The 3 Notable Sons of Adam and Eve in Bible History

There are three named sons of Adam and Eve in the Bible .

The Bible is silent on all but three of Adam and Eve’s children. Today the years of fecundity for an average female is approximately 30 to 35 years. But in the days of Adam and Eve, the average lifespan was approximately ten times greater than today. Because of these extremely long lives, Eve’s child bearing years may have been between 300 and 350 years, perhaps even longer. Eve could have easily had more than 100 children in her lifetime. But the Bible only mentions three of her sons.

Sons of Adam and Eve In Bible — Story of Adam and Eve

When God started creating the Earth and everything in it, His plan was to create human beings. After He had lovingly prepared the Earth and created the plants and animals, on day six of the creation week He created the human race. Here are the verses that record His thoughts.

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:26-28 (KJV)

God created the first man as an adult. Adam, although he was very young in days, was physically, intellectually, and sexually mature. After God created Adam, He gave him a job to do, and that was to give every animal a name. But while Adam was observing the variation of the animal kingdom, he must have noticed that with every animal there was a male and a female. However, there was not a female version of himself.

“And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.” Genesis 2: 19-20 (KJV)

Adam must have realized that for him to obey the command to “be fruitful and multiply” he needed help. Specifically, he needed a helper that would be suitable for procreation.

After God was finished with each stage of His creation, He saw that it was “good.” After God created Adam, He intentionally did not give him a mate. In essence, He did not create Eve from the same substance of Adam for a reason. He decided that this was not good.

“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Genesis 2:18 (KJV)

The words “help meet” simply means a help suitable for the man, in this case, another human being. So, as it was still the sixth day, God continued His creative work. In creating the woman, instead of creating her from the dust of the ground, God used Adam. He put Adam into a deep sleep and surgically removed a rib from his side. From this bone in Adam’s body, God created the first woman — the female version of Adam, a helper that was suitable for Adam, not only for reproductive purposes, but also for human companionship.

“And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.  And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Genesis 2:22-24 (KJV)

Adam knew that this helper, which he called Woman, was for reproduction, when he said, “they shall be one flesh.” Adam had already observed the mating practices of the animals, and now he, too, had someone with whom he could mate. He also alluded to his rib when he said, “one flesh.” The woman was taken from the man, but in the sexual act of marriage, the two would become one flesh again.

After Eve listened to Satan and ate of the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge and good and evil, she gave the fruit to her husband, and he willingly ate also. God then cast both Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden.

It was after this incident that Adam named his wife’s name “Eve,” which means “the mother of all living.” Though it is not recorded in the Bible, it can be assumed that just as the animals have sex, so did Adam and Eve, both for pleasure and to fulfill the commandment of God to “reproduce and multiply.”

The meaning of the name Eve is very significant. It was Eve, not Adam, who was deceived by Satan. This fact is repeated in the New Testament.

“And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” 1 Timothy 2:14 (KJV)

Adam had every reason to be very upset with his wife; Eve also must have been crushed and upset. But despite the consequences, Eve was repentant for what she did, and with her loving husband at her side she gained forgiveness. Instead of allowing her past to define and crush her even more so, Eve went on to serve God, and to obey His command to reproduce and multiply. She is a role model for both women and men today to not to allow past sins, failures, and bad decisions hinder their service to God. Despite the fact they were not in Paradise anymore, both Adam and Even put the past behind them and moved forward.

In the fourth chapter of the Book of Genesis, it is recorded that Adam and Eve consummated their marriage and Eve produced the first baby — a son which they named Cain.

Sons of Adam and Eve In Bible — Birth of Cain

Despite the fact Adam and Eve were no longer in the Garden of Eden, and their lives had been drastically changed, Eve delivered a baby. Their first child, a son named Cain, means “possession.” His birth excited Eve very much. Here is the Bible account of this birth.

“And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.” Genesis 4:1 (KJV)

Having a baby is exciting, and this birth was even more exciting since it was the first human baby born. But also in the mind of his mother Eve, she may have believed that this son was the promised seed that God had prophesied about to both her and Adam in Genesis 3:15. “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

The word “seed” has a male connotation. With the birth of Cain, Eve may have thought that God had sent the promised Deliverer!

But she was wrong. In actuality, Eve sadly gave birth to the first murderer.

Sometime after Cain was born, Eve had another son whom they named Abel. It is not recorded if she had any other children, either sons or daughters between Cain and Abel. She may have had several children, but the Scriptures are silent on this.

Sons of Adam and Eve In Bible — Story of Cain and Abel

Both Cain and Abel reached adulthood and chose a profession.

