The Wife of Cain

Where did Cain’s wife come from?

This common question takes us back to the infancy of mankind, to a pre-flood world with living conditions unlike anything we experience today — the world of Genesis 4-6.

Adam and Eve, the first people, had become sinful and were banished from the utopian Eden. The cursed land outside was wild and untamed. Fear of attack by animals and the elements continuously lingered in their thoughts. Survival skills were being learned on the run.

Eve gave birth painfully to her first son, Cain, and later to Abel. Abel loved God whole-heartedly, and joyously offered gifts out of the best he had. Cain, in stark contrast, did not foster the same relationship with God. God paternally warned Cain not to let sin control him. Cain allowed it, and instead of turning towards God, he became consumed by rebellion and jealously and killed his own brother. As punishment by God, Cain was made a marked man, condemned to leave farming and wander the earth, always fearful that future generations of relatives might exact revenge.

Adam, now age 180, and Eve had yet another son — Seth. Pre-flood life spans were incredibly long, and over Adam’s 930 years Eve bore other sons and daughters. It wasn’t until centuries later during Moses’ time that God put into law that men could not marry their sisters and nieces. And so, with the assurance there would be no genetic defects, Adam’s children married each other. Over their 900-some year life spans, Adam’s children and the following generations had numerous children, exponentially increasing the population.

Over Cain’s long life he took a wife from one of his many brother’s descendants. After that, he defied God yet again by ceasing his wandering and recruited other relatives to join him in building a city, naming it after his first son Enoch.

The generations that came from Cain were lawless and exceedingly evil. Lamech, a sixth generation grandson from Cain, fled in the face of the will of God by marrying two women and bragged about his murders. By the time Noah came on the scene, the Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart were only evil all the time. God was grieved that He had made man on the Earth and His heart was filled with pain. God decimated the wicked inhabitants including all of Cain’s descendents with a flood, but left hope for mankind by leaving the godly Noah and his family to start the human race anew.

Cain’s life was a polar opposite to his brother Abel’s life. Abel was full of love and obedience to the Creator. Cain’s life was full of disdain and rebellion to the Creator. Abel had a short life on Earth, but an everlasting life in Heaven. Cain had a long life on Earth, but everlasting separation from God in Hell.

Weigh carefully whom you’ll model. Be an Abel!