The Artificer

Every Sunday school student knows Cain was the son of Adam and Eve. Beyond Cain Biblical genealogy is well-defined, but not such common knowledge. For the record, the sons of the generations following Cain were Enoch, Irad, Mehujael, Methushael, and Lamech.

Lamech, was the first known polygamist. His first wife was Adah and his second was Zillah, with whom, he had a son and a daughter. Their daughter's name was Naamah.

Naamah's brother was a man who gets sparse mention in the Masonic ritual, yet who is familiar to all Master Masons. His name was Tubalcain, an eighth generation descendant of Adam himself.

So who was this man we've all heard about? There are several ideas about the origin of his name. Some believe the second part of his name merely suggests his lineage in the line of Adam's son Cain. Others claim the first part to be derived from ybl (Y-B-L), meaning "to produce." The second part stems from the Aramaic qainaya (Q-A-I-N-A-Y-A ) meaning "metalworker." There are other suggested origins, but these seem most likely since they refer to his occupation, that of working with metals.

Living up to his name, Tubalcain became a metalworker, forging tools out of bronze and iron. He is said, in fact, to have been the inventor of the forge, indicating he was the first skilled artificer in metals. The Bible also says he was an instructor of other metal craftsmen.

Tubalcain's father Lamech was a follower of Cain's wicked and murderous ways. Genesis 4:23-24 tells us a young man committed a seemingly small offense against him and Lamech not only killed him but bragged about it to his wives. Knowing God marked Cain with a sign and promised seven times vengence on anyone who killed Cain for murdering Abel, Lamech boasted God would likewise protect him seventy times seven, a claim which, unlike with Cain, did not come from God, but from Lamech's bloated ego.

Any vengance upon the wicked sons of Cain, including Lamech, did not pass to Tubalcain, who significantly impacted history with his discoveries in the art of metalworking. His cultural contributions are said therefore to be an illustration of the grace of God at work.

Tubalcain… you might simply say he was the eighth man from Adam, and the first known artificer in metals.

For the Whence Came You podcast, this is Steve Harrison with the Masonic Minute.