Where did Cain find his wife after killing his brother Abel?

QUESTION: After Cain killed his brother Abel, he fled to the land of Nod. I would like to understand, where did he find a wife and have children with her? (Genesis 4:16).

ANSWER: If you read Genesis 5:1-5 (NIV), it says:

“1 This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God.
2 He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them ‘Mankind’ when they were created.
3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.
4 After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters.
5 Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.”

If you carefully examine verse 4, you will see that, in addition to Cain and Abel, Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters. This means that Cain likely married one of his sisters or possibly a niece, as the Bible does not mention any other people being created by God at this point. The assumption that Cain married a wild animal or a non-human being is not supported by Scripture. Instead, it appears Cain took a wife from his own family.

In the early days of human history, there were no prohibitions against such marriages. The idea that one should not marry close relatives, such as siblings, came much later in the history of humanity. This leads to another important question: Was it lawful for Cain to marry a close relative, such as his sister?

ANSWER: Remember, Adam himself did not take a wife from another family, but from his own side. The Bible records that Eve was taken from Adam’s rib (Genesis 2:21-23). In terms of kinship, Adam and Eve’s relationship was more akin to a deep unity than the relationship between a brother and sister. Early on, God allowed such unions for the purpose of procreation, as humanity was still in its infancy and needed to multiply and fill the earth. The first humans were created to populate the earth, and there were no other people available at the time for marriage.

However, as humanity grew, the need for such unions decreased, and God later issued commandments forbidding incestuous relationships. This is seen in the Levitical laws given to the Israelites much later, after the human population had expanded significantly.

Leviticus 18:6 (NIV) says: “No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the Lord.”

Additionally, Leviticus 18:9 (NIV) states: “Do not have sexual relations with your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere.”

These laws were given to protect human health, moral integrity, and to establish a clear social structure for the growing human population. In the beginning, though, God allowed for such unions to ensure the survival and expansion of mankind.

To clarify, marrying a close relative was not uncommon in the early days of humanity, as there were no other options. But with the passage of time and the growth of the human race, God’s laws evolved to prohibit incest and ensure the well-being of future generations.

In summary: Cain most likely married one of his sisters or a close relative, as Adam and Eve had many other children. This practice was permissible early on, but later, God gave explicit commandments forbidding marriage between close relatives, which are still relevant today.

Blessings to you.

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