# Genesis 4.19

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-10-29 | updated: 2026-10-29 -->

**Book:** [Genesis](/codex/genesis/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 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. 18. And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael; and Mehujael begat Methushael; and Methushael begat Lamech.
>
> **19. And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.**
>
> 20. And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents and have cattle. 21. And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and pipe. (Genesis 4:17-21, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 17. 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. 18. To Enoch was born Irad. Irad became the father of Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became the father of Lamech.
>
> **19. Lamech took two wives: the name of the first one was Adah, and the name of the second one was Zillah.**
>
> 20. Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21. His brother’s name was Jubal, who was the father of all who handle the harp and pipe. (Genesis 4:17-21, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 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. <sup>Enoch: Heb. Chanoch</sup> 18. And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech. <sup>Lamech: Heb. Lemech</sup>
>
> **19. And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.**
>
> 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. (Genesis 4:17-21, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 17. and Cain knoweth his wife, and she conceiveth, and beareth Enoch; and he is building a city, and he calleth the name of the city, according to the name of his son, Enoch. 18. And born to Enoch is Irad; and Irad hath begotten Mehujael; and Mehujael hath begotten Methusael; and Methusael hath begotten Lamech.
>
> **19. And Lamech taketh to himself two wives, the name of the one Adah, and the name of the second Zillah.**
>
> 20. And Adah beareth Jabal, he hath been father of those inhabiting tents and purchased possessions; 21. and the name of his brother [is] Jubal, he hath been father of every one handling harp and organ. (Genesis 4:17-21, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._

- None of the words in this verse has its own lexicon entry yet.

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [OT Polygamy Objection Defeater](/codex/ot-polygamy-objection-defeater/), via [Genesis 4.19-24](/codex/genesis-4-19-24/)
- [Polygamy Is Not a Sin Objection Defeater](/codex/polygamy-is-not-a-sin-objection-defeater/)

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## Notes

_Your annotations._

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.
