EOB: Official Site of the Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible (Old and New Testament)

Genesis 4:17

EOB (Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible):

Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and bore a son named Enoch. As Cain built a city, he named it after his son Enoch.

EOB Footnote:

The MT includes the phrase “and he was building a city” using a participle construction that emphasizes ongoing action, while the LXX uses a simple past tense “he built a city.” The MT also reads “and he called the name of the city after the name of his son Enoch,” whereas the LXX has “and he named the city after the name of his son, Enoch” — the difference is minor but the MT’s phrasing is slightly more formal. No DSS manuscript witness exists for this verse. The phrase “knew his wife” is a Hebrew idiom for sexual relations, rendered in the LXX with the verb “knew” (Greek: egno). A meaning-based rendering such as “lay with” or “was intimate with” may be clearer to modern readers, though “knew” preserves the biblical idiom. The pronoun “he” in “he built a city” could grammatically refer to either Cain or Enoch in the Greek; context strongly favors Cain as the builder, since Enoch is introduced as the newborn son.

Other Translations:

KJV (King James Version):

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.

WEB (World English Bible):

Cain knew his wife. She conceived and gave birth to Enoch. He built a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.

Benton LXX (Vaticanus):

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

Douai-Rheims (Vulgate):

And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived, and brought forth Henoch: and he built a city, and called the name thereof by the name of his son Henoch.

Apostoliki Diakonia (LXX):

Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. He was building a city, and he named the city after his son Enoch.

YLT (Young Literal Translation )(MT):

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

BBE (Bible in Basic English):

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EOB COMMENTARY:

EOB Commentary:

GENESIS 4:17 – CAIN’S CITY AND THE WAY OF THE WORLD

The Building of Enoch:
Cain’s construction of a city represents a profound theological moment in salvation history. Having departed from the presence of the Lord, Cain now seeks to establish permanence and security through human effort alone. The city becomes a symbol of civilization built apart from God—a theme that will culminate in the Tower of Babel and find its ultimate expression in the contrast between the City of Man and the City of God.

Patristic Interpretation:
Saint Augustine, in his City of God, draws extensively on this verse to establish the fundamental distinction between two cities—the earthly city founded by Cain and the heavenly city represented by the faithful line of Seth. The naming of the city after his son Enoch (meaning “dedication” or “initiation”) suggests Cain’s attempt to create a lasting memorial through human means rather than through divine blessing.

Saint John Chrysostom observes that Cain, unable to find rest in God, seeks rest in earthly accomplishments. This restless building activity stands in stark contrast to the Sabbath rest that God intended for humanity. The wanderer attempts to overcome his curse through technology and urban development.

Christological and Ecclesiological Significance:
The Church Fathers saw in this passage a foreshadowing of the contrast between the synagogue and the Church, between those who build with human hands and those who await the city “whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Christ Himself becomes the true cornerstone rejected by the builders, establishing a spiritual city—the Church—that transcends all earthly constructions.

The New Jerusalem of Revelation stands as the divine answer to Cain’s city. Where Cain built in exile and fear, God builds in communion and love. The Orthodox liturgical tradition celebrates this heavenly city particularly in the hymnography of Pascha and in the consecration of churches, where the earthly temple becomes an icon of the heavenly dwelling.

Spiritual Application:
For Orthodox spirituality, this verse warns against the temptation to find ultimate meaning in worldly accomplishments. The ascetic tradition consistently teaches that true stability comes not from external constructions but from interior stillness (hesychia) and communion with God. Saint Isaac the Syrian and other desert fathers would see in Cain’s city-building the paradigm of the passionate soul seeking satisfaction in created things rather than in the Creator.

The verse also introduces the theme of genealogy and succession that will become crucial throughout Scripture, ultimately leading to the genealogies of Christ in Matthew and Luke, demonstrating that salvation history unfolds through specific lineages chosen by God.

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