Genesis 4:1-16

1. Locate the passage

This passage records the first events after mankind was expelled from the garden. Some English translation complete this section in 4:15. However, the more logical pericope is 4:1-16. First, the break in the Hebrew text is after 4:16. Second, the events of Cain relocating to Nod fit the first section of chapter 4 more naturally than the subsequent because the relocation is a consequence of the events of 4:1-15. 4:16 begins a new section with a different subject.

2. Genre

The passage is narrative. It records Eve’s excitement at the birth of her son; the conversation between the Lord and Cain. Note, while a conversation between Cain and Abel is referenced (4:8), none is recorded.

3. Determine the structure of the passage

4. Exegete the passage

The alternating development of the text is rich

Cain’s birth                 => Abel’s birth

Abel’s occupation       => Cain’s occupation

Cain’s offering            => Abel’s offering

Abel’s acceptance       => Cain’s rejection

Cain’s anger                => Abel’s death^[1]See Allen P. Ross. Creation and Blessing: A Guide to the Study and Exposition of Genesis (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1996), 154.

4:1 – Adam knew Eve – the Hebrew verb, “to know” is often used in context of a sexual union (cf. Gen. 4:1, 17, 25, 19:5, 8; 24:16; 38:26; Judges 11:39; 19:22; 1 Sam.    1:19).

• The same word is used in 3:7 – they “knew” they were naked

4:1 – “Cain” – the name means, “acquired,” or “possession”

4:1 – “whom I have acquired”

• The Hebrew verb (“qanah”) can carry the idea of “possess” (Gen. 14:19, 22); “acquire” or “purchase” (Ex. 15:16; Deut. 32:6; Ps. 78:54); or “produce” (Ps. 139:13).

4:1 – “from the Lord”

• Eve knew that life only comes from the Lord

4:2 – the name, “Abel” means “breath.”

• The word is elsewhere translated “vapor” (i.e. Ecc. 1:2).
• There is some significance to the brief existence of Abel – like a vapor

4:2 – Abel was a keeper of sheep … Cain was a tiller of the ground

• It is not necessary to see a preference of keeping sheep over keeping the ground. The fact that Adam and Cain both had the same occupation (which the Lord assigned to Adam) suggests that there was nothing unsavory about Cain’s occupation.
• The rejection of Cain’s offering was not based on his profession
• Their listing of their occupations seems to be for the purpose of explaining the substance of their offerings.

4:3 – Cain brought an offering

• The text does not indicate how Cain knew to bring an offering.
• Cain’s offering and Abel’s offerings are described using the same word (minha), which can mean “gift.”
• This is also the word used later in connection with the offerings (i.e. burnt offering)

4:4 – Abel also brought

• Note that Abel offered to God the best (fat) and the first of his flock.
• See also Heb 11:4, which states that Abel brought a better sacrifice “by faith.” Thus, God knew that Abel’s offering was out of his faith in God.

4:4 – The Lord respected

• “sha’ah” – which means to look upon; towards (cf. Gen. 4:5; Ex. 5:9; 2 Sam. 22:42; Job 7:9; 14:6; Ps. 119:117; Is 17:7, 8; 22:4; 31:1; 32:3)
• The word can convey the idea of “paying attention to”

4:5 – He did not respect

• The reason why the Lord did not respect Cain’s offering is not specified, but it is implied by what is not said about Cain’s offering that was said of Abel’s. Abel brought the first and best.
• Since the Lord knows our hearts, the attitude of Cain in his offering may have contributed to the Lord’s rejection of it. See 1 John 3:12, which says that Cain was “of the evil one.” See also Heb 11:4 (“a more excellent sacrifice”).

4:5 – “Did not respect” (See above)

4:5 – “Cain and his offering”

• The Lord’s displeasure was directed at Cain as well as his offering
  • So, the rejection of the offering had to do with both

4:5 – Cain was angry and his countenance fell

• The Hb. for countenance fell is literally “his face fell”
  • The phrase suggests visible displeasure
• See Mark 10:22 for similar expression in the Greek

4:6 – The Lord questions Cain similarly as He did Adam and Eve in the garden

• The Lord already knew the answer to the questions, but wanted to help Cain identify the struggle that his sorrow was causing him and the sin that it could produce.

