Thank you for the question on Cain building his city, “Where did Cain get the people from to build his city which he named after his son?”
As one reads Genesis 4–5 about Cain, careful observation of the text helps us to understand of the people or descendants who built his city.
Here are some thoughts for one’s consideration:
A. It is like that Adam and Eve had daughters before they had their first son.
The reason for this viewpoint is the exclamation by Eve in the birth of their first born son.
Genesis 4:1 says this, “Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel” (NIV).
Eve states that it was with the help of the LORD God that she was able to conceive a man. This would imply that she had other birth(s) that were woman. If Cain was the first child, there wouldn’t be any need for her to state that she brought forth a man. This is a conjecture on my part, but it seems to be a reasonable one.
B. It is likely that Adam and Eve that daughters were born to them between Cain and Seth.
The text states that Adam and Eve having lived 130 years, she was able to have a son whom they named Seth.
Genesis 5:3 says this, “When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth. 4 After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 5 Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died” (NIV).
In between Abel and Seth, 130 years lapse. Is it possible that Adam and Eve were childless during those years? God’s command was for them to fill the earth. It is more likely that they would have more children than no children during this time period. In the 930 years of Adam’s live, he had other sons and daughters as a summary of his lineage.
C. Cain chose one of Adam and Eve’s daughters to be his wife.
The text does not state whether Cain was married before he killed Abel. Both of them were adults since they were able to work the fields and care for the animals. Furthermore the text is silent on the age of Cain and Abel when Cain killed Abel.
After Cain kills Abel, he leaves the Garden of Eden to the land of Nod, east of Eden. The text states Cain lay with his wife, and she gave birth to Enoch.
Genesis 4 says this, “Cain made love to 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. 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” (NIV).
The text states that Cain had a son, Enoch. As part of his banishment, Cain was to be a wanderer. Fearing for his life, he decided to build a protective place for himself and his family.
The translator interprets the Hebrew word as being city. It can also mean settlement. Since Seth was born when Adam and Eve were 130 years old, this would mean that Cain was mature enough to have children. The text is silent as to when Cain had his first son, Enoch.
If Adam lived to 930, it is likely that Cain also lived near that age. In his lifetime, he had other sons and daughters, grand children and great, great children. As one reads the text, it gives a summary of one’s life. Cain was among the first to build a settlement or city. The term, city, does not necessarily mean high wall with large buildings with a water and sewage system. Cain lived in a virgin land where few had traveled before. He decided to settle in one location instead of moving from place to place. This way he could fend off attackers and protect his family and livestock.
Just as Adam and Eve had Cain and Abel divided the work in the Garden, so Cain had his children worked the land and the livestock. The only difference was that his children built a settlement. It was not an open area of living, but an enclosed one. As more children were born to Cain and through his grand children, the plot of land expanded whereby his children and grandchildren lived near him. It became a “city” in one location where people knew where Cain lived. It was his children who build the settlement. Cain didn’t name it after himself but after his son, Enoch.
Additionally, it is unclear as the years transpired whether other children of Adam and Eve with their descendants join the community of Cain.
SUMMARY: The children of Cain helped build the settlement (city) of Enoch.
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