true
Church. They could not brook inferiority to the sons of Adam, the true
Church; therefore they set up their own forms of worship, and
introduced many other new things for the sake of suppressing the
church of Adam. And because the false church was thus kept separate
from the true Church, I believe that Cain married to each other his
sons and daughters. Accordingly, about the time of Lamech, Cain's
posterity began to multiply exceedingly. And it is for this reason, I
believe, that Moses here terminates the list.

V. 19. _And Lamech took unto him two wives; the name of the one was
Adah, and the name of the other Zillah._

264. Here again a twofold question arises. In the first place divines
dispute whether Lamech married these two wives on account of lustful
passion or for some other cause. My belief is that polygamy was not
entered into for the sake of lust, but with the object of increasing
his family, and from the lust of dominion, and especially so if, as
his name imports, the Lord at that time had been punishing the
Cainites, or the posterity of Cain, by pestilence, or by some other
calamity. In this case, Lamech probably thought by such expedient to
retrieve his greatness. Thus barbarous nations retain polygamy to
strengthen and establish both home and State.

265. As regards the names of these two wives, the name of one is Adah;
that is, adorned, or, having chains on the neck. _Adi_ signifies a
neat, or elegant woman, and _adah_, the verb, signifies to adorn, or,
to put on. And perhaps this name was given to her, not only because
she was the mistress of the house, elegantly adorned or clothed, but
because she was also beautiful. The name of the other wife, Zillah,
signifies, his shade.

V. 20. _And Adah bare Jabal; he was the father of such as dwell in
tents and have cattle._

266. The name Jabal is derived from the verb _jabal_, which signifies
to bring forward, or to produce.

V. 21. _And his brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all
such as handle the harp and pipe._

267. And the name Jubal has the same origin and signification; for it
means produced, or introduced. Both these names, therefore, contain a
wish or prayer of Lamech concerning the increase of his family. The
posterity of Cain always entertained the object and expectation of
surpassing in numbers. And, no doubt, the Cainites held up this
temporal blessing in the face of the true Church as an evident proof
that they were not ca