Now the man knew his wife Eve1, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have produced a man with the help of the LORD2." Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground.3 In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions4. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard5. So Cain was very angry6, and his countenance fell. The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door7; its desire is for you, but you must master it."
Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out to the field." And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him.8 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?9" And the LORD said, "What have you done? Listen; your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground! And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it will no longer yield to you its strength; you will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.10" Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear! Today you have driven me away from the soil11, and I shall be hidden from your face; I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and anyone who meets me may kill me." Then the LORD said to him, "Not so! Whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance12." And the LORD put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him. Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD13, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
[1] Does this mean that there was no sex before now? Or is it just introducing the fact that this is when the first child happened to come? And would it matter at all?
[2] "with the help of the Lord" - acknowledges God's role
[3] Some people have built this up to be a conflict between farmers and herders, but it makes more sense the way my study bible put it - they're just two brothers with different roles on the family farm. God ordained Adam to be a farmer, and Cain as the older brother takes that responsibility, while Abel tends the herds like younger brothers usually do.
[4] "firstlings, fat portions". Abel gave the best that he had. That seems more significant than meat vs. fruit.
[5] "had no regard" - sounds so cruel. And the author doesn't really explain why God didn't like his offering either. Is it just the "firstlings, fat portions" that Abel gave? Or is there more there? Perhaps it's not what's important - if it was, it seems that the author would have more clearly explained it.
[6] Cain's response is anger - blames God and Abel.
[7] First mention of sin. Cain clearly doesn't master it.
[8] Cain doesn't appear to listen at all to God's advice. This is a really brutal turn - if we weren't so used to it, it would be shocking.
[9] Cain adds a lie and an ugly lack of concern for his brother to his sin of murder.
[10] Once again, God is disobeyed and sin is met with a curse.
[11] Cain still continues to blame God rather than accepting responsibility.
[12] Despite all that has occurred, God still protects Cain. I wonder - who are these others who Cain is afraid of being killed by? Again, I don't believe this is a literal "very first human family" example.
[13] "Away from the presence of the Lord" - emphasizing that they had been in the presence of the Lord, even outside of the garden of Eden.
Take-home: Give your best for the Lord. Don't blame others for your own errors - down that path lies ruin. To claim that you are not your brother's keeper is probably bad. The Lord may protect even those who disobey him. And even outside of the garden of Eden, we can still be in the presence of God.
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