Genesis 4:17. And Cain, &c.— It is evident from this verse, how brief the narration of Moses is, how he passes over time, and connects events of many years distance. For it is plain, that several years must have passed from the exile of Cain to his building this city. He chose rather to call it after his son's name than his own, probably because of the odium under which he lay. read more
17-22. builded a city—It has been in cities that the human race has ever made the greatest social progress; and several of Cain's descendants distinguished themselves by their inventive genius in the arts. read more
B. What became of the creation 2:4-4:26Moses described what happened to the creation by recording significant events in the Garden of Eden, the murder of Abel, and the family of Cain."The section begins with a description of the creation of Adam and Eve and traces their sin, God’s curse on sin, and the expansion of sin in their descendants. No longer at rest, mankind experienced flight and fear, making his way in the world, surviving, and developing civilization. As if in answer to the... read more
The descendants of Cain 4:17-24"By virtue of being Cain’s descendants, the people named in the genealogy all inherit his curse. Thus the Cainite genealogy becomes part of the Yahwist’s account of man’s increasing sin." [Note: R. R. Wilson, Genealogy and History in the Biblical World, p. 155.] Cain’s wife (Genesis 4:17) was evidently one of his sisters or nieces (cf. Genesis 5:4). God did not prohibit marrying siblings and close relatives until the Mosaic Law."Because harmful mutations so... read more
3. The spread of civilization and sin 4:17-26Cain prospered even though he rebelled against God. This is another indication of God’s grace. Cain’s descendants took the lead in building cities, developing music, advancing agriculture, creating weapons, and spreading civilization. However the descendants of Seth made an even more important advance, the worship of God. read more
Cain and Abel. The Descendants of CainThe narrative, which forms part of the Primitive document, impressively shows how sin, having once appeared, became hereditary in the human race, and speedily developed into its most revolting form. Its details enable us to see how jealousy, when indulged, leads to hatred and murder, and violates not only the ties of humanity but those of family affection; how the sinner casts off all regard for the truth and for his natural obligations; how progress in sin... read more
CAIN AND HIS DESCENDANTS.(17) Cain knew his wife.—As Jehovah had told Eve that He would “greatly multiply her conception” (Genesis 3:16), we cannot doubt but that a numerous offspring had grown up in the 130 years that intervened between the birth of Cain and that of Seth, the substitute for Abel. As a rule, only the eldest son is mentioned in the genealogies, and Abel’s birth is chronicled chiefly because of his tragical end, leading to the enactment of the merciful law which followed and to... read more
Genesis 4:0 'Marriage, which has been the bourne of so many narratives, is still a great beginning, or it was to Adam and Eve, who kept their honeymoon in Eden, but had their first little one among the thorns and thistles of the wilderness. It is still the beginning of the home epic the gradual conquest or irremediable loss of that complete union which makes the advancing years a climax, and age the harvest of sweet memories in common.' George Eliot, Middlemarch. Cain and Abel Genesis 4:3-5... read more
CAIN AND ABELGenesis 4:1-26IT is not the purpose of this narrator to write the history of the world. It is not his purpose to write even the history of mankind. His object is to write the history of redemption. Starting from the broad fact of man’s alienation from God, he means to trace that element in human history which results in the perfect re-union of God and man. The keynote has been struck in the promise already given that the seed of the woman should prevail over the seed of the... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 4:17
"And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bare Enoch: he builded a city and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.""He builded a city ..." according to Aalders, should be translated "He was building a city."[22] There is no record of his having completed the city mentioned here. The fanciful notion that Cain built some magnificent metropolis should be summarily rejected. The city that he built, or was trying to build, was probably nothing more than a stronghold base... read more