Genesis 4

Genesis 4 is the fourth chapter of the Book of Genesis. After the first human couple is driven out of Eden in Genesis 3, this chapter recounts the first murder, committed in the generation of their children, and traces two lines of descent, leading into the genealogy of Genesis 5.

Outline

• Verses 1–2 Eve bears Cain and Abel. Abel keeps sheep, and Cain tills the ground.
• Verses 3–7 Cain brings an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel brings the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof. When the LORD accepts only Abel's offering, Cain becomes angry, and the LORD warns him to master sin.
• Verses 8–12 Cain kills Abel in the field. Asked, "Where is Abel thy brother?", Cain claims not to know, and he is sentenced to be cursed from the earth and to become a wanderer.
• Verses 13–16 When Cain protests that his punishment is too great to bear, the LORD declares that whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance sevenfold and sets a mark upon him. Cain dwells in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
• Verses 17–24 Cain builds a city and names it after his son Enoch, and his line continues down to Lamech. Lamech's two wives, Adah and Zillah, bear Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-cain, as well as a daughter, Naamah. Lamech sings of vengeance "seventy and sevenfold."
• Verses 25–26 Adam receives Seth in place of Abel, and Seth fathers Enos. At that time men begin to call upon the name of the LORD.

Key Verses

• Genesis 4:7 "sin lieth at the door … and thou shalt rule over him" — This is the first occurrence of the word "sin" in the Bible, and the verse portrays sin as a presence lying in wait for a person.
• Genesis 4:9 "Am I my brother's keeper?" — Widely quoted as a question about one's responsibility toward others.
• Genesis 4:26 "then began men to call upon the name of the LORD" — Read as marking the beginning of worship and prayer.

Characters and Places

• Cain and Abel The two sons of Adam and Eve; the elder brother, Cain, kills his younger brother, Abel.
• Enoch The son of Cain. He is a different person from the Enoch (son of Jared) who walked with God in Genesis 5.
• Lamech A fifth-generation descendant of Cain. He had two wives and sang a song of vengeance. He is a different person from Lamech the father of Noah in Genesis 5.
• Adah, Zillah, and Naamah Lamech's two wives and his daughter.
• Enos The son of Seth.
• The land of Nod The place east of Eden where Cain lived after being driven out. The name "Nod" is commonly explained as sounding like the Hebrew word for "wandering."

Points for Reflection

• Why Abel's offering was accepted The text does not state the reason directly. Several interpretations have been handed down: that God regarded the heart of the one making the offering, based on the words "By faith" in Hebrews 11:4; that Abel offered his very best, based on the phrase "the firstlings … and the fat thereof"; and that the blood sacrifice foreshadows atonement.
• Cain's wife The text does not identify her. The common explanation, based on the statement in Genesis 5:4 that Adam "begat sons and daughters," is that she was one of Adam's other children.
• The mark of Cain The text does not say what the mark was. In parts of the modern West, an interpretation linking the mark to skin color spread and was used to justify racism, but most commentators today hold that this reading has no basis in the text.
• Connections to the New Testament Abel is named as a man of faith in Hebrews 11, and in Hebrews 12:24 he is mentioned in comparison with the blood of Christ. 1 John 3 and Jude 1 present Cain as an example of evil, while Matthew 23 calls Abel "righteous." Some interpreters also read Lamech's vengeance "seventy and sevenfold" in contrast with the forgiveness "until seventy times seven" in Matthew 18.

In the Korean Church

In Korean Sunday schools, the story of Cain and Abel is a major text in lessons on the early chapters of Genesis. In preaching, Genesis 4:3–5 is frequently cited as a text on the proper attitude in worship and giving, and 4:9 as a text on responsibility toward one's neighbor and society.