Genesis 4:18-24

2006.Aug.03 21:28

Humanity, Part 1

Read Genesis 4:18-24 | Full Chapter

The first geneology in the Bible is that of Cain’s descendents. I am no expert on geneologies, and I am not going to look at the other geneologies to see how well this holds up, but this seems to be a somewhat irrelevant ancestry, being as they’re mostly (if not all), patrilineal. Noah is in the line of Seth (Genesis 5), so Cain’s patrilineal line ends at the flood. Granted, we are all probably descendents of Cain in some way, but it strikes me as odd that this is not only included, but again the first geneology. Perhaps it is just to explain who Lamech is so that story doesn’t seem quite so random. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

At the end of Cain’s story, he travels east of Eden, and ultimately marries and has a child. I’ve often wondered where this woman came from, but since I don’t know how long Cain wandered before marrying, it’s quite possible she is one of, or a descendent of one of, Adam and Eve’s other children (I have to assume they had children other than Abel, Cain, and Seth; The Book of Jubilees, for what it’s worth, apparently explores this issue). At any rate, life goes on for Cain. And as his life continues, we see for the first time humanity, not as a single nuclear family, but as at least a large tribe, perhaps even (and I don’t actually like this word) civilizations. We see tent-dwellers and those who care for livestock (20), metal-workers (22), musicians (21), and polygamy (19), which for some reason does seem to go along with what we westerners lovingly think of as “civilization”.

Then comes the bit about Lamech. Lamech, as he tells his wives, Adah and Zillah, killed a man and a boy (or possibly one person, I can’t tell) for hurting him in some fashion. He takes unto himself God’s promise to Cain, saying "If Cain is avenged sevenfold, / Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold" (Genesis 4:24, NASB) . We really aren’t given much of the back story, from which to judge Lamech’s actions, but certainly Cain was not deserving of the promise God gave him.

The use of seventy times seven by Lamech may be referenced by Jesus, responding to Peter:

Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
(Matthew 18:21-22, NASB)

As in Cain’s case, I think this story of Lamech is in large part about grace, the kind of grace God has for us, and the kind of mercy that we should have for others. If someone were to kill Lamech for his actions, that would probably be justified. Indeed, the Law allows for it in many cases (Numbers 35), although it also allows a refuge in other cases. Lamech responds by doing something we modern-day Christians often fail. He claims a promise of God for himself and accepts God’s grace and protection (or such is my interpretation). If God is willing to avenge a (apparently guilty) man 490-fold, then how much more we, who are guilty of much, ought to forgive.