The Skeptics Annotated Bible (11 page)

15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And
the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

(4.15)
“The Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.”
But God is worried, too. He says whoever kills Cain will be punished sevenfold (whatever
that
means). Just to make sure, though, God puts a mark on Cain so no one will kill him. Good idea.
23 Does God approve of capital punishment?

Until the 1978 revelation to Mormon President, Spencer W. Kimball, black men were not allowed to hold the priesthood. This was based, in part, on Gen 4.15, where God placed a mark on Cain after he had killed his brother Abel. Joseph Smith and later LDS leaders interpreted the “mark upon Cain” to be turning of Cain’s skin (and all of his descendants) black.

Mormons were not alone in this interpretation of 4.15. Many Protestant denominations at the time Joseph Smith founded the LDS Church (1830) had the same racist understanding of the “mark of Cain.”

16
And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD
, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

(4.16)
“And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD.”
18 Does God know everything?

17
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.

(4.17)
“And Cain knew his wife.”
That’s nice, but where the hell did she come from? The Bible doesn’t mention any of Cain’s sisters. In any case, Cain and the mysterious Mrs. Cain have a son (another blue cigar!). His name is Enoch and he builds a city (population 3).
22 What became of Cain?

18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.

19 And
Lamech took unto him two wives
: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

(4.19)
“Lamech took him two wives.”
Lamech is the first of a long line of biblical men with more than one wife.
16 Is polygamy OK?

20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.

21 And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.

22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.

24
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

(4.24)
“If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.”
Lamech kills a man and claims that since Cain’s murderer would be punished sevenfold, whoever murders him will be punished seventy-seven fold. That sounds fair.

25 And
Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son
, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

(4.25)
“Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son.”
Way to go Adam!