Albert Barnes Commentary Genesis 4:17-24

"And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methushael; and Methushael begat Lamech. And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents and [have] cattle. And his brother`s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and pipe. And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. And Lamech said unto his wives: Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: For I have slain a man for wounding me, And a young man for bruising me: If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold." — Genesis 4:17-24 (ASV)

1. חניך ch^enôk — Chanok, “initiation, instruction.”
2. עירד ‛ı̂yrād, ‘Irad, “fleet as the wild ass, citizen.” מחוּיאל m^echûya'el — Mechujael, “smitten of ‘El, or life of ‘El.” מתוּשׁאל m^etûshā'ēl — Methushael, “man of ‘El, or man asked.” למך lāmek — Lemek, “man of prayer, youth.”
3. עדה 'ādâh — ‘Adah, “beauty.” צלה tsı̂lâh — Tsillah, “shade or tinkling.”
4. יבל yābāl — Jabal, “stream, leader of cattle, produce, the walker or wanderer.” אהל 'ohel (plural: אהלים 'ohālı̂ym for אהלים 'ăhālı̂ym) means “tent, awning, covering”; this covering of goats’ hair was placed over the poles or timbers that constituted the original booth, the סכה sŭkâh.
5. יוּבל yûbāl — Jubal, “player on an instrument?”
6. תוּבל־קין tûbal-qayı̂n, Tubal-qain, “brass-smith?” The scion or son of the lance. נעמה na‛ămâh — Na’amah, “pleasant, lovely.”

Mankind is now formally divided into two branches: those who still abide in the presence of God, and those who have fled to a distance from Him. Distinguishing names will soon be given to these according to their outward profession and practice (Genesis 6:1). The momentous distinction according to the inner spiritual state has already been given in the terms: the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent.

Cain is not unaccompanied in his banishment. A wife, at least, is the partner of his exile. And soon a son is born to him. He was building a city at the time of this birth. The city is a keep or fort, enclosed with a wall for the defense of all who dwell within. The building of the city is the erection of this wall or barricade. Here we find the motive of fear and self-defense still ruling Cain. His hand has been imbrued in a brother’s blood, and he expects every man’s hand will be against him (Genesis 4:17).

He calls his son Henok (Enoch), and his city after the name of his son. The same word is employed as a name in the lines of Seth (Genesis 5:18), of Midian (Genesis 25:4), and of Reuben (Genesis 46:9). It signifies dedication or initiation and, in the present case, seems to indicate a new beginning of social existence, or a consciousness of initiative or inventive power, which necessity and self-reliance called forth particularly in himself and his family.

It appears, from the flocks kept by Habel, the fear of persons meeting and slaying the murderer, the marriage and family of Cain, and the beginning of a city, that a considerable time had elapsed since the fall. The wife of Cain was of necessity his sister, though this was forbidden in later times, for wise and holy reasons, when the necessity no longer existed.

The names in this verse seem to denote, respectively: fleet as a wild ass, stricken by God, man of prayer, and youth. They indicate a mingling of thoughts and motives in people’s minds, in which the word אל 'el, “mighty,” as a name of God occurs. This name is a common noun, signifying hero or potentate, and also power or might, and is transferred to God as “the Potentate,” or “Almighty One” (Genesis 4:18).

It is distinguished from אלהים 'ĕlohı̂ym, “God,” since they are put in apposition (Joshua 22:22); and it seems to be properly an epithet applied to God by way of pre-eminence. The designation, “stricken of the Mighty,” is a recognition of the divine power. “The man of prayer,” or “asking,” may also have reference to an act of worship.

Among these higher thoughts, we also find a value put upon youth and physical superiority, such as the fleetness of the wild ass. This is all we can learn from these imperfectly understood names.

This is the first record and probably the first instance of polygamy. The names of the two wives, Adah, “beauty,” and Zillah, “shade or tinkling,” seem to refer to the charms which attracted Lamek. Superabundance of wealth and power perhaps led Lamek to multiply wives (Genesis 4:19).

