Genesischapter 4
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Cain Slays Abel — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
A.Two Brothers, Two Offeringsvv. 1-7
1 And Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man,” she said. 2 Later she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil. 3 So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD, 4 while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 “Why are you angry,” said the LORD to Cain, “and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”
B.Cain Kills His Brother Abelvv. 8-16
8 Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 “What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11 Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 “Not so!” replied the LORD. “If anyone slays Cain, then Cain will be avenged sevenfold.” And the LORD placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
C.Cain's Line and Lamech's Boastvv. 17-24
17 And Cain had relations with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain built a city and named it after his son Enoch. 18 Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methusael, and Methusael was the father of Lamech. 19 And Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and raise livestock. 21 And his brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. 22 And Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain, a forger of every implement of 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 slain a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. 24 If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
D.Seth, and Calling on the Lordvv. 25-26
25 And Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another seed in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” 26 And to Seth also a son was born, and he called him Enosh. At that time men began to call upon the name of the LORD.
Chapter summary
The first children and the first murder.
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Chapter summary
The first children and the first murder.
Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴
The first children and the first murder. Cain and Abel each bring an offering; Abel's is accepted, Cain's is not. ‘If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?’ The warning goes unheeded; Cain rises up and kills his brother in the field. ‘Where is Abel thy brother?’ answers ‘where art thou?’ of the previous chapter. Cain is marked but not destroyed. Divine restraint even in judgment. Lamech's seven-fold boast signals the spread of violence; Seth is born as a replacement, and ‘then began men to call upon the name of the LORD’. Two lines now run in parallel through the world.
Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.
Context
Law · Moses — Genesis overview
- A. 1–7 Two Brothers, Two Offerings
- B. 8–16 Cain Kills His Brother Abel
- C. 17–24 Cain's Line and Lamech's Boast
- D. 25–26 Seth, and Calling on the Lord
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
1 John 32 verses
- 1 John 3:12Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.
- 1 John 3:15Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.
- Read 1 John 3 →
Genesis 32 verses
- Genesis 3:8Then the man and his wife heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the breeze of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
- Genesis 3:15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
- Read Genesis 3 →
Luke 152 verses
- Luke 15:28The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.
- Luke 15:31‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours.
- Read Luke 15 →
Leviticus 262 verses
- Leviticus 26:20and your strength will be spent in vain. For your land will not yield its produce, and the trees of the land will not bear their fruit.
- Leviticus 26:36As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. And they will flee as one flees the sword, and fall when no one pursues them.
- Read Leviticus 26 →
4 more chapters this one speaks with
Job 152 verses
- Job 15:20A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.
- Job 15:22He despairs of his return from darkness; he is marked for the sword.
- Read Job 15 →
Ezekiel 92 verses
- Ezekiel 9:4“Go throughout the city of Jerusalem,” said the LORD, “and put a mark on the foreheads of the men sighing and groaning over all the abominations committed there.”
- Ezekiel 9:6Slaughter the old men, the young men and maidens, the women and children; but do not go near anyone who has the mark. Now begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple.
- Read Ezekiel 9 →
Genesis 52 verses
- Genesis 5:3When Adam was 130 years old, he had a son in his own likeness, after his own image; and he named him Seth.
- Genesis 5:21When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah.
- Read Genesis 5 →
Genesis 22 verses
- Genesis 2:18The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.”
- Genesis 2:24For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
- Read Genesis 2 →
Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.