Genesis 4:8
Verse
Context
Cain and Abel
7If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.” 8Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
Sermons
Leonard Ravenhill
J. Vernon McGee
Carter Conlon
Chuck Smith
Roy DanielSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Cain talked with Abel his brother - ויאמר קין vaiyomer Kayin, and Cain said, etc.; not talked, for this construction the word cannot bear without great violence to analogy and grammatical accuracy. But why should it be thus translated? Because our translators could not find that any thing was spoken on the occasion; and therefore they ventured to intimate that there was a conversation, indefinitely. In the most correct editions of the Hebrew Bible there is a small space left here in the text, and a circular mark which refers to a note in the margin, intimating that there is a hiatus or deficiency in the verse. Now this deficiency is supplied in the principal ancient versions, and in the Samaritan text. In this the supplied words are, Let Us Walk Out Into The Field. The Syriac has, Let us go to the desert. The Vulgate Egrediamur foras, Let us walk out. The Septuagint, Διελθωμεν εις το πεδον, Let us go out into the field. The two Chaldee Targums have the same reading; so has the Coptic version. This addition is completely lost from every MS. of the Pentateuch now known; and yet it is sufficiently evident from the Samaritan text, the Samaritan version, the Syriac, Septuagint, and Vulgate, that it was in the most authentic copies of the Hebrew before and some time since the Christian era. The words may therefore be safely considered as a part of the sacred text, and with them the whole passage reads clear and consistently: "And Cain said unto Abel his brother, Let us go out into the field: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up," etc. The Jerusalem Targum, and the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel, pretend to give us the subject of their conversation: as the piece is curious, I shall insert the substance of it, for the sake of those who may not have access to the originals. "And Cain said unto Hebel his brother, Let us go out into the field; and it came to pass that, when they were in the field, Cain answered and said to Hebel his brother, I thought that the world was created in mercy, but it is not governed according to the merit of good works nor is there any judgment, nor a Judge, nor shall there be any future state in which good rewards shall be given to the righteous, or punishment executed on the wicked; and now there is respect of persons in judgment. On what account is it that thy sacrifice has been accepted, and mine not received with complacency? And Hebel answered and said, The world was created in mercy, and it is governed according to the fruit of good works; there is a Judge, a future world, and a coming judgment, where good rewards shall be given to the righteous, and the impious punished; and there is no respect of persons in judgment; but because my works were better and more precious than thine, my oblation was received with complacency. And because of these things they contended on the face of the field, and Cain rose up against Hebel his brother, and struck a stone into his forehead, and killed him." It is here supposed that the first murder committed in the world was the consequence of a religious dispute; however this may have been, millions since have been sacrificed to prejudice, bigotry, and intolerance. Here, certainly, originated the many-headed monster, religious persecution; the spirit of the wicked one in his followers impels them to afflict and destroy all those who are partakers of the Spirit of God. Every persecutor is a legitimate son of the old murderer. This is the first triumph of Satan; it is not merely a death that he has introduced, but a violent one, as the first-fruits of sin. It is not the death of an ordinary person, but of the most holy man then in being; it is not brought about by the providence of God, or by a gradual failure and destruction of the earthly fabric, but by a violent separation of body and soul; it is not done by a common enemy, from whom nothing better could be expected, but by the hand of a brother, and for no other reason but because the object of his envy was more righteous than himself. Alas! how exceeding sinful does sin appear in its first manifestation!
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
And Cain talked with Abel his brother--Under the guise of brotherly familiarity, he concealed his premeditated purpose till a convenient time and place occurred for the murder (Jo1 3:12; Jde 1:11).
