Ecclesiastes 2:4-11 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: . After Cain arrived in the Land of Nod, to which he was evicted by the Lord as his punishment for murdering his brother Abel, his wife became pregnant and bore Cain's first child, whom he named Enoch. The lessons of this story go far beyond the surface moral caution against envy and murder. The Bible gives us very little on the rest of their lives. Just as Eridu was the home of Enki, Enlil was chief deity at Nippur, Inanna (Ishtar) was supreme at Uruk, the sun god Utu was the patron deity of Sippar, and so on. Image. We are living in the final stages of Cains grand experiment, for the Bible tells us that the real story of human development is the contrast and strivings of two cities, the doomed city of man and the ultimately triumphant city of God! Cain knew his wife. Second, the founding of a fortified city not only adds to the protection of his property it also concentrates his power by causing his family to live in one place. The inspired author of the book of Hebrews contrasted the faith of Abel with the unbelief of Cain, in the faith chapter. The World of the Old Testament Journeys, 23.The Journeys of Adam, Enoch, Noah & Abraham, Cain is sent on a journey to the east of Eden, 24. "And Enoch beheldangelsdescending out of heaven, bearingtestimonyof the Father and Son; and the Holy Ghost fell on many, and they were caught up by the powers of heaven into Zion" (Moses 7:27). If we look carefully at the name Mesh-ki-ang-gasher we may see a similarity between Cain and Kian Mesh-ki-ang-gasher. Is it possible to remake the world, without God? Enoch had a son and named him Irad. Wives and Children )The son of Jared and father of Methuselah. This page was last edited on 30 December 2022, at 03:47. The first city known by archaeologists to exist in, Here, archaeologists have discovered remains of houses built using the ubiquitous reeds found allover this swampy delta. Can the godless exile finally be at home there? Trust ye in theLordfor ever: for in theLord Jehovahis everlasting strength:For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust. The people of the City of Enoch were also "of one heart and one mind," united in their belief, and there were "no poor among them" (Moses 7:18). Black, J.A., Cunningham, G., Fluckiger-Hawker, E, Robson, E., and Z, i, G. The Sumerian King List: Translation,, The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature, http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/section2/tr211.htm, Coon, C.S. She conceived, and gave birth to Enoch. But the Lord's response revealed there was more in store for the City of Enoch than its earthly abode. When the people of God were attacked, their enemies fled to "a land out of the depth of the sea, and so great was the fear of the enemies of the people of God, that they fled and stood afar off and went upon the land which came up out of the depth of the sea" (Moses 7:14), which could have been anisland or a peninsula in the general region of the City of Enoch. During this vision, Enoch also saw the divine destiny of Zion. Three authors who are experts in ancient cultures bring you this verse-by-verse, even word-by-word commentary, the most thorough and reader-friendly treatment available. The Golden Age of Israel under King Solomon, Solomon builds a palace and furnishes the Temple, The Ark of the Covenant is installed in the Temple, Solomon builds a network of chariot cities, 32. The Pearl of Great Price: Verse by Verse Commentary. ungodly daughters of Cain; and such sin prevailed, that Enoch, the seventh Nimrod, the child of his son Cush, kept Babel, built the first city, and became //christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson i the promise.htm, The Faith of Abraham. We note that Cain, who previously had no response to the living, personal God, when God was warning him against sin, and afterwards when God was calling him to repentance. Paul's Letters to Ephesus, Colossae & Philippi, 17. But if its correct, then Alulim might have been Irad, the fourth man, or fourth generation, after creation, and the first king of the first city on Earth, Eridu, Enki was the god of magic, craftsmanship, and wisdom. | GotQuestions.org. Get more fascinating insights into the scriptures withThe Pearl of Great Price: A Verse-by-Verse Commentary. Concerning the Posterity of Adam, and the Ten Generations from Him. 1) Gen 4:17: In parallel with Gen 4:1, Moses wrote, "Then Cain knew his wife. Evidence of head shaping has been found at sites all over Iraq, southwestern Iran, eastern Turkey, the valleys of the Zagros mountains, and the western shores of the Persian Gulf, dated from 7500 B.C. This derivation, coincidentally or not, connects with the English pun on "nod". Lamech was the first recorded polygamist in the Bible, taking two women named Adah and Zillah. