Bible Discussion Thread

In this chapter, we are told that first Cain was born and then Abel. It does not say that Eve conceived again and had Abel, so perhaps they were twins. Since God said that he would increase the pains of labor for Eve, it is not known if she had given birth to daughters before these sons, or if daughters were born between Cain/Abel and Seth. We are told that Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters besides these three children. We are not told how old Adam and Eve were when Cain and Abel were born. We are told that Adam and Eve were 130 when Seth was born. A lot of people can be born and grow to adulthood in 130 years. God was filling the earth through Adam and Eve before Seth was born. That made it possible for Cain to find a wife from among his sisters or nieces. Abel and Cain may have been married at the time Cain killed Abel. We do not know how old each one was at this time, but there were enough people for Cain to be concerned about what others may do to him as he moves away from his family. It is thought that this was the first murder and first human death. With enough people to build a city in Nod, we really do not know that no one had died before Cain. Personally, I think this was the first death in the world. How sorrowful for Adam and Eve. And how powerful a way to bring back to memory what God had said to them when He said that they would die if they ate the fruit of the forbidden tree. What a sad way to learn what death means. I think that sometimes we don't imagine these early patriarchs as being much like us in love and emotions. I think that these feelings may have been much more intense that whet we feel. i think the passing of time and the pervasiveness of death and wickedness hardens us a bit. Let's pray for God to soften our hearts.

Don't know what the mark of Cain was, don't know where Nod was or how far from Eden it was. Don't know how big the first city of Enoch was either, and don't wish to speculate. I don't find it necessary to know.