We know that Adam and Eve were the first people, so who did Cain and Abel marry in order to multiply the human race? Cain married a relative, just as, really, each person today marries one of his or her relatives.
Genesis 4:16-17 “And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. 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.”
Since we all have common ancestors (Adam and Eve) we are all one big family. So who was the wife of Cain? It was either his sister or his niece. Jewish tradition says Adam and Eve had 50 children. Those 50 children had children and different family groups would have developed quickly in different “lands” (villages or towns). This would make sense since people originally lived hundreds of years. Adam lived to be 930 years old (Genesis 5:5). This would have likely resulted in at least 50 children. You can do the math and see how quickly different “lands” (towns) would have formed during their lifetime.
Cain’s wife would not have passed along major genetic defects, as we see today when close relatives procreate. Not enough time had passed for genetic mutations to compound enough to create major health concerns.
Adam and Eve were created genetically perfect. However, once they sinned against God death began it’s work (Genesis 2:17). Mankind (along with the entire universe) began to decay and die. Genetic defects began to take place, but these surfaced slowly over a significant amount of time.
It was not until the time of Moses, a couple thousand years later, that God gave the command that man should not marry a close relative:
Leviticus 18:6 “None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.”
The law was given to glorify God and benefit man (as well as to lead us to Christ). By the time God gave it enough time had passed for problems to occur when two very close relatives had children. They would often share similar defects, which would be multiplied in their offspring.
Man would do well to heed God’s moral law/command today.
Leviticus 18:6 is included in the 7th commandment of the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) (Exodus 20:14), given to Moses in stone. God’s law is “holy, and just, and good.” To Violate it is to invite tragic results.
So, who did Cain marry? Cain married a relative, just as all people do today. This relative was just a closer relative than we should marry in this day and age.
