Cain

CAIN, the eldest Son of Adam and Eve. He was born towards the end of the first year of the World’s Creation, some believe, that Eve at the same time produced a Daughter, Cain’s Sister, who is by some called Catmana, by others, Azura or Azrun: But the Scripture says nothing of any such person.

When Cain was grown up, he applied Gen. iv. 2, &c.himself to Agriculture, and his Brother Abel imployed himself in feeding his Flocks. Upon a certain day Cain having offered the first Fruits of his Labour to the Lord, and Abel the Fat or Milk of his Flock, God shewed by some sensible Sign, that Abel’s Offerings were agreeable to him, and that Cain’s were not so; which so inraged Cain, and stung him with envy, that his Countenance was intirely changed; whereupon the Lord said to him, why art thou troubled, and why is thy Countenance so dejected? If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou dost not well, shall not Punishment be the consequence of thy Sin? Abel shall be subject to thee, and thou, as the First -born, shalt rule over him.

But Cain suffering himself to be governed by his envious Passion, said to his Brother, Let us go into the Fields, and when they were there, he rose up against him and killed him. Then said the Lord to Cain, where is thy brother Abel? He answered, I know not, am I my Brother’s keeper? God said, what hast thou done? the voice of thy Brother’s Blood ariseth unto me from the Ground on which thou hast shed it. And now thou art cursed from the Earth, which hath opened her Mouth to receive thy Brother’s Blood from thy hand. When thou tillest it, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her Strength: A Fugitive and a Vagabond shalt thou be in the Earth. Cain replied, My Punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold thou hast driven me from thy Presence, and I shall be a Vagabond on the Earth, and every one that findeth me shall slay me. It shall not be so, said the Lord; for whosoever slayeth Cain, Vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark on Cain,¹ lest any finding him should kill him².

Cain went out therefore from the Presence of the Lord, and retired to the Land of Nod, which lies to the East of the Province of Eden. While he dwelt in this Country, he had a Son, whom he named Enoch, in Memory of whom he built a City of the same name. This is what we learn from Scripture concerning Cain. Several Questions relating to him are proposed by different Persons, which are treated of by the Commentators. For example, what the pretence or motive was, which induced Cain to kill his Brother Abel; what Instrument he made use of; whose Resentment and Revenge he apprehended; to what Country he retired, what the Mark was which God fixed upon him; and what death he died. As to this last Article, it is said, he was killed by Lamech one of his Nephews. Lamech, they tell us, by some accident became blind; but notwithstanding this Misfortune, he sometimes went a hunting; upon which occasions he was led by a young Man, who gave him notice when he saw any Game. One day he heard a rustling in the Thickets, whereupon his Guide thought there was some wild Beast there. In reality it was Cain; and Lamech shooting at the place killed him. As soon as he discovered his Mistake, he was so inraged, that he stab’d his Guide, and returning to his own House, he said to his two Wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice ye wives of Lamech, hearken to my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. But there is no certainty at all in this Tradition.

Josephus says³, that Cain having settled at Naid or Nod, built a City there for himself and his Family; and instead of being reformed by this State of Exile, wherewith God had punished him, he grew more wicked, and gave himself up to all sorts of irregularities, and violence, and put himself at the head of a band of thieves, whom he had got together, and taught how to grow rich as well as he, at the expence of others. He quite changed the old simplicity and honesty, which reigned in the world, and introduced fraud and deceipt in trade by inventing weights and measures. He was the first, who set particular bounds to the fields, and who built and fortified a City.

We do not know how long Cain lived: Some say he was eight hundred; others seven hundred, others six hundred and fourscore; others again, that he was nine hundred and one and thirty years of Age, when he died. Some say he lived to the deluge. There are some too who believe that he was crushed in pieces under the ruins of an house; others, that he was killed, as we have said, by Lamech; and lastly others, that he killed himself⁴. There is nothing certain in all this, nor in the generality of those questions, which are proposed concerning other parts of his History. The Reader may hereupon consult the Commentators.

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