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In Genesis 4:17 there is one named Henok, the first by that name, and this first Henok then has a son who is also named Henok, and it comes to pass that this first Henok builds a city, and he names the city according to the name of his son who is also named Henok. It is important that the text specifically states that this first Henok is produced by Qain's wife, instead of simply saying that he was produced by Qain: this is a distinguishing characteristic and factor to be reckoned with in our understanding of the text, for it is highlighted by the fact that for the remainder of the genealogy the sons are all stated to have been produced through their fathers, not their mothers, while only this first Henok is said to be produced by his mother, instead of Qain. This appears to be why the reading appears somewhat difficult at the beginning of the statement which follows, (Gen 4:18a), and in studying this I noticed something strange: the next son is named Irad, but that name is the same word for a city, iyr, with the letter dal attached onto the end of it. Is this just a mere coincidence or is it significant? In light of what precedes this in the previous statement, regarding the first city ever mentioned in the scripture, it appears to be significant, at least imho. The following is my tentative reading.
בראשית 4:17-8 Hebrew Bible
וידע קין את אשתו ותהר ותלד את חנוך ויהי בנה עיר ויקרא שם העיר כשם בנו חנוך׃
ויולד לחנוך את עירד ועירד ילד את מחויאל ומחייאל ילד את מתושאל ומתושאל ילד את למך׃
B'reshiyt-Genesis 4:17-18
17 And Qain knew his wife, and she conceived and produced Ḥenok, and it came to pass that he [Ḥenok] built a city, [עיר] and he called the name of the city according to the name of his son, Ḥenok:
18 And he to-for-of Ḥenok begat Irad [עיר+ד, (city+d)] .......
It appears to me that it may be quite possible that one of these two named Henok produces Irad, (a city?), while the other ends up in the next passage as the son of Yared, which is very similar to Irad, (as are most of the other names in Genesis 4 similar to names in the next passage with only slight spelling changes, and Lamek isn't changed at all, and is almost surely the same Lamek). And if one is able see the genealogy of the next passage as those having been born from above, a spiritual seed line of those who came to believe, then it is truly possible that Henok of Breshiyt 5 was physically born some time before he was born from above and became a son of Adam.
I am already fully aware of the standard English translations and readings for the above text, and how they assume that Qain is the builder of the city, however, I say, they are "not following the pronouns", (as they say), so an argument in favor of that view would only be counterproductive to the whole purpose of this thread and the things I would like to explore herein.
בראשית 4:17-8 Hebrew Bible
וידע קין את אשתו ותהר ותלד את חנוך ויהי בנה עיר ויקרא שם העיר כשם בנו חנוך׃
ויולד לחנוך את עירד ועירד ילד את מחויאל ומחייאל ילד את מתושאל ומתושאל ילד את למך׃
B'reshiyt-Genesis 4:17-18
17 And Qain knew his wife, and she conceived and produced Ḥenok, and it came to pass that he [Ḥenok] built a city, [עיר] and he called the name of the city according to the name of his son, Ḥenok:
18 And he to-for-of Ḥenok begat Irad [עיר+ד, (city+d)] .......
It appears to me that it may be quite possible that one of these two named Henok produces Irad, (a city?), while the other ends up in the next passage as the son of Yared, which is very similar to Irad, (as are most of the other names in Genesis 4 similar to names in the next passage with only slight spelling changes, and Lamek isn't changed at all, and is almost surely the same Lamek). And if one is able see the genealogy of the next passage as those having been born from above, a spiritual seed line of those who came to believe, then it is truly possible that Henok of Breshiyt 5 was physically born some time before he was born from above and became a son of Adam.
I am already fully aware of the standard English translations and readings for the above text, and how they assume that Qain is the builder of the city, however, I say, they are "not following the pronouns", (as they say), so an argument in favor of that view would only be counterproductive to the whole purpose of this thread and the things I would like to explore herein.