“And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.” Genesis 4:2 (KJV)

Abel raised sheep and Cain was a farmer. Both men had been instructed in the practice of bringing a blood sacrifice to cover their sins. They both knew they needed to sacrifice to the LORD God and they both brought an offering to God.

After the expulsion from the Garden of Eden, God made the first animal sacrifice. He killed an animal and fashioned coats of skin to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve. He also must have taught this first couple about bringing an animal and offering a blood sacrifice to cover their sins. Adam and Eve then taught their children to do likewise.

“And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.” Genesis 4:3-5 (KJV)

Cain brought a bloodless sacrifice to God. Abel brought a blood sacrifice as indicated by the phrase “and of the fat thereof.” Both men knew what God expected, and Abel’s offering was the proper sacrifice, but Cain’s was not. God, in His mercy, offered Cain a second chance to bring a proper sacrifice. His words of both kindness and warning are recorded in Genesis 4:7a. “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.” (KJV)

But Cain, instead of obeying God, in a fit of jealous anger he killed his brother Abel.

“And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.” Genesis 4:8 (KJV)

This terrible incident is referred to and clarified in the New Testament verse: 1 John 3:12. “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.” (KJV)

God, in His mercy, allowed Cain to live, but he was banished from his home and was unable to farm. The Bible records God’s punishment on Cain.

“And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.  And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.” Genesis 4:10-12 (KJV)

God did not allow Cain to be a famer anymore. The same ground that he had farmed accepted his brother’s blood. Also, God made sure that Cain would be a fugitive and vagabond for the rest of his life.

Despite the fact Cain should have been grateful that God did not kill him like he did his own his brother, he complained about his punishment by saying, “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.” Genesis 4:14 (KJV)

God then promised that He would make sure that He would keep anyone else from killing Cain.

Cain began his new, hunted existence in the land of Nod.

“And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.” Genesis 4:16 (KJV)

But Cain did have a wife, and he also had at least one son, according to Genesis 4:17. “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.” (KJV)

Cain’s son Enoch is not the same Godly Enoch who walked with God and God took Him without dying.

The obvious question arises, who was Cain’s wife? Obviously, since all of the children of the world at that time were children of Adam and Eve, Cain must have married one of his own sisters.

God did not make a law against marrying a close relatives until about 3,000 years later when He gave the law to Moses.

The patriarch Abraham, who lived many centuries after Adam, married his half-sister. Abraham explained this about his wife Sari in Genesis 20:12. “And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.” (KJV)

Sons of Adam and Eve In Bible — Seth

After Abel’s murder, the Bible is silent on any children of Adam and Eve until Adam was 130 years old. At that age, he fathered another son whom he called Seth.

“And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:” Genesis 5:3-4 (KJV)

Not much is known about Seth. But eventually he fathered a son by the name of Enos. Somehow Seth’s son Enos is related to men calling on God’s name. God recorded this important fact in Genesis 4:26, “And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.” (KJV)

This verse says that after Seth, Adam had other sons and daughters. But in the 130 years prior to the birth of Seth, there were only two sons of Adam mentioned — Cain and Abel. Nevertheless, this does not prove that Adam and Eve only had these two sons. Adam and Eve were obedient to the command of God to “be fruitful and multiply and replenish [fill] the earth.” No doubt, Adam and Eve had many sons between the death of Abel and the birth of Seth.

Chapter 5 of Genesis appears to be the “death chapter.” In this chapter, many of the pre-flood patriarchs are mentioned, along with the age they were when they fathered a particular son, and then their age when they died. The sons mentioned in this chapter may not have been their first son or even their first child. The individuals specifically named in this chapter simply are recorded to show both the great age of individuals living before the flood, and also to show the early genealogy of Jesus Christ. The New Testament Book of Luke traces the genealogy of Jesus Christ back to Adam.

“Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.” Luke 3:38 (KJV)

This verse shows that Adam’s son Seth, not Cain or Abel, was in the linage of Jesus Christ.

The descendants of Seth also include the famous names of Enoch, Methuselah, and Noah.

Sons of Adam and Eve In Bible — Descendants of Adam

All of the world’s population can trace their existence back to Adam and Eve’s sons, but the most well-known of Adam’s sons was Jesus Christ — God in the flesh. In Scripture, He is also referred to as “the last Adam.”

“And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” 1 Corinthians 15:45 (KJV)

When God became a man, He chose to be one of the sons of Adam and Eve, and not a spirit being, so that He could fully understand and emphasize with all of His creation, and eventually, die for them to fulfill his plan for their salvation.

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