Genesis Chapter 4 Am I my brother's keeper?

Genesis Chapter 4 – Cain and Abel

v.1 Adam and Eve knew each other(had sex) and she conceived.  The fruit of this union was Cain. 

The name Cain comes from the Hebrew word qayin (kah-yin) which means to create.  The name Cain also resembles the verb in Hebrew which means to produce.

v.2 Eve gave birth to Abel.  Abel became a shepherd and Cain became a farmer.

The name Abel comes from the Hebrew word hebel (heh-bel) which means vanity or emptiness.  According to Strong’s, it could figuratively mean unsatisfactory.

v.3-5 Cain brought an offering of fruit to God.  Abel brought God a sacrifice of the first of his flock (their fat portions).  God preferred Abel’s offering over Cain’s.   God had no regard for Cain’s offering.  This made Cain furious and his face fell.

These three verses show the first instance of favoritism in the Bible.  Favoritism always produces a feeling of anger, hurt, and jealously.  These verses also make a distinction between their gifts.  Cain’s gift was a gift of fruit.  There was nothing distinguishable about his fruit.  Abel brought his best, his first, his finest, his fattest.

v.6-7 God asks Cain why his face has fallen.  God tells Cain that if he did well he would be accepted.  God also warns that if he does not do well that sin (with a desire for him) will lurk at the door but Cain must master it.

This verse reveals that God approves of things done well.  Half hearted, effortless sacrifices are not sacrifices at all.  God disregarded Cain’s sacrifice.  It meant nothing to God since it meant nothing to Cain.

v.8 Cain asked his brother to go into the field with him and Cain killed Abel.

This is the first murder in the Bible.  This is also the first of many battles between brothers.  I find it interesting that Cain (creation) killed Abel (vanity/emptiness).

v.9 God asked Cain where his brother was.  Cain lied and said that he did not know.  He is not his brother’s keeper.

Contrary to popular belief, this is the first lie of the bible.  Cain denied knowing where his brother was and became defensive and replied that he was not the keeper of his brother.

v.10 God asked Cain what he had done.  God said that Abel’s blood crying out from the ground.

v.11-12 God cursed Cain from tilling the ground because he spilled his brother’s blood in it.  God made Cain a fugitive and a wanderer.

v.13-14 Cain said that his punishment was greater than he could bear.  Because he can no longer farm and is a fugitive and wanderer, he is afraid that he will be killed.

v.15 God put a mark on protection on Cain so that anyone whoever murders him will suffer vengeance 7 times over.

Although Cain took Abel’s life, God protected Cain’s life.  The mark is not described.

v.16 Cain left and settled in Nod (land of wandering), east of Eden.

v.17 Cain knew (had sex with) his wife and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch.  Cain then built a city which he named Enoch, after his son.

Where did Cain’s wife come from?  This could not be his sister because at this point, Adam and Eve are only reported to have two children (Cain and Abel).  They were not reported to have other sons and daughters until after the birth of Seth.  See Gen.5:4.  This means that there were other people on the earth.

v.18 Shows the generations from Enoch to Lamech.

v.19 Lamech takes two wives (Adah and Zillah).

This is the first instance of polygamy in the Bible.

v.20 Adah gave birth to Jabal who is the ancestor of tent dwellers and livestock owners.

v.21 Jabal’s bother Jubal was the ancestor of musicians (lyre and pipe players).

v.22 Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain who was the ancestor of bronze and iron workers.  She also gave birth to his sister Naamah.

v.23 Lamech tells his wives that he has killed a man for wounding him.

This is the second murder in the Bible.

v.24 Lamech says that if Cain is avenged sevenfold surly he will be avenged seventy-seven fold.

Maybe Lamech feels that his life is more sacred than Cain’s because Lamech killed in self defense whereas Cain killed out of jealousy.

v.25 Adam and Eve had Seth.  Eve said that God gave her another child because Abel was killed.

v. 26 Seth’s son was Enosh.  At this time in history, people started to invoke the name of Yahweh.