Genesis 4:14
in Genesis 4Behold, 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.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the ground; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whosoever findeth me will slay me.
KJV
Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
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This verse in Genesis 4
Commentary
6 notes on this verseTherefore, everyone who finds me will kill me. Since from the trembling of the body and the fury of the trembling one, or from the instability of the wanderer and fugitive, he understands him to be one who deserves to be killed.
This site's exposition
My punishment is greater than I can bear
on Genesis 4:13-14
Cain answered the sentence and never the sin. Clarke notes that the same Hebrew can be rendered as iniquity too great to be forgiven, which turns the line into despair. What Cain names is the loss, hidden from God's face, driven from the ground, hunted by whoever finds him.
This site's exposition
whoever finds me will kill me
Genesis 5:4 says Adam had other sons and daughters, and John Gill set these events near the one hundred thirtieth year of the world. Adam Clarke noted that Cain adds his fears, hidden from the LORD's face and killed by whoever finds him, to the sentence the LORD gave.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
My iniquity is greater than that I may deserve pardon. Behold, you cast me out today from your presence, and I shall be hidden from your face and from the face of the earth, and I shall be a wanderer and a fugitive on the …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Behold, thou hast driven me out - In Gen 4:11, Gen 4:12, God states two parts of Cain’s punishment: 1. The ground was cursed, so that it was not to yield any adequate recompense for his most careful tillage. 2. He was to be a fugitive and a vagabond having no place in which he could dwell with comfort or security. To these Cain himself adds others.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
[AND FROM THY FACE SHALL I BE HID.] All the world is full of God’s glory.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
This is in the form of a question: “You bear the worlds above and below, and is it impossible for You to bear my sin?” Thus the words of Rashi quoting Bereshith Rabbah. 439:25. The correct plain interpretation is that it is a confession.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הֵן֩ | hen | here! | H2005 → | 316 times |
| גֵּרַ֨שְׁתָּ | gerashta | you have driven away | H1644 → | 46 times |
| אֹתִ֜י | ʾoti | <obj.> me | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַיּ֗וֹם | haiyom | this day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| מֵעַל֙ | meal | from on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| פְּנֵ֣י | penei | [the] surface of | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה | haadamah | the ground | H127 → | 225 times |
| וּמִפָּנֶ֖יךָ | umipaneikha | and from before you | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| אֶסָּתֵ֑ר | ʾesater | I will be hidden | H5641 → | |
| וְהָיִ֜יתִי | vehayiti | and I will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| נָ֤ע | na' | a wanderer | H5128 → | |
| וָנָד֙ | vanad | and a fugitive | H5110 → | |
| בָּאָ֔רֶץ | baaretz | on the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וְהָיָ֥ה | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כָל־ | khol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מֹצְאִ֖י | motzei | [one who] finds me | H4672 → | 455 times |
| יַֽהַרְגֵֽנִי׃ | yahargeni | he will kill me | H2026 → | 167 times |
הֵן֩here!
henH2005 →316 times
גֵּרַ֨שְׁתָּyou have driven away
gerashtaH1644 →46 times
אֹתִ֜י<obj.> me
ʾotiH853 →10935 times
הַיּ֗וֹםthis day
haiyomH3117 →2304 times
מֵעַל֙from on
mealH5921 →5755 times
פְּנֵ֣י[the] surface of
peneiH6440 →2123 times
הָֽאֲדָמָ֔הthe ground
haadamahH127 →225 times
וּמִפָּנֶ֖יךָand from before you
umipaneikhaH6440 →2123 times
אֶסָּתֵ֑רI will be hidden
ʾesaterH5641 →
וְהָיִ֜יתִיand I will be
vehayitiH1961 →3559 times
נָ֤עa wanderer
na'H5128 →
וָנָד֙and a fugitive
vanadH5110 →
בָּאָ֔רֶץon the earth
baaretzH776 →2504 times
וְהָיָ֥הand it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
כָל־every
khol-H3605 →5413 times
מֹצְאִ֖י[one who] finds me
motzeiH4672 →455 times
יַֽהַרְגֵֽנִי׃he will kill me
yahargeniH2026 →167 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 28:1The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 28:7
The LORD will cause the enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you. They will march out against you in one direction but flee from you in seven.
- Psalms 53:5
There they are, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to fear. For God has scattered the bones of those who besieged you. You put them to shame, for God has despised them.
- Isaiah 26:3–4
You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
- Psalms 27:1–2
The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— whom shall I dread?
- Psalms 112:7
He does not fear bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
- Deuteronomy 28:7
Through
2 Thessalonians 1:9They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might,
it leads to
- Matthew 25:41
Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
- Revelation 14:10–11
he too will drink the wine of God’s anger, poured undiluted into the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented in fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and…
- Matthew 25:41
Through
Psalms 143:7Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me, or I will be like those who descend to the Pit.
it leads to
- Psalms 69:17
Hide not Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me quickly!
- Psalms 69:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.