Who Was the Wife of Cain?
A closer look at one of the most enigmatic women in Genesis
This illustration shows Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, where God gave them the command to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28). Photo: From Charles Foster, The Story of the Bible (1897).
While there are many examples of strong and inspiring men and women in Genesis, the book is also packed with stories of dysfunctional families, which is evidenced from the very beginning with the first family—Adam, Eve and their two children, Cain and Abel. In no short amount of time—just 16 verses after announcing the birth of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4—Cain has murdered his younger brother and is consequently exiled from the land. In theory, this would have dropped the world’s population from four down to three. The narrative continues in Genesis 4 with Cain settling in the land of Nod and having children with his wife. Who did Cain marry? Where did she come from? Are there other people outside of Eden? In the November/December 2013 issue of BAR, Mary Joan Winn Leith addresses these questions and explores the identity of the wife of Cain in “Who Did Cain Marry?”
Given that the wife of Cain is only mentioned once in the Old Testament, she would not be counted among the famous women in Genesis. Nevertheless, her identity is still worth investigating. Who did Cain marry? Mary Joan Winn Leith first explores the traditional Jewish and Christian answers that contend that the wife of Cain was another daughter of Adam and Eve. According to this reasoning, Cain would have married his sister—one of Abel’s twin sisters no less, according to the Genesis Rabbah.
FREE ebook: Exploring Genesis: The Bible’s Ancient Traditions in Context Mesopotamian creation myths, Joseph’s relationship with Egyptian temple practices and 3 tales of Ur, the birthplace of Abraham.
Mary Joan Winn Leith explores the identity of the wife of Cain.
A different answer emerges when Leith turns from the traditional responses about the wife of Cain and delves into modern scholarship. Looking at recent work done by sociologists and anthropologists, she notes that when forming a group identity, we tend to define ourselves by how we differ from other groups. In the ancient Near East, sometimes those outside of a particular group or society were considered less “human” by those inside of the group. An important factor that contributes to this mindset is geography. People in the ancient Near East typically stayed close to home, which affected their perception of the world. Surely they knew that other groups of people—potential enemies or allies—existed far away, but if they never came into contact with these groups, what did they matter?
Mary Joan Winn Leith suggests that while the Israelite storyteller knew that other men and women in Genesis existed outside of Eden, they did not matter to him or factor into his account. He was concerned with Adam and Eve and their progeny—not those outside of this group.
Who did Cain marry? There are many answers. For Leith’s explanation of the identity of the wife of Cain—one of the often-overlooked women in Genesis—read her full Biblical Views column “Who Did Cain Marry?”
BAS Library Members: Read the full Biblical Views column “Who Did Cain Marry?” by Mary Joan Winn Leith in the November/December 2013 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review.
Not a BAS Library or All-Access Member yet? Join today.
This Bible History Daily feature was originally published in 2013.
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By the time of Abraham, his birthplace, the advanced city of Ur in Chaldea, was a river port. The Gulf has receded since then leaving Ur well inland.
After Adam and Eve left Eden, Cain wandered and his progeny scattered throughout the world, thereby populating it, but Cain still took to wife one of his sisters or perhaps a neice or daughter, because there were no other women at the time.
There is a saying that ” if it ain’t broke. don’t fix it.” Why question something we know?
Mervyn
First of all, there was no Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, or Cain and Abel, so the question is mute. The two Genesis creation stories are simply tribal creation myths. Why do people, even scholars, try to make them more than that?
Would we be asking these kinds of questions about the thousands of other creation myths that are just as fantastical as those in Genesis?
The history (not stories) of Adam, Cain and other early characters is replicated THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND WERE KNOW LONG BEFORE THE CHRISTIAN MISIONARIES TAUGHT IN THOSE COUNTRIES. THAT ALL BUT PROVES DISSEMINATION FROM ONE ORIGINAL SOURCE. POOR GEORGE BELIEVES THAT GENESIS IS “CREATION MYTHS”. WITHOUT ANY SUPPORTING EVIDENCE HWATSOEVER, YET DEBUNKS ANYONE WHO BELIEVES THE SPARCE EVIDENCE AVAILABLE. SCIENCE IS BELIEVING WHAT EVIDENCE IS AVAILABLE RATHER THAN THE PERCEIVED ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE. DOUBTING IS PERMISSIBLE BUT DENIAL IS FOOLISHNESS.