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. Because of Enoch's preaching and leadership, the people of the City of Enoch were so righteous that "the Lord came anddweltwith his people" while they were on the earth (Moses 7:16). The differences in the story are at least partly due to the ebb and flow of power over the centuries. Figuratively, Isa. Also, in spite of the Divine sentence passed upon him, he longed for rest from his wanderings. 17 Cain knew his wife intimately. The birth, occupation, and offerings of Cain and Abel. is of the sort that a parent would direct to a son or daughter who was sulking. . Lamech likely lived near the city of Enoch that his great-great-great grandfather, Cain built. 2 Coon, C.S. (en) : an: Enoch [ink] . In this series, Dr. Sproul discusses the cit Paul's Letters to Galatia & Thessalonica, The risen Lord Jesus appears to his followers, Christ's Victory Parade & the New Covenant, 15. He probably selected some fit spot for the acropolis, or citadel, to be the centre of his village; and as training is probably the earlier, and dedication the later meaning, Cain appears as a wise ruler, like Nimrod subsequently, rather than as a religious man. God bless you and your family this Christmas as we remember the birth of the King of Kings. The name of the one The first city built inthe Bible was the city f noch named after the prophet Enoch.Gen_4:17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he [Enoch] builded a city . The Divided Kingdom & Journey into Exile, Jezebel kills the prophets & Elijah escapes, Elijah organises the opposition to King Ahab, Jehu races to Jezreel to depose King Joram, King Joash repairs the Temple in Jerusalem, Jeroboam II restores the boundaries of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria invades Israel, Israel falls & the exiles are led to Assyria, King Hezekiah of Judah rebels against Assyria, Isaiah prophesies the destruction of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invades Judah, Jerusalem falls and the exile in Babylon begins, Biblical sources relating to Judah in exile, The later years of exile & the return to Judah, The completion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, A third group of exiles returns with Ezra, A fourth group of exiles returns with Nehemiah, Mordecai uncovers a plot to kill the king, The origin of the Jewish festival of Purim, 37. And he builded a city, and he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. -Genesis 4:17. The name of the worlds first city, is also the name of Cains son, Enoch, or initiation. And Cain went out from the presence of theLord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. To the degree that Genesis has the world's "first" city, Enoch, being built by Cain and some Sumerian myths attribute the founding of the world's first city Eridug (Nunki, Eridu) to the Sumerian god Enki, below is a cylinder seal impression showing what Cain's (and Enoch's) "pre-biblical prototype" looked like in the 3rd millennium B.C. Adam and Eve. The older brother Cain became a farmer while the younger Abel became a shepherd. (credit John D. Croft / CC-BY-SA-3.0). Though he asked God "wherefore am I thy servant?" Cain's departure from God started with distance from God and led to complete disconnection from God. The first recorded use of the phrase to mean "sleep" comes from Jonathan Swift in his Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious Conversation (1737)[15] and Gulliver's Travels. Enoch then built "the city of holiness, even Zion." (Moses 7:19.) The World was Created by God Nearly Six Thousand Years Ago Who are the two witnesses in the book of Revelation? Isaiah predicts the fall of Israel & Judah, Prophecies written before the fall of Jerusalem, Isaiah reassures King Ahaz of God's support, Troubled times and a glorious future kingdom, 40. This website uses cookies to monitor usage (see Privacy Statement in drop-down box under 'Contact Us'). Ge 4:17. Thus, the building of a city becomes a lasting monument to Cain's ongoing evil activity. As for their location now, it's quite possible the citizens of the City of Enoch still reside within it. So the question above mentions that, "Cain had relations with his wife and she conceived, and gave birth to Enoch; and he built a city, and called the name of the city Enoch, after the name of his son" (Gen 4:17 nasb) - Building a city takes time and Cain had the time far above that of regular human beings. 11:1; Jer. (Note: Were using dates that are generally accepted by a consensus of scholars so we dont get bogged down arguing about the timeline. 