The Cain and Abel Story
This passage helps us answer the question, "What does God require of me?" Click here to open a tab with the Scripture passage.
The Cain and Abel Story in the Bible
1 And the man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man with the help of Jehovah. 2 And again she bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto Jehovah. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5 but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6 And Jehovah said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up? and if thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door: and unto thee shall be its desire, but do thou rule over it.
8 And Cain told 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. 9 And Jehovah said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother’s keeper? 10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11 And now cursed art thou from the ground, which hath opened its mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; 12 when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee its strength; a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth. 13 And Cain said unto Jehovah, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the ground; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whosoever findeth me will slay me. 15 And Jehovah said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And Jehovah appointed a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should smite him.16 And Cain went out from the presence of Jehovah, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
A Summary of the Cain and Abel Story from the Bible
This story is hot on the heels of the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden. God told them that due to their disobedience, they should expect a life of hardship. Could they have ever imagined what would come next?
The story opens by identifying the brothers, Cain and Abel. Cain becomes a farmer, while Abel raises livestock (verse 2). At the appointed time of worship, Cain presents crops from his harvest and Abel offers some of the finest animals of his keeping (verse 3). God accepts Abel’s offerings and rejects Cain’s.
The text does not say why God rejected it, but it seems that the specificity of Abel’s offering, “the best,” is contrasted with Abel’s “some crops.” Abel gave the best.
Cain becomes angry and distressed (verse 5).
God asks why Cain is upset, “Why are you angry? Sin is at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.” God pleads with Cain to rethink his intent. This is a learning situation and not a permanent declaration!
Cain premeditates on murdering his brother. He lures Abel out to the field and kills him. Just as God walked in the Garden with Adam and Eve and knew something was amiss, Cain’s evil will not be hidden. God walks the fields also!
God tells Cain that Abel’s blood cries from the ground. God curses Cain and the ground harms and states he will be a restless wanderer (verse 10). Cain complains about being killed by anyone who finds him, but God assures him that anyone who harms him will be punished sevenfold. God puts a mark on Cain so he will not be slain (verse 15).
Cain goes east of Eden to live in the land of Nod (verse 16).
Why Did Cain Kill Abel?
Abel, the rancher, and his brother Cain, the farmer, are adults and “in the course of time” brought their offerings. Abel’s is acceptable to the Lord. Cain’s sacrifice is not acceptable. Cain sees this as unfair.
Why is one acceptable and the other not? The answer is not that Abel’s is acceptable because it was a blood sacrifice, unlike Cain’s. The difference is that Abel brings, “the firstborn of his flock and the fat portions,” and Cain just “brought the crops.”
The difference is Abel brought the best and Cain did not. The heart matters.
How/Why Did They Offer God a Sacrifice?
The story doesn’t mention established rituals but implies God had communicated ways to worship. Perhaps Cain’s offerings lacked the sincerity or adherence to those established instructions.
I often wonder if the author included this story to buttress the idea that worship ways and instructions should be followed to the “T.” One can read Leviticus and see the specificity of the methods and means of worshipping.
What Did God Say to Cain?
God pleads with Cain, who is incensed, “Why are you angry? Sin is at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.”
Cain rejects the call to confession. His quarrel is not with God or Abel; it is with himself and he loses. He deceives his brother in the field and slays him. We read about premeditated murder on the third page of the bible. But, lo, God walks in the Garden and the fields. Nothing is hidden from God.
Where is your brother? What’s going on here? What did you do? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries from the ground!
Adam and Eve worked the soil, introduced death, and were expelled. Cain worked the soil, brought death, and is expelled. The thorns of the ground will haunt Cain and choke the fruits of his labor. Oh, the curse!
What Was Cain’s Punishment?
Cain complained that if he was sent away he would not only be a wanderer but would be killed by anyone who met him. God placed a mark upon Cain that prevented him from being killed.
What was the mark placed on Cain?
Some believe this mark is a sign of God’s curse. However, the mark serves as a form of protection from those seeking to avenge Abel’s murder. Even in judgment, God is merciful.
What Does, “Am I My Brother’s Keeper?” Mean?
Just as God met Adam and Eve in the Garden after their disastrous decision to eat of the forbidden tree and asked a question, God asks Cain, “Where is your brother?” The question from God is to probe whether or not he will take ownership of his actions. It is as if the story is asking the reader, “If you are caught slipping below expectations can you be confronted with the facts, accept your responsibility, and change? Or will you take your anger out on others?”
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” is how Cain is seeking to avoid taking responsibility for his actions. Twice he has slipped. He didn’t offer his best, he mailed it in, so to speak. And now, with blood staining the ground under his feet, he tries to avoid the truth.
What Does this Story Teach Us?
Did you know that people consider Abel as symbolic (or at least pointing toward) of Christ? I’ll explain that in just a moment.
Sacrificial Offerings and Our Hearts
Abel’s offering was accepted by God while Cain’s was not. This distinction highlights the importance of our attitude and heart in our worship.
Hosea 6:6, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” Here’s the thing, if Abel’s heart had been amiss, God would have also rejected his offering.
Amos 5:21-24, “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!"
Sin and Consequences
Cain’s sin and murdering his brother reinforces the idea of human sinfulness and the seriousness of its consequences. Adam and Eve felt the sting of their sin.
Divine Justice and Mercy
After Cain kills Abel, God confronts Cain and punishes him, but also shows mercy by marking him to prevent vengeance-killing. Justice and mercy show up in the broader biblical narrative, where God’s justice demands judgment and God’s mercy provides forgiveness.
Alienation and Reconciliation
Adam and Eve sinned and were banished. Cain sinned and is banished, becoming a wanderer, symbolizing alienation from God. The narrative of the Bible continually speaks of God seeking to restore this broken relationship between humanity and God.
Foreshadows Christ’s Sacrifice
We are like Cain—our heart is a jumble of darkness. Can the cycle be broken?
I write about how Christ offers us a way other than domination here.
The writer of Hebrews (12:24) tells us that we come, “to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.”
Abel’s blood cries out for justice, but the blood of Jesus, another innocent victim, calls out for mercy.
