Were there other people beside Adam?

[gnostic]

In the Genesis, we have indication that Adam and Eve were the first human beings (Genesis 2). Genesis 1 said that God created man and woman in his image (or their images, since it used plural as in "we" and "our").

In Genesis 4, we have the story of Cain and Abel. Cain was punished with a curse, for murdering his brother.

Originally Posted by Genesis 4:14

Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

The "every one" implied that there were other people other than Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel, who could possibly exact revenge upon Cain.

Adam and Eve did have other children, other than Cain and Abel:

Originally Posted by Genesis 5:4

And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:

However, back in Genesis 4, which speak of the birth of Seth:

Originally Posted by Genesis 4:25

And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

However, Seth wasn't born until he was 130 years old (Genesis 5:3) and if Seth was born to replace Abel, then there were no other children until after Seth's birth...or at least "no other son", until after Seth's birth.

Originally Posted by 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.

Cain was left to wander, where place he is unable to grow food. He headed to the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Could Nod be Central Asia?

In many places in Central Asia, like Afghanistan, the lands are quite inhospitable. Soil are thin, and agriculture is not easy.

Who did he marry? Sister? Or some woman who don't belong to Adam's line?

And he was said to have build a city called Enoch, named after his son. Perhaps the first city ever built. If he was only one in the Land of Nod, with only just wife and son, how could he possibly build a city without more people?

Do you think there were already people other than Adam and his descendants (from Cain and Seth)?

[ChristineES]

I was under the impression that Adam and Eve had other children that had spread out.
Cain would have had to marry his sister. Well, as long as you take the story literally instead of symbolically, that is.

[Jeremy Mason]

Originally Posted by ChristineES

I was under the impression that Adam and Eve had other children that had spread out.
Cain would have had to marry his sister. Well, as long as you take the story literally instead of symbolically, that is.

Wrong.

13 Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." 15 But the LORD said to him, "Not so ; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the LORD's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.



Adam and Eve had not had any other children at this point, therefore, God create other humans as well as Adam and Eve. This is my one reasoning's for evolution according to the Bible.

[ChristineES]

I wouldn't say I am wrong, I would say I have a different opinion than yours. No one can be proved wrong unless we can go back in time and find out for sure.

[gnostic]

Originally Posted by christineES

I was under the impression that Adam and Eve had other children that had spread out.
Cain would have had to marry his sister.

If I was to take the text literally, where Adam and Eve were the first humans, then sibling incest is the most likely scenario.

But what about the other people - "every one" - which Cain feared?

Here is the JPS translation of verse I am referring to (all the others were from KJV).

Originally Posted by Genesis 4:14

Cain said: "Since You have banished me this day from the soil, and I must avoid Your presence and become a restless wanderer on earth - anyone who meets me may kill me!

Who did Cain fear?

---------------------------

ps Just a side note.

I think it is contradiction that God had branded Cain as a wanderer, and yet at the same time Cain founded a city.

Wandering is like a nomad, who may move in a new season in the following year. Finding and building a city would suggest "settlement", not "wandering".

[gnostic]

Originally Posted by jeremy mason

Adam and Eve had not had any other children at this point, therefore, God create other humans as well as Adam and Eve.

That's a scenario, I have not come across before. It's possible.

The only problem is that it make no mention of creating other people.

If God did, then he seemed to have made more numerous people than that of Adam's descendants.

[Jeremy Mason]

Originally Posted by gnostic

The only problem is that it make no mention of creating other people.

True, but this is a story about a couple chosen by God and how they chose to disobey him.

[gnostic]

Originally Posted by jeremy mason

True, but this is a story about a couple chosen by God and how they chose to disobey him.

You would have to wonder if these other people were created sinless, like Adam in the beginning.