John Gill Bible Commentary
And the Lord said unto Cain, where is Abel thy brother?.... Perhaps this was said to him the next time he came to offer, he not being with him: this question is put, not as being ignorant where he was, but in order to bring Cain to a conviction and confession of his sin, to touch his conscience with it, and fill it with remorse for it; and, for the aggravation of it, observes the relation of Abel to him, his brother: and he said, I know not; which was a downright lie; for he must know where he had left him or laid him: this shows him to be under the influence of Satan, who was a liar, and the father of lies, as well as a murderer from the beginning; and that he was so blinded by him, as to forget whom he was speaking to; that he was the omniscient God, and knew the wickedness he had done, and the falsehood he now delivered, and was capable of confronting him with both, and of inflicting just punishment on him. Am I my brother's keeper? which was very saucily and impudently spoken: it is not only put by way of interrogation, but of admiration, as Jarchi observes, as wondering at it, that God should put such a question to him, since he knew he had not the charge of his brother, and his brother was at age to take care of himself; and if not, it rather belonged to God and his providence to take care of him, and not to him: so hardened was he in his iniquity, he had stretched out his hand against his brother, and now he stretched it out against God, and ran upon him, even on the thick bosses of his buckler.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
We have here the progress of Cain's anger, and the issue of it in Abel's murder, which may be considered two ways: - I. As Cain's sin; and a scarlet, crimson, sin it was, a sin of the first magnitude, a sin against the light and law of nature, and which the consciences even of bad men have startled at. See in it, 1. The sad effects of sin's entrance into the world and into the hearts of men. See what a root of bitterness the corrupt nature is, which bears this gall and wormwood. Adam's eating forbidden fruit seemed but a little sin, but it opened the door to the greatest. 2. A fruit of the enmity which is in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman. As Abel leads the van in the noble army of martyrs (Mat 23:35), so Cain stand in the front of the ignoble army of persecutors, Jde 1:11. So early did he that was after the flesh persecute him that was after the Spirit; and so it is now, more or less (Gal 4:29), and so it will be till the war shall end in the eternal salvation of all the saints and the eternal perdition of all that hate them. 3. See also what comes of envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness; if they be indulged and cherished in the soul, they are in danger of involving men in the horrid guilt of murder itself. Rash anger is heart-murder, Mat 5:21, Mat 5:22. Much more is malice so; he that hates his brother is already a murderer before God; and, if God leave him to himself, he wants nothing but an opportunity to render him a murderer before the world. Many were the aggravations of Cain's sin. (1.) It was his brother, his own brother, that he murdered, his own mother's son (Psa 50:20), whom he ought to have loved, his younger brother, whom he ought to have protected. (2.) He was a good brother, one who had never done him any wrong, nor given him the least provocation in word or deed, but one whose desire had been always towards him, and who had been, in all instances, dutiful and respectful to him. (3.) He had fair warning given him, before, of this. God himself had told him what would come of it, yet he persisted in his barbarous design. (4.) It should seem that he covered it with a show of friendship and kindness: He talked with Abel his brother, freely and familiarly, lest Abel should suspect danger, and keep out of his reach. Thus Joab kissed Abner, and then killed him. Thus Absalom feasted his brother Amnon and then killed him. According to the Septuagint [a Greek version of the Old Testament, supposed to have been translated by seventy-two Jews, at the desire of Ptolemy Philadelphus, above 200 years before Christ], Cain said to Abel, Let us go into the field; if so, we are sure Abel did not understand it (according to the modern sense) as a challenge, else he would not have accepted it, but as a brotherly invitation to go together to their work. The Chaldee paraphrast adds that Cain, when they were in discourse in the field, maintained that there was no judgment to come, no future state, no rewards and punishments in the other world, and that when Abel spoke in defence of the truth Cain took that occasion to fall upon him. However, (5.) That which the scripture tells us was the reason why he slew him was a sufficient aggravation of the murder; it was because his own works were evil and his brother's righteous, so that herein he showed himself to be of that wicked one (Jo1 3:12), a child of the devil, as being an enemy to all righteousness, even in his own brother, and, in this, employed immediately by the destroyer. Nay, (6.) In killing his brother, he directly struck at God himself; for God's accepting Abel was the provocation pretended, and for this very reason he hated Abel, because God loved him. (7.) The murder of Abel was the more inhuman because there were now so few men in the world to replenish it. The life of a man is precious at any time; but it was in a special manner precious now, and could ill be spared. II. As Abel's suffering. Death reigned ever since Adam sinned, but we read not of any taken captive by him till now; and now, 1. The first that dies is a saint, one that was accepted and beloved of God, to show that, though the promised seed was so far to destroy him that had the power of death as to save believers from its sting, yet still they should be exposed to its stroke. The first that went to the grave went to heaven. God would secure to himself the first-fruits, the first-born to the dead, that first opened the womb into another world. Let this take off the terror of death, that it was betimes the lot of God's chosen, which alters the property of it. Nay, 2. The first that dies is a martyr, and dies for his religion; and of such it may more truly be said than of soldiers that they die on the bed of honour. Abel's death has not only no curse in it, but it has a crown in it; so admirably well is the property of death altered that it is not only rendered innocent and inoffensive to those that die in Christ, but honourable and glorious to those that die for him. Let us not think it strange concerning the fiery trial, nor shrink if we be called to resist unto blood; for we know there is a crown of life for all that are faithful unto death.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
4:8 The effects of the Fall on human relationships are tragically expressed in the first murder. • The word brother is used seven times in 4:2-11, highlighting Cain’s fratricide in the face of familial responsibility.