125126. Life after Eden must have been a crushing disappointment for early humans, especially the First Couple. I have Sumer as existing 6000BCE. | GotQuestions.org, Who was Methuselah in the Bible? Why is your face downcast?" Cain built this city in the land of Fugitiveness to the E of Eden, calling it by the name of his son Enoch. But it wouldn't stay there forever. are older, Eridu, located in what is today southeastern Iraq, was remembered by later Sumerians as the first city, with a degree of specialization among its citizens not seen before in other settlements. Enoch. , describes how everything on Earth came into being through the defeat of the chaos goddess Tiamat by Marduk, son of Enki/Ea, the chief god of Babylon. The city may therefore havebeencalled Eridu after Enochs son Irad (see Genesis 4:18) (see 4 on Map 35). The reunion of the City of Enoch to the earth in the Millennium will be its final resting place, and God's abode during this 1,000-year period. The importance of a deity was, as youd guess, tied to the fortunes of its city. It appears, based on human remains dated to between about 10,000 B.C. Methuselah the oldest member of the family recorded here lived for 969 years (Genesis 5:27). Gen 4:25 - 5:32 Adam and Eve have another son called Seth, and the Biblesketches outtheir family history. The city of Eridu was another southern Mesopotamian city and appears to be the city in which Adam and Eve lived after their employment in the garden of Eden had been terminated. For . Enoch preached repentance to "all the people" except the Caananites because of their wickedness (Moses 7:12). In Eridu, Alulim became king; he ruled for 28,800 years.1. The Doctrine and Covenants, Section 45:11-12. Cainan was "the land of promise" named after the great-great-grandson of Adam (Moses 6:17). After the birth of Enoch, the Hebrew text of Genesis 4:17 is unclear. This essay is not in any way a thorough review of life, culture, or religion in ancient Mesopotamia, but there is one more aspect of life in the ancient Near East to call to your attention. Enki was the god of the sweet waters needed for life. Both biblical data and extra-biblical evidence suggest that Cain's motivation for building the city involved three factors. Question: I am curious about the metaphysics of: land of Nod, Cain's wife, and the Son/City of Enoch. (In the Septuagint's rendering of the same verse God curses Cain to , "trembling". Enoch, a pre-Flood city. As they perpetuated more rebellion against God, the line of Cain built the city of man. Adam is slightly out of line as he was 230 before Seth was born, but that is because Adam had already fathered two boys, Cain and Abel. 49:30. [3], Much as Cain's name is connected to the verb meaning "to get" in Genesis 4:1, the name "Nod" closely resembles the word "nad" (), usually translated as "vagabond", in Genesis 4:12. We also know that Enoch did not preach to the Canaanites, a band of people responsible for the annihilation of the people of Shum (Moses 7:7). . "Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. Map of Ubaid civilization sites in Sumer. Thats about the same amount of time thats passed between Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt and you reading this sentence. )In the Epistle of Jude he described as "the seventh from Adam;" and the number is probably noticed as conveying the idea of divine completion and rest, while Enoch was . The God of the Bible wants us to consider the deeper lessons of this narrative, placing it prominently as the fourth chapter of scripture, after Creation, and the fall. For Cain begat Enoch, in whose name he built a city, an earthly one, which was not from home in this world, but rested satisfied with its temporal peace and ///christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 17 of the two fathers.htm, Concerning the Posterity of Adam, and the Ten Generations from Him 2. The Sumerian King List describes Eridu as the first city in the southern Mesopotamian area that had a king. The Israelites face continuing opposition, The Israelites fight the remaining Canaanites, Israel under the 'judges': Othniel and Ehud, Gibeah is destroyed & the Benjamites punished, The Ark of the Covenant is captured at Aphek, 30. The land of Nod was where Cain settled after he was punished by God for the murder of his brother Abel ( Genesis 4:8 ). In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Cain, it seems, made his way to these settlements for reasons of daily food, shelter, and finding a wife. According to the Book of Jubilees 4:9, Enoch's mother/aunt was named Awan. Malachi & Joel await the Day of the LORD, 48. Uruk is a strong contender for the city that Cain built. Forget about the burden of living under the cursetoiling to coax enough food from the ground to survive, the pain of bringing new life into the world, and all the rest. Thank you for your indepth analysis of this ages old story pastor Bill. Zephaniah & Habakkuk foretell Judah's fall, Zephaniah warns of the punishment of Judah, Habakkuk asks why the cruel Babylonians succeed, 44. He would himself define life, beauty and meaning without God. Cain held the truth of God in unrighteousnessbecause, when he knew God, he glorified Him not as God, neither was thankful, but became vain in his imaginations, and his foolish heart was darkened..and even as he did not like to retain God in his knowledge, God gave him over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient, being filled with all unrighteousness "Let us interject something of a mystery, which is said concerning the sinner Cain, who 'having gone out from the face of God, lived in the land of Nod opposite Eden.' Either Cain built a city and named it after the mighty Enoch, or else Enoch built a city.