Mervyn
Poor Mervyn,
Insults will get you nothing but return in kind. Are your uppercase letters supposed to lend credence to your intoxication and cultism brought on by your deep gulping of ancient Judaic mythology? The Kool-aid always works, doesn’t it? Consult professional and neutral Biblical historians and consider their views on the subject.
Your claim that the “history” of Adam, Cain, and … etc” are replicated throughout the world is nothing more than complete “BS.” It is Genesis creation and accompanying myths, written in the 6th century BCE, that were inspired by earlier similar creation myths, for example, the Sumerian creation and flood myths.
You have drunk deeply of the Kool-aid laced with literalism, and unfortunately reason cannot penetrate your cult-colored worldview.
I feel very sorry for you, for you live in darkness and will likely do so until the day you die.
Oh George my heart breaks for you, that your eye are so blinded to the truth that God breathed the words of the Bible for us to have to encourage us until He returns so we will not be in darkness.
Menashe hit the nail on the head.
“Like today’s Torah service in a traditional Jewish Shabbat service the text was read aloud at an auience. The audience understood the cultural cues and were unconcerned about narrative contradictions and inconsistencies as they had an entirely different way of thinking than us moderns do. Only when later generations inherited these material did they think that they need the glitches to be explained or interpreted.”
Though I dislike people in enagged in Jewish worship being thought of as “audience.”
Has anyone considered that when it is said that Adam sought for a help meet among the animals, he may have gone into animals. When you say Adam, if Cain was indeed first or he may have been Cain who is considered as the Father.
If Abel was Cursed, then if this meant when you say curse, then perhaps he was cursed.
If Cain was told to leave the garden, this in some cultures can mean family.
They were tree gatherers at first and if this cursing of Cain meant that all things hanging from a tree is why Jesus had to be crucified, in order to save us from that curse on all tree fruit.
Has anyone considered that the Story, a source of Legend saying that the land between Lake. Urmia & the alleged plain of Edin, right before a land seeming to sound like the Angel guarding the opening from Edin on the East could have been The Garden
If that was where the Garden of Eden was, then there is a place sounding much like Nod after that narrow exit from that area.
If so, it’s remarkably near to A section. Near China.
If so, the Chinese do Nod when they greet you, could that be the source of the name, the Land of Nod.
Further, Cain was told to leave the family, after being told, he’d be no longer able to take the fruit of the earth from the ground nor the strength of the earth from the Earth.
He had cursed everyone and all sources of food, now I suspect Adam took his privelege of cursing the people in the family she they ate food. So he was himself cursed for cursing his brethren and family.
If you look at the naming of men, with different names, you may find a different way of she among men and women so that you can find. Cains wife’s name in a more sure manner. The names Cain and Cainan indicate a possible system for surnaminv children or wives.
George,
I’m sorry, but I do not understand most of what you wrote.
The land of Eden had four major rivers converging into one which then flowed into the garden.
Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden into greater Eden. The garden was localized within the Land of Eden. Then Cain was kicked out of Eden.
Cain was a farmer, but Abel was a rancher.
Cain was told that when he farmed, nothing would be produced.
Where do you find a Lake in the text?
What did you mean by a land sounding like the Angel (cherub).
What are you saying about the relationship of Adam and Cain. Please show me in the text where you are getting your ideas.
Assuming that Adrian and Menashe are still talking about Genesis 1 and 2, there are no “glitches.”
I find it amazing that people get so caught up in religious teachings that they don’t even want to hear what someone else has to say or accept solid scientific facts. DNA and genes can tell alot about living and dead organisms. Radio carbon studies can tell alot also. Organized religion can make millions of people believe the earth is flat and kill those who disagree. Organized religion can change the orbit of the earth,sun and other planets. Organized religion was 100% sure man couldn’t clone animals,geneticly modify genes and make an atomic bomb. They also had boats falling off the edge of the earth if you sailed too close the the edge, when their world was flat. And don’t forget all those ghosts,and other scary creatures.Depending on where and when you lived things can be very different .Humans have been commiting mass murder of those who have different beliefs and are still murdering to this day.Tens of Millions of people have been murdered in the name of Christainity based on the hate they learned from clergy. Some of the people making comments are pissed off at the author and even this web site because they hate a different perspective. I think the mentally ill need to stay away from religion if it makes them hostile .