Genesis 4:8
Cain and Abel
7If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.” 8Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
(1 Peter - Part 27): Who Is He That Will Harm You?
By A.W. Tozer25K38:43FearGEN 4:8MAT 5:11JHN 3:16ROM 8:33ROM 8:35PHP 4:131PE 3:13In this sermon, the preacher describes the physical deterioration of a man who is nearing death. Despite his weakened state, the preacher emphasizes that the devil and death cannot harm the man's spirit or soul. The preacher draws parallels to the martyrdom of two missionaries who were killed for their faith, highlighting that although their physical bodies were destroyed, their souls were preserved by God. The preacher also references biblical figures such as Stephen and Abel to illustrate that physical harm does not diminish one's worth or closeness to God.
Cain and Abel (The First Murder) - Part 1
By Art Katz4.5K58:28Cain and AbelGEN 4:3GEN 4:8PSA 1:1PSA 1:6MAT 6:33ACT 9:42CO 4:18In this sermon, the speaker reflects on a 10-day period of fasting and prayer where they were seeking a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit. They acknowledge that God did not act in the way they expected because He is not required to perform miracles in our time. The speaker emphasizes that the church should not limit itself to this life only, but should have a comprehension of eternity and what lies beyond. They suggest that the church has a responsibility to be a prophetic voice, warning nations about the consequences of their ruthless ambitions, in order to avert violence and bloodshed.
Woe, Lo, and Go - Part 3
By Leonard Ravenhill3.1K21:06VisionGEN 4:8GEN 6:9PSA 24:3PSA 29:2PRO 29:18LUK 11:51REV 3:17In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of having a vision and being filled with compassion. He refers to the story of Isaiah, who had a vision of God and recognized his own depravity and duty to the world. The speaker also shares a powerful story of a woman who, despite living in a corrupt and sinful environment, was able to lead people to God through her prayers and compassion. The sermon concludes with a call to seek a deeper relationship with God and to expect great things from Him.
(Genesis) Genesis 4:1-2
By J. Vernon McGee2.7K02:37GenesisGEN 4:1GEN 4:8MAT 6:33In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the fourth chapter of Genesis, which explores the root and fruit of sin. The speaker emphasizes that sin is not just a minor issue, but a serious problem that has affected humanity since the disobedience of Adam and Eve. The story of Cain and Abel is used as an example to illustrate the consequences of sin. Despite the anticipation of Eve that Cain would be the promised savior, he instead becomes a murderer, highlighting the ongoing struggle between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent.
What Does It Take to See God
By Carter Conlon2.2K51:00Seeing GodGEN 4:82CH 24:20MAT 6:33MAT 23:34LUK 10:25In this sermon, the pastor emphasizes the importance of seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness above all else. He reminds the congregation that Jesus promises to provide for their needs if they prioritize Him. The pastor then refers to Malachi 3, where the Lord speaks of a people who fear Him and meditate on His name. He highlights the significance of a upcoming fast and encourages everyone to participate. The sermon concludes with a discussion on how religious hearts can turn against the revelation of God, persecuting those sent by Him. The pastor also mentions a victorious and discerning people who love Christ wholeheartedly and are filled with His life, even in the face of misunderstanding and ridicule from the world.
