Sons in the Bible: Sons of Adam and Eve

Last year we took a look at the Daughters in the Bible and before that the Mothers in the Bible. This year, let’s take a look at some of the sons in the Bible.

The sons are very important because this is usually the who will inherit the father’s land or possessions.  In the Biblical genealogies it is through the sons the family line is traced.

The first set of sons mentioned are the first sons and children born to the world and to a well known couple, Adam and Eve.

“And the man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man with the help of Jehovah. And again she bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.”   {Genesis 4:1-2}

The name Cain means spear or possessed and the name Abel means breath, son, breathing spirit, vapor or puff of air.

Cain worked the land, while Abel worked with the flock or sheep.

We know the story of Cain and Abel.  Cain became jealous of his brother, Abel. This is because the Lord looked more favorable on his Abel’s gift than on Cain’s.

Cain asked his brother to accompany him to the field where he killed him.  When the Lord asked Cain where Abel was, Cain replied “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and the Lord marked him and promised harm to anyone who brought harm to him.  He was cursed to work the earth and would be a wanderer upon the earth. 

The only known motive for Cain’s actions is jealousy.  John writes in the New Testament “Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.”  {1 John 3:12}

Adam and Eve had their hearts broken as they’d lost their first two sons.

“And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For, said she, God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel; for Cain slew him. “  {Genesis 4:25}

The name Seth means anointed, compensation.  It is through Seth the genealogies of Adam’s descendants are traced. Seth was the father of Enos and 6x great-grandfather of Noah.

Through Seth their hope and lineage was renewed.

Photos from FreeBibleImages.org