[Paschals]

From the scripture, we were told that Adam and Eve were the 1st people created by God. Eve was Adam's wife. And if I may be correct, it was further said that all men/women on earth came from Adam and Eve. The question remains: How did people multiple? Does it mean that Adam's 1st son married his sister or vice visa?

[Wangdoodle]

Yes, Genesis 5:4 says that Adam became father to sons and daughters. It sounds strange to us now, however that's the way it happened.

[Fr_Chuck]

That is one possibility, since of course at that time, men were as close to sinless as possible, much longer life spans and the such.
So having such relations were needed.

Now many but some also look at the verses where God created men and women, he created "them" So it could be viewed that God created many more than one couple, but we have the history of Adam and Eve since they were the direct families that history is given throughout the bible.
The history of the Hewbrew nation is given throughout the bible, not the greeks, not the romans, not the african nations, we have the Hewbrew nations history followed.

[kindj]

I've heard two theories on this.

One is that sin hadn't corrupted the "spiritual DNA" of people so much at that time, so incestuous relationships weren't as damaging. However, this doesn't wash with me. After Cain was banished, we next hear about him with a wife and kids. Where did he find the wife?

Another theory says that when you look at the ancient Hebrew, "Adam" and "Eve" were not actually proper names, but are words derived from the Hebrew for "man" and "woman." In short, they were two people that God created, but not necessarily the ONLY two that He created. That, to me, makes a bit more sense.

DK

[speechlesstx]

The old "where did Cain get his wife" question. Of course there is much we don't know, seeing as how Adam's 930 years are condensed to a few short chapters. But it seems the two keys gleaned from scripture are God told them "to be fruitful and multiply," and that Adam and Eve indeed had "sons and daughters."

Beyond that it's really speculation, but it seems reasonable to me to deduce that if God commanded them to "be fruitful and multiply" that's exactly what they did, and so on and so forth. Seems the simplest and most probable explanation to me. :cool:

[Wondergirl]

Another theory says that when you look at the ancient Hebrew, "Adam" and "Eve" were not actually proper names, but are words derived from the Hebrew for "man" and "woman." In short, they were two people that God created, but not necessarily the ONLY two that He created. DK

I agree with DK. The Bible doesn't tell us everything. I'm comfortable thinking God had created more people than just Adam and Eve. After all, Cain ran off to the Land of Nod when God banished him. "The Land of Nod" sounds like a populated area. Otherwise, he would have been banished to "the wilderness".

[Wangdoodle]

I am not so sure that just because the land of Nod has a name it means that it was inhabited. It could be that this is the name that the people of the time Genusis was written new that land to be called. Just something to think about.

[Wondergirl]

I am not so sure that just because the land of Nod has a name it means that it was inhabited. It could be that this is the name that the people of the time Genusis was written new that land to be called. Just something to think about.

It only makes sense that people lived there. Land isn't named until it has been discovered and then inhabited. That was where Esau found a woman to marry.

[ActionJackson]

I've heard two theories on this.

One is that sin hadn't corrupted the "spiritual DNA" of people so much at that time, so incestuous relationships weren't as damaging. However, this doesn't wash with me. After Cain was banished, we next hear about him with a wife and kids. Where did he find the wife?

DK

I rate this answer as "right on and intelligent." I tried to rate but was told I had to "spread my rates around." I don't understand that but oh well. I, like you, don't believe that any incest took place. Incest is and always has been against God's law. God, the same yesterday, today, and forever, would not condone that sort of activity. Cain was banished and cast out of Eden and took a wife somewhere east of Eden. Also, it's written that God created men and women before He formed Adam from the dust and Eve from Adam's rib. Adam and Eve aren't spoken of until after God rested. "And God said 'Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness:...'" Genesis 1:26a. "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them." Genesis 1:27. The "Our" and "Us" spoken of in Genesis 1:26 is God, the Trinity speaking (God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost all one God). Man was created in His image as having a body, a soul, and a spirit.

[Wangdoodle]

I rate this answer as "right on and intelligent." I tried to rate but was told I had to "spread my rates around." I don't understand that but oh well. I, like you, don't believe that any incest took place. Incest is and always has been against God's law. God, the same yesterday, today, and forever, would not condone that sort of activity. Cain was banished and cast out of Eden and took a wife somewhere east of Eden. Also, it's written that God created men and women before He formed Adam from the dust and Eve from Adam's rib. Adam and Eve aren't spoken of until after God rested. "And God said 'Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness:...'" Genesis 1:26a. "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them." Genesis 1:27. The "Our" and "Us" spoken of in Genesis 1:26 is God, the Trinity speaking (God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost all one God). Man was created in His image as having a body, a soul, and a spirit.

