4:17-18 - Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. 18To 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.
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V17 is infamous for the obvious difficulty it raises. Even young Sunday School children can see the problem almost immediately, "But where did Cain get his wife from?" It is possible, even seemingly wise, but not helpful to dodge the question and advise that we simply do not know and should not speculate. If we do this, however, we have to keep on dodging because many such difficult questions will arise not only in the early chapter of Genesis, but also in the rest of the Bible. Dodging is, therefore, neither a wise nor satisfactory way to live our life of faith. It reflects mental laziness, but it also leaves big holes in our understanding of Scriptures; it is not something that augurs well for those who love God and seek to do His will. These difficult questions cannot, however, be resolved, even if only tentatively, without importing—either openly, honestly (and risking severe criticism in doing so) or clandestinely—some theory or suppositions that cannot be substantiated objectively. Here only the wisdom of God, and Occam's Razor, can guide us. I do provide my take on this question of human origin, but the explanation will be long and involved. I suggest you do not distract yourself at this point but work your way through the rest of this passage before you click on the link below.
Cain named his son Enoch, and the city he was then establishing after his son. The name is derived from a word which, in the verbal form, speaks of "inauguration," "starting something new/anew." These actions are, therefore, laden with suggestions of—and reflective of Cain's hope for—a new beginning, despite his terrifying past. Does the fact that a man condemned to life of a restless wander should start beginning a city smell of rebellion still?
The account continues, passing quickly through six generations without comments until we come to the last of Cain's descendants to be recorded, Lamech—he will also bring the account of Cain's line to a close in the next paragraph. Irad, Mehujael, and Methushael are found only here in the Bible, and we know nothing more of them than the bare facts of their existence, and nothing of significance can also be squeezed out of the possible meanings of their names. But their presence in this genealogy—like all seemingly meaningless names in genealogies everywhere in the Bible—do serve important purposes. What these purposes are, however, can only be teased out from their place within the larger context of the section—in this case, the pre-patriarchal narratives—in which they are found. Here, in recording the names of these descendants of Cain, the author was, first, faithful to his sources, in as far as he was able to ascertain. These names also attest to an important fact of life portrayed in the Bible. Not everyone shines—whether famously or infamously—nor should we expect them to (including our own children). "The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm; his own hands to use, not the hands of others to command" sums up the wish of most people as it summed up Sam Gamgee's heartfelt aspiration (J. R. R. Tolkien, Lord of the Ring: The Return of the King).
Not everyone shines
—whether famously or infamously—
nor should we expect them to.
This includes our own children.
Second—and this is important for our theological synthesis later—this account of Cain speaks a great deal about killing (harag, 5x) but nothing about dying. Cain, we are told, killed Abel but nowhere is Abel's death explicitly mentioned even where the word is appropriate. In contrast, in the genealogy in the next chapter, it is explicitly said of every member in the list that "he died" (8x). In omitting this mention of death, the author is saying, with subtlety that would have been natural to anyone familiar with the Hebrew style, that God's grace prevailed even for a family most un-deserving of it. They lived who killed from the first to the last of the seven generations. Eventually, however, the camel's back must break. Until then, grace prevails.
This account of Cain speaks
a great deal about killing
but nothing about dying.
In omitting this mention of death,
the author is saying that
God's grace prevailed
even for a family
most un-deserving of it.
J. R. R. Tolkien captured the wisdom of this truth in The Lord of the Ring: The Fellowship of the Ring. Discovering Gollum's nefarious past, Frodo was indignant. "He deserves death," he demanded. "Deserves it! I daresay he does," replies Gandalf. "Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends." God is, of course, more than 'very wise.' More than that, He is full of grace. What glory!
Low Chai Hok
©Alberith, 2016