All this shows that this record is not a combination of records inscribed together by an anonymous redactor, but by a divinely inspired singular author.”

The last thing to note are some NT references to events noted in these chapters.

1. The blood of Abel is referred to by Jesus in Mt 23:35 and Luke 11:51. In both instances it becomes a type for the persecution and martyrdom of righteous believers. It also becomes a type for Jesus’s blood in Heb 12:24.
2. In Heb 11:4, The offering of Abel is noted to be by faith, becoming a type of how we are to approach God.
3. Cain becomes a type for Satan in 1 Jn 3:7-12.
4. In Jude 11, Cain also becomes a type for the way of false prophets.

This ends our discussion of the first toldot. Next time we will start the second toldot, the Line of Adam, noted in Gen 5:1-6:8.