4:7 – If you do well, you will be accepted

• Again, as with vs. 5, this points to the acceptance of the person and not just his offering.

4:7 – Sin lies at your door

• The Hb. word here, “rabatz,” can convey crouching as about to attach (cf. Gen. 49:9), lying down (Gen. 49:14), or lying under a weight (Ex. 23:5)
• At your door – the proximity here is in view
  • It is upon you

4:7 – Sin desires you

4:7 – But you rule over it

• Cain had the choice
• The devil cannot make you sin; you choose it
• Luther said of Cain’s sin, “We hold therefore to an explanation which has the warrant of the Scriptures, namely that Cain, finding himself rejected of God, indulged his anger, and added to his former sins contempt of his parents and of the Word.”^[2]Martin Luther, Commentary on Genesis, vol. II: Luther on Sin and the Flood, trans. John Nicholas Lenker (New York: Scriptura Press, 2015), IV. A. 107.

4:8 – See Luke 11:50 – Jesus referred to Abel as “righteous” and a “prophet”

4:8 – Cain “talked” with Abel

• Some translations render this as a statement of Cain to Abel, “let’s go to the field.”
  • The Samaritan Pentateuch and LXX suggests this translation
  • Some English translations follow this (NIV, NJB, NRSV)
  • This requires a reconstruction of the Hebrew
    • The verb וַֽיְהִי (from Hb. “hayah” which means, “to be”) is 3^rd masculine singular and is often rendered, “and it happened.”
    • Normally, the phrase “let us go” would be rendered from either the imperfect, imperative, or cohortative form of “halak.” See Gen. 37:17; Ex. 5:8, 17; Deut. 13:2, 7, 13; Judges 19:28; 1 Sam. 9:9, 10; 11:14; 1 Sam. 26:11; 2 Kings 6:2; 2 Kings 7:4; Ps. 122:1; Zech 8:21, 23.
  • This reconstruction would suggest a luring of Abel by Cain into the field
• Others render the phrase as, “they went to the field.” (see NASB, NKJV, KJV, ESV)
  • This is the most natural rendering of the MT

4:8 – “His brother”

• The phrase emphasizes the personal and horrific nature of the crime

4:9 – “Where is your brother?”

• The phrase is reminiscent of the Lord’s inquiry of Adam in the garden, “where are you?”
  • In both cases, the question highlights the disobedience

4:9 – I do not know … Am I my brother’s keeper?

• Cain must have inherited from his parents the tendency to attempt to absolve oneself of blame
• One might infer from the Lord’s question, that Cain DID bear some responsibility for his brothers’ keeping.
• Moreover, Even Cain’s use of the word, “brother” should suggest some responsibility for his “keeping.”
• Contrast the question of Cain with Jesus’ comments in the parable of the Good Samaritan that came in response to a question, “who is my neighbor?”
  • Jesus’s instructions on being a neighbor contrast Cain’s protests intended to absolve him of any brotherly responsibility.

4:10 – “What have you done?”

• This second question becomes more direct and recalls the Lord’s question to Eve in 3:13.

4:10 – “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me”

• “qol” – See Gen. 3:8, 10, 17
• “Cries out to Me”
  • The picture of God as a Just God
  • Luther pointed out that the fact that Abel’s blood cried out to God suggests the assurance of an afterlife.^[3]Ibid., V. A. 158.

