Commentaries:
This passage records the foundation of humanity's development of a more complex system of community living, including that of agriculture, art, and technology. God surely intended more complex human communal systems to arise, but since these are descendants of Cain, Scripture indicates that they were not working alongside God to produce these developments. Their planning and building are deliberately undertaken apart from God. The fruit of such development produced the evil society before the Flood.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Ecclesiastes and Christian Living (Part Fourteen): A Summary
Lamech was five generations removed from Cain. His sins run from polygamy to murder to boastful pride in his transgressions. Though it cannot be proven, Jewish tradition claims he killed his forefather Cain as well as righteous Enoch (verse 23). Though his children were talented and inventive, the general tone of the passage suggests that they achieved their progress apart from God (see verse 16).
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
'As It Was In the Days of Noah'
Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Genesis 4:19:
Genesis 6:1-4
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