Ge 4:17 And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son-Enoch.

18 To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lamech.

19 Then Lamech took for himself two wives: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah.

20 And Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock.

21 His brother's name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute.

22 And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.

23 Then Lamech said to his wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, Even a young man for hurting me.

24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold."

Here we have Moses tracing before his Israelite readers the spread of a godless society. Though they are religious (the name of God "El" appears in some of Cain's offspring in the Hebrew) yet they are characterized by materialism, secularism, antinomianism and humanism. They are people who are absorbed with earthly things.

Their activities and pursuits in life are primarily focused on non-spiritual things unlike what we see later on in verses 25 and 26. There is nothing wrong with material progress. But if we make it the primary aim and pursuit of our lives then we have gone overboard.

Though they advanced in agriculture, industry, music and in civilization, they degenerated spiritually and morally speaking. They were not God-centered people. Aside from being a bigamist, Lamech was even proud of his sin. This is the first in the world to boasts about his crime.

Moses was tracing the forefathers of the godless nations around Israel, teaching the Israelites not to follow their ways.