Genesis 4:18

And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.

Unto Enoch was born Irad. The genealogy of Cain's family is here given to the sixth generation. Since the persons mentioned seem to have been the oldest sons, they would be the successive rulers of the city of Enoch, and each in his day be possessors of power and influence. But no details of their personal history or public acts are given-no notice taken even of the duration of their lives, or the age which any of them had attained when his first-born son was born. This oblivion to which the Cainite patriarchs are consigned shows the little estimation in which the Spirit of Inspiration holds mere men of the world; because the growth of this branch of the human family is wholly identified with the progressive development of material forces. Living in a city, they early displayed the intelligence and activity for which inhabitants of towns have ever been distinguished;-both the useful and the fine arts had their rise among them, and they would have been entitled to honourable mention for their industry and inventions, had not the social characteristics of the place been irreligion and ungodliness, which in a few generations led to unrestrained license in vice and sensual corruption. Irad denotes ornament of a city; Mehujael, destroyed or smitten of God; Methusael, man of God; Lamech, a strong, powerful man.