(Genesis 4:1-18) 4 Now Adam had intercourse with Eve his wife and she became pregnant. In time she gave birth to Cain and said: “I have produced a man with the aid of Jehovah.” 2 Later she again gave birth, to his brother Abel. And Abel came to be a herder of sheep, but Cain became a cultivator of the ground. 3 And it came about at the expiration of some time that Cain proceeded to bring some fruits of the ground as an offering to Jehovah. 4 But as for Abel, he too brought some firstlings of his flock, even their fatty pieces. Now while Jehovah was looking with favor upon Abel and his offering,
5 he did not look with any favor upon Cain and upon his offering. And Cain grew hot with great anger, and his countenance began to fall. 6 At this Jehovah said to Cain: “Why are you hot with anger and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you turn to doing good, will there not be an exaltation? But if you do not turn to doing good, there is sin crouching at the entrance, and for you is its craving; and will you, for your part, get the mastery over it?” 8 After that Cain said to Abel his brother: [“Let us go over into the field.”] So it came about that while they were in the field Cain proceeded to assault Abel his brother and kill him. 9 Later on Jehovah said to Cain: “Where is Abel your brother?” and he said: “I do not know. Am I my brother’s guardian?” 10 At this he said: “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground.
11 And now you are cursed in banishment from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood at your hand. 12 When you cultivate the ground, it will not give you back its power. A wanderer and a fugitive you will become in the earth.” 13 At this Cain said to Jehovah: “My punishment for error is too great to carry. 14 Here you are actually driving me this day from off the surface of the ground, and from your face I shall be concealed; and I must become a wanderer and fugitive on the earth, and it is certain that anyone finding me will kill me.” 15 At this Jehovah said to him: “For that reason anyone killing Cain must suffer vengeance seven times.” And so Jehovah set up a sign for Cain in order that no one finding him should strike him.
16 With that Cain went away from the face of Jehovah and took up residence in the land of Fugitiveness to the east of E´den. 17 Afterward Cain had intercourse with his wife and she became pregnant and gave birth to E´noch. Then he engaged in building a city and called the city’s name by the name of his son E´noch. 18 Later there was born to E´noch I´rad. And I´rad became father to Me·hu´ja·el, and Me·hu´ja·el became father to Me·thu´sha·el, and Me·thu´sha·el became father to La´mech.
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sweetblueyedarling
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Feb 5 @ 10:52AM
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Some believe that Cain was the son of Satan, that when Satan enticed Eve to eat of the fruit of knowledge that they had intercourse....and Cain was concieved. Just an intresting theory Ive heard.
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HopelesslyHopeful
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Feb 5 @ 11:01AM
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Yeah, I know .. well, I know, sort of. I never knew anyone that believed that (to the best of my knowledge) but in Beowulf, they name Grendel as a descendant of Cain. That is, the entire race Grendel springs from are supposed to be monsters because they are descended from Cain.
But, there is nothing in the Holy Scriptures to indicate Cain was anything but selfish, jealous, and it resulted in murder. The persons he begat were rather the same, but most of them probably wouldn't be that bad by today's standards. Many of us probably have neighbors, or Presidents or Congressman or Actresses (for instance), just like them and some of us probably are worse than even he was.
And it's fairly certain, that all the scumbags in the world do not have mother's that had intercourse (of a sexual nature) with Satan. Look at Judas! He was a very good man, up until he let himself get messed up.
Besides, God said to Cain that if he turned to doing good, there would be an exultation. If he was just doomed, the product of evil, that just wouldn't have been said.
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HopelesslyHopeful
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Feb 5 @ 11:02AM
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*ahem* But you are right: it is an interesting theory. I thought about doing some serious research into the persons where Beowulf sprung from and why they thought Grendel was a separate race that came from Cain, because it surely would be interesting to know. I haven't the time for that, just now, unfortunately.
