exegetical · Gen 4:8–16 · ✓ Approved

The murder, the sentence, and the sign (Genesis 4:8–16)

Says In the Masoretic Text Cain said to Abel his brother, and no spoken words follow; the BSB has Let us go out to the field, the sense of the Greek Διέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πεδίον. See the variant note. While they were in the field, Cain rose up and killed him. Brother stands seven times in 4:2–11. The Lord asks, “Where is your brother Abel?” (4:9, BSB), after the where of 3:9. Cain answers, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (4:9, BSB), with the verb of 2:15. The voice of his brother's bloods, דְּמֵי, a plural, cries from the ground. The Lord curses Cain from the ground; in 3:17 the ground was cursed and the man was not. Cain will be נָע וָנָד, a wanderer. He says עֲוֺנִי, his punishment or guilt, is too great to bear. The Lord answers לָכֵן, therefore; the BSB has Not so!, following the Greek Οὐχ οὕτως. Cain will be avenged sevenfold, and the Lord sets an אוֹת, a sign or mark. See the Hebrew notes.

Implies The narrative ties the bloodshed to the ground (4:10–12), as in Numbers 35:33.

Uncertain What the sign was — a mark on Cain, an assuring sign, or a protective decree — is open; the text does not say, and no lean is taken here. Cain's wife is treated by the grounds only: 5:4 names other sons and daughters; 4:14 assumes others; the order may be topical. See the historical note.

Claims

SaysIn the Masoretic Text Cain said to Abel and no spoken words follow; Cain kills him; the Lord questions him, hears the blood cry from the ground, curses him from the ground, answers therefore, and sets a sign. The BSB has Let us go out to the field and Not so, following the Greek.
ImpliesThe narrative ties the bloodshed to the ground (4:10–12), as in Numbers 35:33.
UncertainWhat the sign was is open, and no lean is taken here. Cain's wife is treated by the grounds only: 5:4, 4:14, and topical order. See the historical note.

Citations

BSB public domain Gen 4:1–26
OSHB CC BY 4.0 Gen 4:1–26 (WLC/OSHB), cantillation removed
LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Gen 4:1–26, vol. 1, pp. 6–7 (oldtestamentingr01swetuoft, viewer leaves n37–n38); read on the page images
Keil–Delitzsch, Pentateuch 1 public domain Keil, Pentateuch vol. 1 (Clark, Martin trans., 1868), on Gen 4:15, p. 115 (n118); read on the page image; paraphrased
Keil–Delitzsch, Pentateuch 1 public domain Keil, Pentateuch vol. 1 (Clark, Martin trans., 1868), on Gen 4:17, p. 116 (n119); on Gen 4:17–24 and ch. 5, p. 117 (n120); read on the page images; “different forms of one primary legend” quoted, otherwise paraphrased
Augustine, City of God (NPNF1 vol. 2) public domain Civ. 15.16, p. 297 (n320) (trans. Dods, NPNF¹ 2; CCEL npnf102.iv.XV.16); read on the page image; “dictated by necessity” quoted, otherwise paraphrased
APOT public domain vol. 2 (1913): Jub 4:2, 9, 11–12, 31, pp. 17–19 (n36–n38); read on the page images; “to call on the name of the Lord on the earth” (4:12) quoted, otherwise paraphrased
Etheridge public domain Etheridge, vol. 1 (1862), Targum of Palestine (Pseudo-Jonathan) on Gen 4:8, 15, pp. 170–172 (n182–n184), and 4:26, p. 174 (n186); read on the page images; quoted, otherwise paraphrased
BSB public domain Heb 11:4; 1 John 3:12; Jude 11; Matt 23:35; Luke 11:51; Heb 12:24; Matt 18:22; Acts 17:26; Exod 6:3

Sources Bible Scholarship & Tool CC BY 4.0 BSB public domain OSHB CC BY 4.0 LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Keil–Delitzsch, Pentateuch 1 public domain Augustine, City of God (NPNF1 vol. 2) public domain APOT public domain Etheridge public domain

Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits

2026-11-10

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