The Book of Jubilees, a fascinating text considered scripture by some Jewish and Christian traditions, tells us that in the third year of a certain week – Jubilees uses a unique calendar system, by the way – Kâinâm was born. He was the son of Arpachshad, one of Shem's descendants (Jub. 8:1).
Now, Arpachshad did what any good father would do: he taught his son to write. But Kâinâm wasn't content with just writing grocery lists or family histories. He had bigger plans. He wanted a city! "He went to seek for himself a place where he might seize for himself a city," the text says. Ambitious. But here's where the story takes a turn. Kâinâm stumbles upon something... unexpected. He finds ancient writings carved into a rock. These weren't just any writings. As Jubilees 8:3 tells us, they contained "the teaching of the Watchers."
Who were the Watchers? Ah, that’s a story in itself! Think of them as fallen angels, celestial beings who, according to various traditions like the Book of Enoch, mingled with humans and taught them forbidden knowledge.
And what kind of knowledge did they impart? Well, this rock inscription revealed how the Watchers "used to observe the omens of the sun and moon and stars in all the signs of heaven." In other words, astrology, divination, and other esoteric arts. Knowledge that was, shall we say, frowned upon.
The text explicitly states that Kâinâm transcribed this forbidden knowledge and "sinned owing to it." He took this knowledge and used it, likely to gain power and influence in his quest to build his city.
It makes you wonder, doesn’t it? What was so tempting about this forbidden knowledge? What city did he end up building, and what role did these celestial secrets play in its rise? The Book of Jubilees doesn't tell us outright, leaving us to ponder the consequences of seeking knowledge in the wrong places. Did Kâinâm build his city, or did the knowledge of the watchers build him?