The Sons of Cain
A Devotional Series from Genesis
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4/23 Reading Portions: Leviticus 27; Psalm 34; Ecclesiastes 10; Titus 2
Genesis 4:18-24
To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. 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. If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.”
GENEALOGY
More than likely, these were not the only sons of Cain. Except for Lamech, we have names with no details, not even their ages, as will be given the descendants of Adam until Noah in Genesis Chapter Five. Beginning with Cain, this lineage goes from bad to worse, from murder to mayhem. In Cain’s case, and in the case of his progeny, not only have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23), but by the time the generations of Cain come to Lamech, his life may very well coincide with the days of Noah, or at least very near to those days when the corruptions on the planet have reached their worse, as it is written:
The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:5
The genealogy of Cain had grown so bad that Lamech felt he had no need of God whatsoever—he had two wives, he had a son tended livestock, another son who entertained him with music, and a third son who forged metal instruments. Moreover, he was a murderer, and according to some expositors, Lamech may have been twice the murderer that Cain was, slaying a man and a young man. But to top it all off, whereas Cain received mercy from God, protecting him against anyone who would seek vengeance for Abel’s murder, Lamech presumes to take the place of God, pronouncing his own justice himself.
But the evil in the world did not start with Lamech. Men were profaning God Almighty since the days of Seth’s son, Enosh, as we will see in the last verse of this chapter (Gen 4:26). Stay tuned.