Maybe Cain Had a Wife

It may have been a little harsh to refer to Lot’s daughters as Judea’s version of the Hilton sisters – and several readers were quick to point out why that might not have been a fair assessment. After all, Sodom and Gomorrah had just burned down, so it was possible the sisters’ decision to have sex with their father stemmed from a fear that humanity would die out unless they bore children. It can also be argued that Lot’s daughters’ actions constitute an in-joke, given the fact that they would end up giving birth to two sons – Moab and Ben-Ammi – who were considered to be the forefathers of two tribes which eventually posed a threat to Israel. Thus, by attributing their enemies’ origin story to such an unsavory source, it could be seen as the ancient equivalent of hurling insults.

Ultimately, while this complex situation has undoubtedly sparked debate between those looking at it from different angles, it does remain true that Lot’s daughters made a difficult decision under extraordinary circumstances; one which ultimately preserved human life but left them open for criticism. It is easy for us to judge now with our modern sensibilities but we must remember that this narrative originated thousands of years ago when incest wasn’t necessarily viewed negatively in all parts of the world.

When it comes to the extended lifespans of the characters presented in Genesis 5:4, including Cain and Adam’s other children, there are a few different approaches readers take to explaining these facts.

One theory is that the occurrence of the Flood reflects some kind of break in life expectancy. Before the Deluge, humans could live anywhere from 900 years upwards; however, afterwards their life span decreased to between 100-200 years. Another suggests there may have been a protective “Vapor Canopy” created during Creation which kept Methuselah and other characters safe from disease and radiation; when this disappeared after the flood, humans had shorter lifespans due to increased exposure. Then there’s the argument that right before Noah’s story begins, God states that man should only be given 120 years. Muslims who interpret the Bible more literally than others see this as proof that generations after Noah were blessed with longer lives by God himself. Finally, some theorize that Israelites held a different understanding from ours about what constituted a year at times – thus leading to misunderstandings of how long people actually lived for.

The most thought-provoking response came from reader Alan Zimmerman who proposed that these discrepancies probably stem from oral retellings over time which naturally featured exaggerated feats from heroes like Sarah. These stories eventually made their way into written form as we know it today, leaving us scratching our heads as we ponder facts like Sarah getting pregnant at 99 without questioning why they’re so impossible!

In conclusion, while all these theories provide interesting discussion points on how characters in Genesis could’ve managed to live such unbelievably long lives, it can’t be known for certain which one (if any!) holds true – but its fun to speculate nonetheless!