Zillah צִלָּה

Zillah was one of the two wives of Lamech, a descendant of Cain, and is mentioned in the genealogy of Cain's line in Genesis 4. She was the mother of Tubal-Cain, who is described as the first metalworker, and of a daughter named Naamah. Zillah and her co-wife Adah are significant because their children represent the development of important aspects of human civilization, such as animal husbandry, music, and metalworking. The mention of Lamech's wives by name is unusual in the genealogies of Genesis, which typically only list male names. This suggests that Zillah and Adah played a notable role in the advancement of human society. Some scholars see the names of Lamech's wives as symbolic, with Zillah meaning "shade" or "protection," possibly representing the transition to a more settled way of life. The story of Lamech and his wives is part of the larger narrative of the early chapters of Genesis, which trace the development of human civilization from the creation of Adam and Eve to the time of Noah.