Genesis 4. Cain and Abel

Cain and Abel

 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten 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. 

• יָדַע (yada) is the word for “to know” his wife. The word is used for sex (Elkanah knew Hannah, etc.) but it is also used in verses like Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…” (God’s deep personal knowledge)
• In Hebrew, Cain (קַיִן) means “acquired” or “brought forth,” (Eve said “I have gotten/acquired a man with the help of the Lord”) while Hevel (Abel) (הֶבֶל) means “breath” or “vapor” (same Hebrew word used repeatedly in Ecclesiastes)
• What was it like for Eve to raise the first baby ever not knowing anything about child development?

³ In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, ⁴ and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, ⁵ but for Cain and his offering he had no regard.

• Where did they bring the offering to? Where was the new meeting place of human and God? Did they still come to Eden where it was guarded?

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 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, and you must rule over it.”

• Notice how God gave Cain another chance. He did not reject him, but invites him to do the right thing.

⁸ Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. ⁹ Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “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 is crying to me from the ground. 

• See Hebrews 12:24

¹¹ And now you 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 punishment is greater than I can bear. ¹⁴ Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 

• “Whoever finds me will kill me” I’ve always wondered who? We know Adam was 130 years old when he had Seth (Genesis 5:3) so Cain was probably anywhere from 20-120 years old… so technically enough time could have passed where family grew into tribes.

¹⁵ Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put 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, east of Eden.

• See image below from https://bibleproject.com/classroom/adam-to-noah/sessions/27

• The Hebrew for about Cain’s sign is that it was placed “for” him (most translations say “on”) so it could be a visible mark on him or it could be something else.
• Spurgeon quote on Cain “The cool impudence of Cain is an indication of the state of heart which led up to his murdering his brother; and it was also a part of the result of his having committed that terrible crime. He would not have proceeded to the cruel deed of bloodshed if he had not first cast off the fear of God and been ready to defy his Maker.”
• We continue to move further east

¹⁷ Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. ¹⁸ To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. ¹⁹ And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. ²⁰ Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. ²¹ His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. ²² Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

• see image below for outline

²³ Lamech said to his wives:

“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
    you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say:
I have killed a man for wounding me,
    a young man for striking me.
²⁴ If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold,
    then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.”

• Is Lamech bragging about killing someone in 4:23-24 – seems arrogant -Matthew 18:21-22: might be a callback : 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times

²⁵ And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” ²⁶ To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.

• Seth שִׁית (shit) means appointed. Perhaps God’s appointed replacement for Abel.
• Note the difference between Eve’s statement in verse 1 vs. verse 25 on conceiving a child ( “I have gotten/bore…” vs “God has appointed for me…”)