[1]. City of Cain. archaeologists and sociologistshave known at least since the late 1940s that people throughout Mesopotamia, before they learned how to write, figured out how to turn their children into coneheads. John's Revelation to the 7 Churches of Asia, John's Letter to the 7 Churches of Asia Minor, The messages to the believers on the coastal plain, The messages to the believers living inland, 21. ( I John 3:12,16). Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. Leiden: Brill, 2011. The Sumerian language has no modern equivalent language, unlike Akkadian, so we may not always see an immediate connection in the Sumerian words or names they used. Cain could be at the bottom of the sea, for all we know. 40,000 residents with about 80,000 people living in the surrounding areas - city-states were a feature of southern Mesopotamia. The name of Enoch means "dedicated one.". ", L.A. Waddell who studied Sumerian, and wrote "Makers of Civilization in Race and History" translated Uruk as Enoch from the Sumerian Unug. Genesis 4:16. It is only the Enoch mentioned in Genesis 5:18 that the Bible gives any significant information about. The city of Enoch had built into it Cain's entire history. Ki in the Sumerian language seems to mean earth, and we know that Cain worked the land or earth. The Israelites journey from Egypt to Mt Sinai, 26. He is described as a son of Cain, and father of Irad. Others interpreted Nod as dark or even undergroundaway from the face of God. Finally Jude warns of those false converts and will worshippers who have gone in the way of Cain. 'Nod' in the Greek language means trembling. 1 Black, J.A., Cunningham, G., Fluckiger-Hawker, E, Robson, E., and Zlyomi, G. The Sumerian King List: Translation, The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/section2/tr211.htm), retrieved 12/24/16. Illustrations by Denis Freitas. 19 Lamech took two wives, the first named Adah and the second Zillah. he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular, Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular, To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage, Enoch -- four Israelites, sons of Cain, Jered, Midian and Reuben, Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct, Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular. Cain built a city and named the city after his son Enoch. So Cain departed from the presence of the Lord. To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered . (Ge . In Eridu, Alulim became king; he ruled for 28,800 years. But that mark was not enough for Cain, for he chose not to believe in it. . This happens a lot with prehistoric cultures. A place where human beings can escape from a sense of alienation and restlessness. It appears that everybody from every strata of the Eridu culture had a deformed skull. During his ministry, Enoch also built a city for the people of God or the people who repented and were baptized. Cain, it seems, could not yet father children because it wasnt until he had left the area and started his building project that he fathered his son Enoch. Each city in Mesopotamia had a patron god or goddess. Enter your email to receive updates on our LDS Living content, 2022 LDS Living A Division of Deseret Book Company, 5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About the Three Nephites, The Pearl of Great Price: Verse by Verse Commentary. Hes been a regular speaker at Bible prophecy conferences in recent years. First, Cain probably put little stock in God's oath-bound protection edict and therefore built a fortified city for protection, one of the primary purposes . Other than a sarcastic, cynical retort, Am I my Brothers keeper?,Cain had no real response to God. Each city in Mesopotamia had a patron god or goddess. The Jewish World of the Old Testament, Sources of the History of Israel and Judah. (Genesis 4:16-17) And when Cain had traveled over many countries, he of all set boundaries about lands: he built a city together to it; and called that city Enoch, after the //josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 2 concerning the posterity.htm, The World was Created by God Nearly Six Thousand Years Ago situated outside our world altogether. This Enoch is not to be confused with Enoch, son of Jared, to whom the authorship of the Book