| Geneva Study Bible And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a {p} city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. (p) Thinking by this to be safe, and to have less reason to fear God's judgments against him. Wesley's Notes 4:17 And he builded a city - In token of a settled separation from the church of God. And here is an account of his posterity, at least the heirs of his family, for seven generations. His son was Enoch, of the same name, but not of the same character with that holy man that walked with God. The names of more of his posterity are mentioned, and but just mentioned, as those of the holy seed, Ge 5:1 - 32. They are numbered in haste, as not valued or delighted in, in comparison with God's children. King James Translators' Notes Enoch: Heb. Chanoch Scofield Reference Notes [2] 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 Gen 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 Rom 1:21-23. Adah means "pleasure," or "adornment"; Zillah, to "hide"; Lamech, "conqueror," or "wild man." (Cf) Rom 1:21-25. See Scofield Note: "Gen 6:4". 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. Gen 6:5-7. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 17-22. builded a city-It has been in cities that the human race has ever made the greatest social progress; and several of Cain's descendants distinguished themselves by their inventive genius in the arts. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 4:16-18 Cain cast off all fear of God, and attended no more on God's ordinances. Hypocritical professors, who dissemble and trifle with God, are justly left to themselves to do something grossly scandalous. So they throw off that form of godliness to which they have been a reproach, and of which they deny the power. Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and we never find that he came into it again, to his comfort. The land Cain dwelt in was called the land of Nod, which means, 'shaking,' or 'trembling,' and so shows the restlessness and uneasiness of his own spirit, or 'the land of a vagabond:' they that depart from God cannot find rest any where else. Those on earth who looked for the heavenly city, chose to dwell in tabernacles or tents; but Cain, as not minding that city, built one on earth. Thus all who are cursed of God seek their settlement and satisfaction here below. | 
