Genesis 4:1-16

Cain and Abel

1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have gotten^[a] a man with the help of the LORD."

2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground.

3 In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of ¹the fruit of the ground,

4 and Abel also brought of ²the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD ³ had regard for Abel and his offering,

5 but ⁴for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.

6 The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?

7 ⁵If you do well, will you not be accepted?^[b] And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. ⁶Its desire is for^[c] you, but you must rule over it."

8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother.^[d] And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and ⁷killed him.

9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, ⁸"I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?"

10 And the LORD said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood ⁹is crying to me from the ground.

11 And now ¹⁰you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth."

13 Cain said to the LORD, "My ¹¹punishment is greater than I can bear.^[e]

14 Behold, ¹²you have driven me today away from the ground, and ¹³from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, ¹⁴and whoever finds me will kill me."

15 Then the LORD said to him, "Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him ¹⁵sevenfold." And the LORD ¹⁶put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him.

16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod,^[f] east of Eden.

Genesis 4:1-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 4

In this chapter an account is given of the two eldest children of Adam and Eve, their names and calling, Ge 4:1,2 and of their different offerings to the Lord, and the different respect had unto them by him, which in Cain issued in wrath and envy, which appeared in his countenance, and were taken notice of by the Lord, and about which he reasoned with him, Ge 4:3-7 but it had no effect upon him, he murdered his brother, upon which he was examined about him, but denied he knew anything of him where he was, Ge 4:8,9 he is arraigned, convicted and condemned, sentence passed upon him, and that executed, which he complains of, and is mitigated, or however a protection is granted him, and a mark set on him for his security, Ge 4:10-15 after which we have an account of his posterity for several generations, their names, and the business of some of them, Ge 4:16-24 and the chapter is closed with the birth of another son, and of a grandson to Adam and Eve, in whose days was the beginning of social religion.

Cross References

• 1. Leviticus 2:12; Numbers 18:12
• 2. Exodus 13:12; Numbers 18:17; Proverbs 3:9
• 3. Hebrews 11:4
• 4. [Proverbs 21:27]
• 5. Ecclesiastes 8:12, 13; Isaiah 3:10, 11; Romans 2:6-11
• 6. Genesis 3:16
• 7. Matthew 23:35; Hebrews 12:24; 1 John 3:12; Jude 11
• 8. John 8:44
• 9. Hebrews 12:24; [Revelation 6:10]
• 10. Deuteronomy 27:24; [Numbers 35:33]
• 11. Genesis 19:15
• 12. Job 15:20-24
• 13. 2 Kings 24:20; Psalms 51:11; Psalms 143:7; Jeremiah 52:3
• 14. Genesis 9:6; Numbers 35:19
• 15. Psalms 79:12
• 16. [Ezekiel 9:4, 6; Revelation 14:9, 11]

Footnotes

• [a]. Cain sounds like the Hebrew for gotten
• [b]. Hebrew will there not be a lifting up [of your face]?
• [c]. Or against
• [d]. Hebrew; Samaritan, Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate add Let us go out to the field
• [e]. Or My guilt is too great to bear
• [f]. Nod means wandering