(Through the Bible) Exodus 1-5
By Chuck Smith1.8K1:23:21ExpositionalGEN 50:26EXO 2:15EXO 4:1EXO 4:10In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that God is not just a passive observer of our struggles and suffering. He takes action to deliver His people from their hardships. The preacher also highlights the importance of not getting too attached to material possessions, as they can easily be taken away. Instead, our focus should be on the things of the Spirit and God's eternal kingdom. The sermon references the story of Moses and the Israelites in Egypt, where they faced oppression and hardship, but ultimately God delivered them.
Love One for Another
By Roy Daniel1.2K41:57Loving One AnotherGEN 4:8JHN 13:331JN 3:18In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of love and charity among believers. He shares a story about two boys who sacrificially helped each other in times of need, illustrating the concept of selfless love. The preacher also mentions a woman who found peace and turned away from her sinful lifestyle after encountering the love of God through the actions of others. He encourages believers to not only do good but also to communicate and support one another, as this pleases the Lord. The sermon concludes with the preacher reminiscing about his childhood and the importance of teaching biblical stories to children.
(Genesis) Introduction
By J. Vernon McGee85707:31GEN 1:1GEN 2:7GEN 3:6GEN 3:15GEN 4:8GEN 6:13GEN 11:1In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of studying the Bible as a whole, rather than just focusing on specific parts. They compare studying the Bible to using a telescope and a microscope, suggesting that both perspectives are necessary for a comprehensive understanding. The speaker then introduces the book of Genesis and provides a bird's eye view of its content. They also quote a passage from a book by Robinson, highlighting the abundance of books about the Bible and the need for devotion to God.
On Eagles' Wings Pt 173
By Don Courville29825:35Radio ShowGEN 4:8GEN 5:24GEN 5:27GEN 6:14NUM 12:3PRO 14:34JER 44:4MAT 11:28JHN 3:3ACT 7:59In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the need for individuals, families, churches, and communities to turn back to God and bring about a revival. He encourages listeners to approach their city fathers and local authorities to address the violation of God's principles in their communities. The speaker highlights the importance of repentance and acknowledges that America is in a desperate situation due to turning away from God and accepting unbiblical teachings and doctrines. He shares a powerful story of a man who was protected by God in battle, illustrating the significance of American history intertwined with faith.
One Sin Never Goes Alone
By Thomas Brooks0The Danger of SinSpiritual VigilanceGEN 4:81KI 12:281KI 21:25PRO 4:23MAT 26:14ROM 6:231CO 5:6GAL 5:9HEB 12:1JAS 1:14Thomas Brooks emphasizes that small sins often lead to greater sins, illustrating this with biblical examples such as Cain, Ahab, Jeroboam, and Judas. He warns that yielding to minor transgressions can predispose the heart to commit more serious offenses, creating a dangerous cycle of sin. Brooks stresses the importance of addressing even the smallest sins before they escalate into habits that can ultimately destroy the soul. The sermon serves as a call to vigilance against sin in all its forms, urging believers to cut off sin at its inception.
Its Laws
By Ernest O'Neill0GEN 4:8ROM 3:20ROM 7:7GAL 3:24Ernest O'Neill discusses human adaptability and how we have adjusted to a deteriorated life on earth after rejecting a close relationship with our Maker. He explains the origin of law and moralism, highlighting how humans have strived to live up to superhuman laws using only human abilities, leading to frustration and guilt. O'Neill emphasizes that the purpose of the law is to reveal our need for the superhuman life that God intended for us, not for us to try to achieve it on our own.
Exposition on Psalm 129
By St. Augustine0GEN 4:8PSA 128:1PSA 128:4MAT 11:17MAT 13:39MRK 12:42LUK 18:13LUK 19:2JHN 3:29St. Augustine preaches on the enduring nature of the Church throughout history, citing examples from Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and the people of Israel, emphasizing the Church's resilience against wickedness and persecution. He urges believers to trust in God's mercy and draw strength from past examples of faithfulness. Augustine also addresses the challenges faced by the Church, including dealing with sinners, hypocrites, and those who refuse to follow God's Word, reminding them of the righteous judgment of the Lord. He concludes by highlighting the importance of blessing others in the name of the Lord and discerning between those who are rooted in charity and those who are destined for destruction.
