The Meaning of Genesis 4:17 Explained

Genesis 4:17

KJV: 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.

YLT: and Cain knoweth his wife, and she conceiveth, and beareth Enoch; and he is building a city, and he calleth the name of the city, according to the name of his son -- Enoch.

Darby: And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city; and he called the name of the city after the name of his son Enoch.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 4:17 Mean?

Study Notes

builded a city
The first civilization, that which perished in the judgment of the Flood, was Cainitic in origin, character, and destiny. Every element of material civilization is mentioned in verses Genesis 4:16-22 , city and pastoral life, and the development of arts and manufactures. Enoch, after whom the first city was named, means "teacher." The el termination of the names of Enoch's son and grandson shows that for a time the knowledge of Elohim was preserved, but this soon disappears Romans 1:21-23 . Adah means "pleasure," or "adornment"; Zillah, to "hide"; Lamech, "conqueror," or "wild man." (Cf) Romans 1:21-25 . The Cainitic civilization may have been as splendid as that of Greece or Rome, but the divine judgment is according to the moral state, not the material. Genesis 6:5-7 .
sons of God
Some hold that these "sons of God" were the "angels which kept not their first estate" Judges 1:6 . It is asserted that the title is in the O.T. exclusively used of angels. But this is an error Isaiah 43:6 . Angels are spoken of in a sexless way. No female angels are mentioned in Scripture, and we are expressly told that marriage is unknown among angels. Matthew 22:30 .
The uniform Hebrew and Christian interpretation has been that verse Genesis 6:2 marks the breaking down of the separation between the godly line of Seth and the godless line of Cain, and so the failure of the testimony to Jehovah committed to the line of Seth Genesis 4:26 . For apostasy there is no remedy but judgment; Isaiah 1:2-7 ; Isaiah 1:24 ; Isaiah 1:25 ; Hebrews 6:4-8 ; Hebrews 10:26-31 . Noah, "a preacher of righteousness," is given 120 years, but he won no convert, and the judgment predicted by his great- grandfather fell; Judges 1:14 ; Judges 1:15 ; Genesis 7:11 .

Context Summary

Genesis 4:9-26 - Cain's Career
God's first question to the soul is, "Adam, where art thou?" The next, "Where is thy brother?" We are our brother's keepers. All related to us, within our reach, or needing our help have a claim. We must not take advantage of them. Their well-being and our own are inseparable. God keeps an inventory of His saints, and will avenge them. Their blood will cry to God against those who have wronged them. There is only one cry in the world which is stronger-"the blood of Jesus." See Hebrews 12:24. It cries for mercy and pardon. A numerous family sprang from our first parents, and as these intermarried a large population began to people the early seat of human life. Cain founded a city, dedicated to all that ministered to sensuous enjoyment. This was "the way of Cain," brilliant but godless, away from the presence of the Lord. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 4

1  The birth, occupation, and offerings of Cain and Abel
8  Cain murders his brother Abel
11  The curse of Cain
17  Has a son called Enoch, and builds a city, which he calls after his name
18  His descendants, with Lamech and his two wives
25  The birth of Seth,
26  and Enos

What do the individual words in Genesis 4:17 mean?

And knew Cain - his wife and she conceived and bore Enoch and he built a city and called the name of the city after the name of his son Enoch
וַיֵּ֤דַע קַ֙יִן֙ אֶת־ אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֣לֶד חֲנ֑וֹךְ וַֽיְהִי֙ בֹּ֣נֶה עִ֔יר וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הָעִ֔יר כְּשֵׁ֖ם בְּנ֥וֹ חֲנֽוֹךְ

וַיֵּ֤דַע  And  knew 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
קַ֙יִן֙  Cain 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: קַיִן 
Sense: eldest son of Adam and Eve and the first murderer having murdered his brother Abel.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ  his  wife 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
וַתַּ֖הַר  and  she  conceived 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: הֹור 
Sense: to conceive, become pregnant, bear, be with child, be conceived, progenitor.
וַתֵּ֣לֶד  and  bore 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
חֲנ֑וֹךְ  Enoch 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲנׄוךְ 
Sense: eldest son of Cain.
בֹּ֣נֶה  he  built 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
עִ֔יר  a  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
וַיִּקְרָא֙  and  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
שֵׁ֣ם  the  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
הָעִ֔יר  of  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
כְּשֵׁ֖ם  after  the  name 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
בְּנ֥וֹ  of  his  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
חֲנֽוֹךְ  Enoch 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲנׄוךְ 
Sense: eldest son of Cain.