Cain’s Wife

In a fit of jealous rage, Cain killed his brother. When confronted by God, he tried to deny it. When cursed by God, he complained that the punishment of being a fugitive and a vagabond was too great. So God placed a mark on Cain to warn others not to kill him.

We’re told in Genesis 4:16 that “Cain left the presence of the LORD, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.” The next verse says he knew his wife, and she conceived and bore a son named Enoch. Cain went on to build a city and named the city after his son.

Who was Cain’s wife, this unnamed woman who married a known murderer? What did she see in him? What kind of marriage did they have?

We know that Cain’s wife had to have been a sibling. She was aware of the sin he’d committed. She knew God’s curse on him. She understood that marrying Cain meant living a nomadic life of a fugitive hated by others. And yet, she married him anyway.

The Bible reveals nothing of their relationship, but it was away from the presence of God.

We see a little hope, however, in the naming of their firstborn son. Enoch means “dedicated”. Did Cain have a change of heart? Did he dedicate his son to the Lord? We don’t know.

It does appear, however, that he gave up running and put down roots, building and dedicating a city to dwell in.  

We can spend our lives trying to run from our past, but there comes a time that we have to accept who we are and strive to build a better future for ourselves and our families.

Cain’s Wife in the Bible: Genesis 4:1-17

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