Mark 15:34
By Chuck Smith0Consequences of SinSeparation from GodGEN 3:6GEN 4:8PSA 14:1ISA 59:1MAT 26:39MRK 15:34JHN 1:1JHN 17:5ROM 3:231TH 1:9Chuck Smith explores the profound implications of Jesus' cry, 'My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?' during His crucifixion, illustrating how the cross reveals humanity's worst tendencies and rebellion against God. He emphasizes that sin leads to separation from God, a consequence that was warned of since Adam's time, and highlights the agony of Jesus in Gethsemane as He faced the bitterness of being forsaken. Smith reflects on the nature of fellowship with God, which is disrupted by sin, and warns of the ultimate punishment for those who persist in rebellion against God.
1 John 3:12
By John Gill0Brotherly LoveHatred and EnvyGEN 4:8MAT 5:22JHN 15:12ROM 12:10GAL 5:15EPH 4:31HEB 11:4JAS 1:201JN 3:121JN 3:15John Gill emphasizes the importance of brotherly love by contrasting it with the hatred exemplified by Cain, who, influenced by evil, murdered his brother Abel out of envy. Gill explains that Cain's actions stemmed from his own wickedness and the acceptance of Abel's righteous sacrifice by God, which incited Cain's jealousy. He warns against allowing such hatred to take root in our hearts, as it leads to destructive actions and a separation from God. The sermon highlights the need for self-examination of our motives and the importance of faith in our works. Ultimately, Gill calls believers to embody love and righteousness, avoiding the path of Cain.
1 John 3:13
By John Gill0PersecutionRighteousnessGEN 3:15GEN 4:8PSA 37:1MAT 5:10JHN 15:18JHN 16:33ROM 8:31GAL 4:292TI 3:121JN 3:13John Gill emphasizes that believers should not be surprised by the hatred they face from the world, as this animosity has existed since the fall of man. He explains that the world, representing the wicked, harbors hatred towards the saints simply because they are chosen and live righteously, contrasting with the sinful nature of the world. This enmity is a historical constant, illustrated by biblical examples such as Cain and Abel, and the persecution of prophets and apostles. Gill reassures believers that such opposition is a common experience for those who strive to live godly lives in Christ Jesus.
From the Creation-to the Exodus
By J.R. Miller0CreationFaithfulness of GodGEN 1:1GEN 3:6GEN 4:8GEN 5:24GEN 6:5GEN 9:12EXO 12:13EXO 14:21ROM 8:28HEB 11:1J.R. Miller's sermon 'From the Creation to the Exodus' explores the profound narrative of the Bible, beginning with God's creation of the world and culminating in the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. He emphasizes God's eternal presence and love, illustrating how He prepared the earth for humanity and the significance of man's creation in His image. The sermon also delves into the stories of key biblical figures such as Abraham, Joseph, and Moses, highlighting their faith and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan. Miller draws connections between the trials faced by these figures and the overarching theme of God's faithfulness and mercy throughout history.
