Cain Murders His Brother Abel – Lesson 32 2025
Genesis 4:4b-7 KJV And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
God warned Cain about the destructive power of sin. Cain could have resisted sin and found blessing. Instead, he let sin rule over him becoming a slave to sin.
We prevent sin from ruling over us by allowing God to be our master. Without God as master, we are slaves to sin.
Genesis 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
The sense is Cain planned to catch Abel by surprise, lulling him with pleasant conversation. This indicates Cain committed premeditated murder. He clearly ignored God’s way of escape.
Genesis 4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?
Cain took his own brother’s life, and while seeking to hide his actions from God shamelessly asked God if he was his brother’s keeper.
Genesis 4:10-12 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; 12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
God quickly confronts Cain with Abel’s murder, sweeping away Cain’s shameless lie. God says the ground itself has testified of Cain’s brutal act. If Cain’s sacrificial offering was supposed to have been a blood offering, then in a sadly ironic way, Cain, who did not offer a blood sacrifice to God, has now spilled innocent blood on the ground.
God pronounces a curse. The curse upon Cain was that Adam’s curse would be amplified in regard to him. If bringing forth food from the earth would be hard for Adam (Genesis 3:17-18), it would be impossible for Cain (who was a farmer). If Adam were driven from Eden (Genesis 3:24), Cain would find no resting-place on all the earth (a fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth).
Genesis 4:13-14 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
Cain, suddenly aware that he will be a hunted man, cries that his punishment is too great. He bemoans his new lot in life. He worries first about his ability to feed himself, then that he will be hidden from the face of God, and lastly that he will constantly fear for his life. Good example of self-righteous behavior: Cain was blinded by pride, envy and self-pity.
Genesis 4:15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
Even while punishing Cain, God extended mercy and tells Cain that he will offer protection in the form of a mark. This mark will serve as a reminder that if someone seeks to kill Cain, he will suffer “sevenfold” vengeance.
Cain then takes his wife and flees to the land of Nod east of Eden. Nod literally means wandering. Who was Cain’s wife? To be explored in the next lesson.