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jayej
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Feb 5 @ 12:48PM
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"And it came about at the expiration of some time"
"Cain proceeded to bring some fruits of the ground as an offering"
"Abel, he too brought some firstlings of his flock, even their fatty pieces"
What is the difference between the mention of the two offerings? Cain's offering was "some fruit" but Abel'soffering was of the "firstlings, even thier fatty pieces".
So for me it woulod appear that Able brought the best that he had and Cain just brought "some" of what he had.
"6 At this Jehovah said to Cain: “Why are you hot with anger and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you turn to doing good, will there not be an exaltation? But if you do not turn to doing good, there is sin crouching at the entrance, and for you is its craving; and will you, for your part, get the mastery over it?”
God told him he knew it was not the best he could offer...but then anger took over. Jealousy, and he murdered his brother. I think this passage actually shows a very good example of how when it is pointed out that we could do better we get angry, and left unchecked it leads to the basest of Sins. There was no humility in Cain. He brought what he had and thought it should be good enough.
And for the Grendels'
Genesis 6:4-9
4 The fallen ones were in the earth in those days, and even afterwards when sons of God come in unto daughters of men, and they have borne to them -- they [are] the heroes, who, from of old, [are] the men of name.
5 And Jehovah seeth that abundant [is] the wickedness of man in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart only evil all the day;
6 and Jehovah repenteth that He hath made man in the earth, and He grieveth Himself -- unto His heart.
7 And Jehovah saith, `I wipe away man whom I have prepared from off the face of the ground, from man unto beast, unto creeping thing, and unto fowl of the heavens, for I have repented that I have made them.'
8 And Noah found grace in the eyes of Jehovah.
9 These [are] births of Noah: Noah [is] a righteous man; perfect he hath been among his generations; with God hath Noah walked habitually.
I used Young's literal translation here because it is one of the few translations that uses "the fallen ones" instead of Nephilim....and because he finds Noah perfect in all his generations. It also refers to the children of "the fallen ones" as "hero's and men of name"...and then goes on to say that all he saw in man was wickedness, and evil in their imagaintion.
What this says to me is that men were following and exorting and following the children of "the fallen ones" they were the heros. That stands to reason because the whole goal of "the fallen ones" was to corupt creation. From the beginning even when Eve was decieved. Satan being the first of the fallen ones. I wwanted to make sure that I had quoted enough of the above to include that part about Noah "These are the births", and then there are none listed, and Noah was "perfect in all his generations". What this says to me is there was no coruption in Noah's bloodline. He being the only one that could bring Man back into a world God was going to destroy. So man would quit following the children of "the fallen ones". But also notice...Verse 4 says "The fallen ones were in the earth in those days, and even afterwards"
We find them again here.
1 Chronicles 20:6
6 Again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature who had twenty-four fingers and toes, six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot; and he also was descended from the giants.
I do not have a hard time imagining beasts like Grendel.
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HopelesslyHopeful
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Feb 5 @ 4:33PM
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What is the difference between the mention of the two offerings? Cain's offering was "some fruit" but Abel'soffering was of the "firstlings, even thier fatty pieces".
So for me it woulod appear that Able brought the best that he had and Cain just brought "some" of what he had.
You know, I'm not exactly sure, myself. But, I think the point is that Abel was making a sincere effort, putting in some work to raise the animals up, then taking the best of what he had and offering it which also meant a lot of work, skinning them and cutting them up and etc.
Whereas Cain was picking up fruit off the ground or pulling them up or whatever, and not putting any work into it but actually just giving God back exactly what God had just given him.
Later on, when God goes into the proper sort of offerings, all of them are of some worth in a personal way: hand made or paid for with the sweat of the brow, etc. So, I think that's it. Cain was being lazy and expecting the same reaction to his "gift" that he didn't actually do anything to make any part of it from him.
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burdinep
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Feb 6 @ 2:07AM
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well it might have been a preplanned event also...they say god has a plan for all of us.....i also kinda tend to think that there might have been hard feelings between these brothers befor this offering also....and god might have felt that and was thus displeased with cain for those feelings.....a very great blog either way....i am glad to see some people still have firm beliefs.....a kudo to you for such a wonderfull blog
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