China's Confession ---- Episode 2
By Zhiming Yuan0GEN 3:4GEN 4:8PSA 146:3PRO 16:18ECC 1:9JER 17:9ROM 3:23Zhiming Yuan reflects on the history of China, tracing the downfall of mankind from the loss of godliness and the deception by the great dragon to the rise and fall of emperors who claimed divinity, leading to cycles of devastation, violence, and rebellion. The sermon highlights the tragic consequences of sinful man trying to be holy and godless individuals considering themselves as gods, resulting in power struggles, oppression, bloodshed, and treachery throughout Chinese history.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Cain talked with Abel his brother - ויאמר קין vaiyomer Kayin, and Cain said, etc.; not talked, for this construction the word cannot bear without great violence to analogy and grammatical accuracy. But why should it be thus translated? Because our translators could not find that any thing was spoken on the occasion; and therefore they ventured to intimate that there was a conversation, indefinitely. In the most correct editions of the Hebrew Bible there is a small space left here in the text, and a circular mark which refers to a note in the margin, intimating that there is a hiatus or deficiency in the verse. Now this deficiency is supplied in the principal ancient versions, and in the Samaritan text. In this the supplied words are, Let Us Walk Out Into The Field. The Syriac has, Let us go to the desert. The Vulgate Egrediamur foras, Let us walk out. The Septuagint, Διελθωμεν εις το πεδον, Let us go out into the field. The two Chaldee Targums have the same reading; so has the Coptic version. This addition is completely lost from every MS. of the Pentateuch now known; and yet it is sufficiently evident from the Samaritan text, the Samaritan version, the Syriac, Septuagint, and Vulgate, that it was in the most authentic copies of the Hebrew before and some time since the Christian era. The words may therefore be safely considered as a part of the sacred text, and with them the whole passage reads clear and consistently: "And Cain said unto Abel his brother, Let us go out into the field: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up," etc. The Jerusalem Targum, and the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel, pretend to give us the subject of their conversation: as the piece is curious, I shall insert the substance of it, for the sake of those who may not have access to the originals. "And Cain said unto Hebel his brother, Let us go out into the field; and it came to pass that, when they were in the field, Cain answered and said to Hebel his brother, I thought that the world was created in mercy, but it is not governed according to the merit of good works nor is there any judgment, nor a Judge, nor shall there be any future state in which good rewards shall be given to the righteous, or punishment executed on the wicked; and now there is respect of persons in judgment. On what account is it that thy sacrifice has been accepted, and mine not received with complacency? And Hebel answered and said, The world was created in mercy, and it is governed according to the fruit of good works; there is a Judge, a future world, and a coming judgment, where good rewards shall be given to the righteous, and the impious punished; and there is no respect of persons in judgment; but because my works were better and more precious than thine, my oblation was received with complacency. And because of these things they contended on the face of the field, and Cain rose up against Hebel his brother, and struck a stone into his forehead, and killed him." It is here supposed that the first murder committed in the world was the consequence of a religious dispute; however this may have been, millions since have been sacrificed to prejudice, bigotry, and intolerance. Here, certainly, originated the many-headed monster, religious persecution; the spirit of the wicked one in his followers impels them to afflict and destroy all those who are partakers of the Spirit of God. Every persecutor is a legitimate son of the old murderer. This is the first triumph of Satan; it is not merely a death that he has introduced, but a violent one, as the first-fruits of sin. It is not the death of an ordinary person, but of the most holy man then in being; it is not brought about by the providence of God, or by a gradual failure and destruction of the earthly fabric, but by a violent separation of body and soul; it is not done by a common enemy, from whom nothing better could be expected, but by the hand of a brother, and for no other reason but because the object of his envy was more righteous than himself. Alas! how exceeding sinful does sin appear in its first manifestation!
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
And Cain talked with Abel his brother--Under the guise of brotherly familiarity, he concealed his premeditated purpose till a convenient time and place occurred for the murder (Jo1 3:12; Jde 1:11).
John Gill Bible Commentary
And the Lord said unto Cain, where is Abel thy brother?.... Perhaps this was said to him the next time he came to offer, he not being with him: this question is put, not as being ignorant where he was, but in order to bring Cain to a conviction and confession of his sin, to touch his conscience with it, and fill it with remorse for it; and, for the aggravation of it, observes the relation of Abel to him, his brother: and he said, I know not; which was a downright lie; for he must know where he had left him or laid him: this shows him to be under the influence of Satan, who was a liar, and the father of lies, as well as a murderer from the beginning; and that he was so blinded by him, as to forget whom he was speaking to; that he was the omniscient God, and knew the wickedness he had done, and the falsehood he now delivered, and was capable of confronting him with both, and of inflicting just punishment on him. Am I my brother's keeper? which was very saucily and impudently spoken: it is not only put by way of interrogation, but of admiration, as Jarchi observes, as wondering at it, that God should put such a question to him, since he knew he had not the charge of his brother, and his brother was at age to take care of himself; and if not, it rather belonged to God and his providence to take care of him, and not to him: so hardened was he in his iniquity, he had stretched out his hand against his brother, and now he stretched it out against God, and ran upon him, even on the thick bosses of his buckler.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