Genesis 4:20 marks the first notice of the tent and of cattle. The tent was the thin shining and shading canvas of goats’ hair, which was placed over the poles or timbers that constituted the original booth. Over time, it would supplant the branches and foliage of the booth as a covering from the sun or the wind. The cattle are designated by a word denoting property, as being chattels personal, and consisting chiefly of sheep and oxen.

The idea of property had now been practically realized. The Cainites were now prosperous and numerous, and therefore released from that suspicious fear which originated the fortified keep of their progenitor. The sons of Jabal rove over the common with their tents and cattle, undismayed by imaginary terrors.

Here is the invention of musical instruments in their two leading varieties: the harp and the pipe. This implies the previous taste for music and song. It seems not unlikely that Zillah, the mother of Jubal, was a daughter of song. The fine arts follow in the train of the useful. All this indicates the easy circumstances in which the Cainites now found themselves (Genesis 4:21).

The three names Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal are formed from a root signifying “to flow, run, go forth,” perhaps “blow,” from which comes יובל yôbēl, the “blast” or trumpet-note of joy and release. Accordingly, all sorts of going forth that were suitable to the life of a nomad seem to have distinguished this family. The addition of Cain to the name of Tubal may have been a memorial of his ancestor or an indication of his pursuit. Tubal of the spear or lance may have been his familiar designation (Genesis 4:22).

The making of tents implies some skill in carpentry, and also in spinning and weaving. The working in brass and iron furnishes implements for war, hunting, or husbandry. The construction of musical instruments shows considerable refinement in carving and molding wood. Naamah, the lovely, seems to be mentioned on account of her personal charms.

In this fragment of ancient song, we have Lamek, under the strong excitement of having slain a man in self-defense, reciting to his wives the deed, and at the same time comforting them and himself with the assurance that if Cain the murderer would be avenged sevenfold, he, the manslayer in self-defense, would be avenged seventy and sevenfold. This short ode has all the characteristics of the most perfect Hebrew poetry. Every pair of lines is a specimen of the Hebrew parallelism or rhythm of sentiment and style (Genesis 4:23–24).

They all belong to the synthetic, synonymous, or cognate parallel, the second member reiterating with emphasis the first. Here we observe that Lamek was a poet; one of his wives was probably a songstress, and the other had a taste for ornament. One daughter was the lovely, and three sons were the inventors of most of the arts which sustain and embellish life. This completes the picture of this remarkable family.

It has been noticed that the inventive powers were more largely developed in the line of Cain than in that of Sheth. And it has been suggested that the worldly character of the Cainites accounts for this. The Shethites contemplated the higher things of God, and therefore paid less attention to the practical arts of life. The Cainites, on the other hand, had not God in their thoughts, and therefore paid more attention to the requisites and comforts of the present life.

But besides this, the Cainites, penetrating into the unknown tracts of this vast common, were compelled by circumstances to turn their thoughts to the invention of the arts by which the hardships of their condition might be abated. And as soon as they had conquered the chief difficulties of their new situation, the habits of industry and mental activity which they had acquired were turned to the embellishments of life.

We have no grounds, however, for concluding that the descendants of Cain were as yet entirely and exclusively ungodly on the one hand, or on the other that the descendants of Sheth were altogether destitute of inventive genius or inattentive to its cultivation. With the exception of the assault that seemed to have provoked the homicidal act of Lamek, and the bigamy of Lamek himself, we do not find much to condemn in the recorded conduct of the race of Cain; and in the names of some of them we discover the remembrance and recognition of God.

Habel had a keeper of cattle before Jabal. The Cainites were also an older race than the Shethites. And when Noah was commissioned to build the ark, we have no reason to doubt that he was qualified in some measure by natural ability and previous training for such a task.

The line of Cain is traced no further than the seventh generation from Adam. We cannot tell whether there were any more in that line before the flood. The design of tracing it thus far is to point out the origin of the arts of life, and the first instances of bigamy and homicide in self-defense.