Eve is called the mother of all the living. How is this possible if others were created before her and Adam? There are two accounts of creation being told here. Not that they contradict each other, rather they compliment each other. The first is a general account of all creation. The second is more focused on the creation of man.

[ActionJackson]

Eve is called the mother of all the living. How is this possible if others were created before her and Adam? There are two accounts of creation being told here. Not that they contradict each other, rather they compliment each other. The first is a general account of all creation. The second is more focused on the creation of man.

I know what I'm going to say may come off as being snide or disrespectful... it's not meant that way. If Eve was the mother of "all the living" then that would include all life forms including animal and vegetable. Since we can agree that she is not the mother of those life forms, then we can also agree that the statement has specific qualifications. We know that the Bible follows a genetic path from Adam to Heber to Noah through Shem to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jacob's sons, the twelve tribes of Israel all the way down to Jesus Christ, Himself (see Matthew chapter 1). Cain and his wife from the east of Eden are briefly mentioned, as well as a short summary of their posterity but that short list sort of faded off into the distance. The only subsequent mention of Cain's posterity comes as a result of the various conflicts or interactions they had with the people of the Bible: Adam's posterity, the Israelites. We also know that Eve is not the mother of Adam, so, once again, there is a qualification on the statement. Adam did come before Eve.

Another interesting fact is that the "man" and "woman" spoken of at the end of Genesis chapter one were "created" whereas Adam who was first mentioned in chapter 2 of Genesis was "formed." Those created in chapter one were created from thin air, fiat. While Adam was formed from pre-existing matter, the dust of the earth. If you have a good concordance (Strong's is the best) please look up the meanings of "created" and "formed." Two different root words with two different meanings.

[Wangdoodle]

Yes, there are qualifications about Eve being the mother of all the living. In the context it would aper to be talking about humans. 'The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.'
Paul also calls Adam the first man.

[Wangdoodle]

Also consider ch2 vs5 "there was no man to till the soil". Then God formed man out of the clay.

[Starman]

Yes, there are qualifications about Eve being the mother of all the living. In the context it would aper to be talking about humans. 'The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.'
Paul also calls Adam the first man.

Also, the Genesis account tells us that plants and animals were created prior to Adam and Eve.

[DrJ]

It only makes sense that people lived there. Land isn't named until it has been discovered and then inhabited. That was where Esau found a woman to marry.

I believe what he is saying is that it was not written about until after it became populated, and therefore, named. And because of this, the writer used the name it was already known for.



Anyway,

There would have had to be more than just Adam & Eve created. If not, then when exactly did the Native Americans swim over to America?

[change]

From the scripture, we were told that Adam and Eve were the 1st people created by God. Eve was Adam's wife. And if I may be correct, it was further said that all men/women on earth came from Adam and Eve. The question remains: How did people multiple? Does it mean that Adam's 1st son married his sister or vice visa?

I hate to do this to you but according to the book in question adem and eve hed two sons only! Remember.. cane, an abel,. cane killed abel.. whats a pore boy too do.. remaber he was casted out of eden to wonder the earth... now this is were the good book gos bad.. and dogma takes over

[DrJ]

i hate to do this to you but according to the book in question adem and eve hed two sons only!! remember..cane, an abel, ..cane killed abel..whats a pore boy too do..remaber he was casted out of eden to wonder the earth ...now this is were the good book gos bad ..and dogma takes over

No, you are wrong... if you want to talk like that, you better get your facts straight. What about Seth? (Gen 4)

[ActionJackson]

i hate to do this to you but according to the book in question adem and eve hed two sons only!! remember..cane, an abel, ..cane killed abel..whats a pore boy too do..remaber he was casted out of eden to wonder the earth ...now this is were the good book gos bad ..and dogma takes over

Actually, after Cain killed Abel, Adam and Eve had Seth. Genesis 5:4 says "And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years and he begat sons and daughters."

Adam and Eve had more than two sons.

[DrJ]

There is nothing that says that they only had the three either... Gen 4 refers to Seth as a "replacement" for Abel and Gen 5 refers to him for genealogical purposes. However, Seth was born when Adam was 130 or so and of his 900+ years, it says that he began more sons and daughters.

[Starman]

I believe what he is saying is that it was not written about until after it became populated, and therefore, named. And because of this, the writer used the name it was already known for.



Anyway,

There would have had to be more than just Adam & Eve created. If not, then when exactly did the Native Americans swim over to America?

According to Bible chronology, the occupation of the Americas would took place after the dispersal of mankind due to the Tower of Babel incident. There are two routes that are proposed. One via the Bering Straight into Alaska and southward. The other from the Pacific into South America.

BTW
Some believe that Alaska and Siberia were connected by the Bering Straight land-bridge. If true, then no swimming was necessary.

The Bering Straight Land Bridge and the Migration of Early Indians