We have here the progress of Cain's anger, and the issue of it in Abel's murder, which may be considered two ways: - I. As Cain's sin; and a scarlet, crimson, sin it was, a sin of the first magnitude, a sin against the light and law of nature, and which the consciences even of bad men have startled at. See in it, 1. The sad effects of sin's entrance into the world and into the hearts of men. See what a root of bitterness the corrupt nature is, which bears this gall and wormwood. Adam's eating forbidden fruit seemed but a little sin, but it opened the door to the greatest. 2. A fruit of the enmity which is in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman. As Abel leads the van in the noble army of martyrs (Mat 23:35), so Cain stand in the front of the ignoble army of persecutors, Jde 1:11. So early did he that was after the flesh persecute him that was after the Spirit; and so it is now, more or less (Gal 4:29), and so it will be till the war shall end in the eternal salvation of all the saints and the eternal perdition of all that hate them. 3. See also what comes of envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness; if they be indulged and cherished in the soul, they are in danger of involving men in the horrid guilt of murder itself. Rash anger is heart-murder, Mat 5:21, Mat 5:22. Much more is malice so; he that hates his brother is already a murderer before God; and, if God leave him to himself, he wants nothing but an opportunity to render him a murderer before the world. Many were the aggravations of Cain's sin. (1.) It was his brother, his own brother, that he murdered, his own mother's son (Psa 50:20), whom he ought to have loved, his younger brother, whom he ought to have protected. (2.) He was a good brother, one who had never done him any wrong, nor given him the least provocation in word or deed, but one whose desire had been always towards him, and who had been, in all instances, dutiful and respectful to him. (3.) He had fair warning given him, before, of this. God himself had told him what would come of it, yet he persisted in his barbarous design. (4.) It should seem that he covered it with a show of friendship and kindness: He talked with Abel his brother, freely and familiarly, lest Abel should suspect danger, and keep out of his reach. Thus Joab kissed Abner, and then killed him. Thus Absalom feasted his brother Amnon and then killed him. According to the Septuagint [a Greek version of the Old Testament, supposed to have been translated by seventy-two Jews, at the desire of Ptolemy Philadelphus, above 200 years before Christ], Cain said to Abel, Let us go into the field; if so, we are sure Abel did not understand it (according to the modern sense) as a challenge, else he would not have accepted it, but as a brotherly invitation to go together to their work. The Chaldee paraphrast adds that Cain, when they were in discourse in the field, maintained that there was no judgment to come, no future state, no rewards and punishments in the other world, and that when Abel spoke in defence of the truth Cain took that occasion to fall upon him. However, (5.) That which the scripture tells us was the reason why he slew him was a sufficient aggravation of the murder; it was because his own works were evil and his brother's righteous, so that herein he showed himself to be of that wicked one (Jo1 3:12), a child of the devil, as being an enemy to all righteousness, even in his own brother, and, in this, employed immediately by the destroyer. Nay, (6.) In killing his brother, he directly struck at God himself; for God's accepting Abel was the provocation pretended, and for this very reason he hated Abel, because God loved him. (7.) The murder of Abel was the more inhuman because there were now so few men in the world to replenish it. The life of a man is precious at any time; but it was in a special manner precious now, and could ill be spared. II. As Abel's suffering. Death reigned ever since Adam sinned, but we read not of any taken captive by him till now; and now, 1. The first that dies is a saint, one that was accepted and beloved of God, to show that, though the promised seed was so far to destroy him that had the power of death as to save believers from its sting, yet still they should be exposed to its stroke. The first that went to the grave went to heaven. God would secure to himself the first-fruits, the first-born to the dead, that first opened the womb into another world. Let this take off the terror of death, that it was betimes the lot of God's chosen, which alters the property of it. Nay, 2. The first that dies is a martyr, and dies for his religion; and of such it may more truly be said than of soldiers that they die on the bed of honour. Abel's death has not only no curse in it, but it has a crown in it; so admirably well is the property of death altered that it is not only rendered innocent and inoffensive to those that die in Christ, but honourable and glorious to those that die for him. Let us not think it strange concerning the fiery trial, nor shrink if we be called to resist unto blood; for we know there is a crown of life for all that are faithful unto death.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
4:8 The effects of the Fall on human relationships are tragically expressed in the first murder. • The word brother is used seven times in 4:2-11, highlighting Cain’s fratricide in the face of familial responsibility.