Legacy of Cain – Genesis 4:17-24

Wikipedia defines a city as “a large human settlement. It can be defined as a permanent and densely settled place with administratively defined boundaries whose members work primarily on non-agricultural tasks.”  Cain was severed from his agricultural work by a judgment from God for killing his brother, and became, as far as we know, the first founder of a city.  Wikipedia continues: “Historically, city-dwellers have been a small proportion of humanity overall, but following two centuries of unprecedented and rapid urbanization, more than half of the world population now lives in cities, which has had profound consequences for global sustainability.”  The apostle Paul used cities strategically as spreaders of the gospel, founding churches in cities that effectively evangelized and planted churches throughout the surrounding communities.

17 Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wives:  “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say:  I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me.  24 If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.” (Genesis 4:17–24, ESV)

This is the first mention in Scripture of the city.  There is nothing inherently evil about a city, even though the idea of it came from an offspring of the serpent, Cain.  And though we might expect Cain, as a very self-centered person, to name the city after himself, he did not, but named it after his son.

The legacy of Cain, besides being a murderer, is the city and his offspring and their accomplishments.  One particular offspring was Lamech, who affords us the first mention of polygamy, a departure from God’s idea of marriage as one man, one woman.  It is a sign of his importance and his inflated ego that he has more than one wife, and in his arrogance he boasts that if his ancestor Cain was to be avenged sevenfold should he be killed, he, Lamech, would be avenged seventy-fold just for being wounded.

A more beneficial legacy is left in the accomplishments of Cain’s descendants, Jabal, father of tent dwellers (nomads) and livestock development, Jubal, father of lyre and pipe players, and Tubal-cain, forger of instruments made of bronze and iron.  These represent the various kinds of technological development and artistic development.  Each is a critical contribution to the welfare of human beings.  Presumably each taught others how to do what they did, handing down knowledge that could be built upon.  We need each of these kinds of knowledge and so the Bible celebrates the accomplishments of each inventor.

Mankind is doing both poorly and well.  Because man is made in God’s image, he has the creativity and power to subdue the earth.  Because man is a sinner, he is very accomplished at ruining the gifts God has given us.