4:11 – So … you are cursed

• Cain’s curse is two-fold: the ground will be cursed and he will be a fugitive
• “Vagrant and wanderer”
  • The terms sound much alike
  • The participles carry the idea of wandering and homelessness
  • They are only used together in Scripture here and 4:14
• The punishment fits, since Cain was a farmer
• Is this the same curse as that of Adam?
  • Cain’s punishment is more severe than that of Adam
    • Adam was allowed to continue his occupation of cultivating the earth despite the difficulty (3:18-19)
    • Cain is driven from his occupation
      • The ground will “no longer” yield its strength to you
      • It is the sense that he will no longer be able to farm and thus forced to wander
        • This explains Cain’s objection to his curse

4:13 – “My punishment is too great”

• Cain understood that the Lord had driven him from his occupation and his home
• “too great to carry”
  • The Hb. “nasa” can be rendered “forgive.” As some early translations rendered it (LXX; Vg).
    • This might explain Cain’s objection that he will be hidden from the Lord
  • However, the sense of 13-14 seems more like a complaint than a declaration. Moreover, the Lord’s response in vs. 15 seems to answer a complaint rather than a declarative statement (which would have necessitated a different Divine response).
• So, the text does not appear to be suggesting that Cain believed that his sin was too great for God to forgive; nor does the text seem to be suggesting his remorse over the extent of his iniquity (Cf. Jude 11). Instead, Cain appears to be objecting over the severity of his punishment.

4:14 – “Driven me out … hidden me from … fugitive and vagabond”

• Cain sees a three-fold aspect to his punishment
  • Driven from his occupation
  • Hidden from the presence of the Lord
    • Cain added this to the punishment the Lord pronounced
    • The Lord did not announce that Cain would be hidden from Him
      • Cain inferred that
    • Wandering and homeless
  • Thus, because of his punishment, Cain believes that he will be vulnerable
    • Perhaps, because he is alone. Or, perhaps because his enemies will know that he is under the curse of the Lord.
  • What appears to be missing in Cain’s response is remorse.^[4]For an alternative view which suggests that Cain was demonstrating remorse over his sin, see Umberto Cassuto, A Commentary on the Book of Genesis: From Adam to Noah, (Jerusalem: The Magnes Press, 1998), 222.
  • For Adam and Eve, they have in one sense, lost both sons. One was murdered and the other excommunicated by God.

4:15 – The Lord said to him

• LXX and some English translations (NIV, NRSV) begin the Lord’s response with, “not so.”
  • This would make the Lord’s response a corrective.
• The Lord does not mitigate Cain’s punishment, despite his complaints
• Instead, the Lord responds to Cain’s complaint in two ways:
  • The Lord issues a warning to anyone who would kill Cain
    • He does not promise to protect Cain, but merely to judge anyone who kills him
  • The Lord set a mark on Cain

4:15 – “The Lord set a mark on Cain”

• The identity of “the mark” on Cain has been a source of much debate
• The Bible does not explain it, so dogmatism and speculation should be avoided
• What we know about the mark
  • The mark is not part of the curse – it is a measure of protection
  • It is intended to be a visible reminder of the Lord’s warning

4:16 – Cain went out

• The punishment was carried out as the Lord declared it in vs. 11-12
  • Part of the consequences of sin is distance
  • It would be up to Cain to see that the part he added (driven from the presence of the Lord) did not occur

4:16 – the land of Nod

• The location only occurs here in Scripture
  • The specific location is unknown
  • “Nod” is built off of the same root as “wanderer” in 4:12, 14
  • It is possible that the term could simply be a reference to his perpetual wandering (i.e. “the land of wandering”).

5. Let the structure of the text drive the sermon

There are two foundational truths in this passage:

1. Life is a gift from the Lord
2. Worship is a gift to the Lord

Application:

• The celebration of God’s gift of life should cause us to give to Him our worship
• Worship means giving, but not all giving is worship
  • The Lord determines the worth and acceptability of our gift (Cf. Luke 21:1-4)
  • Unacceptable worship comes from and leads to sin
• Sin brings consequences:
  • We are accountable for our sin
  • The need for genuine repentance
  • The pain of consequences does not absolve us from the consequences of our sin
  • Part of the consequences of sin are a removal from the presence of the Lord