of Enoch is ascribed. Please read them with prayerful discernment and glean from them. When he was 65 years old, Enoch, the seventh patriarch after Adam, was called by God to be a prophet. Sep 01, 2011. In Sumerian, it was known as 'Nun-ki' meaning 'the mighty . Eve said, God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him (Gen 4:25). Haggai & Zechariah encourage re-building, Haggai urges the exiles to re-build the Temple, Prophesies about the coming of the Messiah, 47. He was afraid that someone would take vengeance upon him. Genesis mentions that Cains sixth generation included TubalCain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. From the scriptures, we know that Enoch came east out of his homeland of Cainan to preach repentance unto the people. Interestingly, the Bible may support this account. God was keen to see the line to Christ continue. In Sumerian, it wasknown asNun-ki meaning the mighty city (a name later transferred to the mighty city of Babylon). So as the Neolithic revolution got well and truly underway the Sumerian tongue flourished and became the lingua franca for traders and the dominant language in Mesopotamia. But in old times the ideas of training and dedication were closely allied, because teaching generally took the form of initiation into sacred rites, and one so initiated was regarded as a consecrated person. The last word, Enoch, might be a later addition. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of . First, let's read the actual words of Genesis 4:16-17, which The Golden Children's Bible attempted to paraphrase: Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. The Apostle John sets Cain and Christ out as the only two alternative humanities. 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. But when the Divine sentence was passed, basically divorcing Cain from the earth for life, cursing any attempts at farming, and making him a homeless exile, Cain responded with passionate pleading. From the Kingdom of Israel to the Exile, 5. Although agricultural settlements like Jericho (c. 9000 B.C.) City of Enoch building began by Cain approx. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. toiling to coax enough food from the ground to survive, the pain of bringing new life into the world, and all the rest. Along with An (or Anu) the sky god and Enlil, the god of the air, Enki was one of the three most important gods in Sumer. Enoch: Son of Cain, Biblical figure. Cli. The Journeys of Isaac, Jacob & Joseph, Jacob cheats Esau and flees to Mesopotamia, 25. The city of Uruk was the largest city in the world at its height. Follow along then as I read, beginning at verse 17: "Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. 2 Samuel 18:18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place. It will immeasurably enrich your understanding of such doctrines as the nature of God, pre-mortal life, the Creation, the Fall, the Atonement, the establishment of Zion, the Last Days, and the Second Coming. The Bible teaches us that Cain built a city, the name of the city was Enoch named after Cains son. So it is possible the City of Enoch could have been around these biblical regions. How to Start an APPI Table of Champions Chapter, Life after Eden must have been a crushing disappointment for early humans, especially the First Couple. To give you an idea of the incredible amount of time were dealing with, Enki ruled in Eridu for about. NIV Cain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. * In the last days, the city and its people will return to earth and be part of the New Jerusalem. When I reflect on how I found the gospel, I realize that my familys experiences informed two important pieces of my testimony. Genesis 4:18 NASB. Using the website implies your agreement to the use of cookies. What can we say about Cain's wicked sanctuary-city of Enoch? The story of Cain and Abel is found in Genesis 4:1-15. Required fields are marked *. Moses 6-7. The Romano-Jewish world of the New Testament, 22. Jeremiah warns of the destruction of Jerusalem, Jeremiah says idolatry will bring Judah's fall, Jeremiah prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem, Miscellaneous flashbacks to earlier times, Gedeliah is murdered & Jeremiah goes to Egypt, 43. While some believe these figures are literally the age ofreal individuals, many believe they represent much longer periods of ancestral dynasties within the family line. After that, the practice seems to disappear. NASB 1995 [6][7], Nod is said to be outside of the presence or face of God. When Cain was banished from the garden he was tilling, he fled to the land of Nod (Genesis 4:16 KJV). Genesis 4:17. The name Nod is related to the participle, Byron (2011), pp. The articles and information in this website are for education, motivation, encouragement and challenge.
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