Original Word: מְחוּיָאֵל
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Mchuwya'el
Pronunciation: mekh-oo-yah-ale'
Phonetic Spelling: (mekh-oo-yaw-ale')
KJV: Mehujael
NASB: Mehujael
Word Origin: [from H4229 (מָחָה - To wipe) and H410 (אֵל - God)]

1. smitten of God
2. Mechujael or Mechijael, an anxediluvian patriarch

Mehujael

Or Mchiyyauel {mekh-ee-yaw-ale'}; from machah and 'el; smitten of God; Mechujael or Mechijael, an anxediluvian patriarch -- Mehujael.

see HEBREW machah

see HEBREW 'el

Word Origin
from machah and el
Definition
"smitten of God," great-grandson of Cain
NASB Translation
Mehujael (2).

מְחוּיָאֵל proper name, masculine great-grandson of Cain Genesis 4:18a = מְחִיָּיאֵ֯ל Genesis 4:18b (J; A ᵐ5^L in both Μαιηλ, E Μαουιηλ; compare further Lag^{Or. ii, 35 BN 96} (Μαιουιαηλ) Bu^Urgesch.125). — (etymology dubious; Thes^{Add. 97 perhaps} smitten of El √ מחה; Bu^{Urgesch. 128} Kerber^{Eigennam, d. AT. 91} מְחַיִּיאֵל, or מַחְיִיאֵל El maketh alive; DHM^{MV 10} thinks of proper name, of divinity יאל, — compare Phoenician proper name יאלפעל, and CIS^{i. 132, 4}; especially p. 163 b, = god יאל giveth life (against this Gray^{Prop. N. 164})).

מַחֲוִים see below II. חוה. I. מָחוֺל see חול.

Genealogical Context

Mehujael appears twice in Genesis 4:18 within the lineage of Cain: “To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.” (Berean Standard Bible). He stands as the third generation after Cain, making him Cain’s great-grandson and the grandfather of Lamech, the first recorded polygamist (Genesis 4:19) and the father of those who pioneered shepherding, music, metalwork, and urban culture (Genesis 4:20-22). Thus Mehujael is a pivotal link between the first murderer and a rapidly advancing but increasingly violent civilization.

Historical Setting and Cultural Significance

1. Pre-Flood Society: Mehujael lived in the antediluvian era when human lifespans were long and population centers were forming. The mention of his line in the same breath as city-building (Genesis 4:17) reflects the swift development of social structures outside Eden.
2. Cultural Expansion: Although the biblical text credits later descendants with specific innovations, Mehujael’s generation provided the bridge between Cain’s founding of a city and Lamech’s household industries, highlighting how technology and culture can flourish even among those estranged from God’s presence.
3. Moral Trajectory: The Cainite genealogy culminates in Lamech’s boast of vengeance (Genesis 4:23-24), contrasting sharply with the godly line of Seth that ends in Noah, a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5). Mehujael’s placement shows how quickly sin spread through families while divine image-bearing creativity persisted.

Theological Observations

• God’s Common Grace: Mehujael’s lineage demonstrates that artistic and technological gifts (Genesis 4:20-22) arise under God’s providence, even among those alienated by sin (cf. Matthew 5:45).
• The Weight of a Name: Though the text does not elaborate, his theophoric name includes the divine element “-el,” underscoring that every family—righteous or not—cannot escape reference to the Creator (cf. Acts 17:28).
• Contrast of Two Lines: Scripture places Mehujael in deliberate juxtaposition to Enosh’s line, where “Men began to call on the name of the LORD” (Genesis 4:26). The narrative invites the reader to choose between self-reliant culture and God-centered worship.

Ministry Implications

1. Family Legacy: Mehujael’s account warns that achievements without repentance foster pride and violence (see Jude 11; 1 John 3:12). Believers are called to cultivate households anchored in grace rather than mere accomplishment.
2. Cultural Engagement: The church may affirm human creativity while challenging the moral trajectory that often accompanies it. Mehujael’s descendants show that skill divorced from righteousness leads to societal decay.
3. Hope of Redemption: Even within Cain’s cursed line, names containing “-el” hint at God’s ongoing invitation. This anticipates the ultimate Redeemer, Jesus Christ, who reclaims sinners from every family line (Revelation 5:9).

Key References for Further Study

Genesis 4:17-24; Genesis 5:1-29; 1 John 3:12; Jude 11; 2 Peter 2:5.

וּמְחִיּיָאֵ֗ל ומחייאל מְחֽוּיָאֵ֑ל מחויאל mə·ḥū·yā·’êl mechuyaEl məḥūyā’êl ū·mə·ḥî·y·yā·’êl umechiyyaEl ūməḥîyyā’êlInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts