Focused Passage

Genesis 4:9-16

Sin Spreads Through Worship, Jealousy, Violence, and the Preservation of a Worshiping Line

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

9 And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

10 “What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.

11 Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

12 When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

13 But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.

14 Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”

15 “Not so!” replied the LORD. “If anyone slays Cain, then Cain will be avenged sevenfold.” And the LORD placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him.

16 So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 9

Cross-references

Genesis 3:9 Classic cross-references Proverbs 28:13 Classic cross-references John 8:44 Classic cross-references Genesis 9:5 Classic cross-references Psalms 9:12 Classic cross-references

Original words

And the LORD יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיֹּ֤אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Cain קַ֔יִן H7014 Noun - proper - masculine singular Where אֵ֖י H335 Interrogative [is] your brother אָחִ֑יךָ H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular Abel הֶ֣בֶל H1893 Noun - proper - masculine singular I do not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle know יָדַ֔עְתִּי H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular he answered וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular {Am} I אָנֹֽכִי׃ H595 Pronoun - first person common singular my brother’s אָחִ֖י H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular keeper הֲשֹׁמֵ֥ר H8104 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular

Verse 10

Cross-references

Hebrews 12:24 Classic cross-references Hebrews 11:4 Classic cross-references Psalms 72:14 Classic cross-references Isaiah 5:7 Classic cross-references James 5:4 Classic cross-references

Original words

What מֶ֣ה H4100 Interrogative have you done עָשִׂ֑יתָ H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular replied [the LORD] וַיֹּ֖אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular The voice ק֚וֹל H6963 Noun - masculine singular construct of your brother’s אָחִ֔יךָ H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular blood דְּמֵ֣י H1818 Noun - masculine plural construct cries out צֹעֲקִ֥ים H6817 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural to Me אֵלַ֖י H413 Preposition | first person common singular from מִן־ H4480 Preposition the ground הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃ H127 Article | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 11

Cross-references

Galatians 3:10 Classic cross-references Job 16:18 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 28:15 Classic cross-references Genesis 3:14 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 27:16 Classic cross-references

Original words

Now וְעַתָּ֖ה H6258 Conjunctive waw | Adverb you אָ֑תָּה H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular [are] cursed and banished אָר֣וּר H779 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular from מִן־ H4480 Preposition the ground הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ H127 Article | Noun - feminine singular which אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative has opened פָּצְתָ֣ה H6475 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker its mouth פִּ֔יהָ H6310 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular to receive לָקַ֛חַת H3947 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker your brother’s אָחִ֖יךָ H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular blood דְּמֵ֥י H1818 Noun - masculine plural construct from your hand מִיָּדֶֽךָ׃ H3027 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular

Verse 12

Cross-references

Genesis 2:5 Classic cross-references Hosea 9:17 Classic cross-references Psalms 109:10 Classic cross-references Genesis 3:23 Classic cross-references Leviticus 26:20 Classic cross-references

Original words

When כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction you till תַֽעֲבֹד֙ H5647 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the ground הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה H127 Article | Noun - feminine singular {it will} no לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle longer תֹסֵ֥ף H3254 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singular yield תֵּת־ H5414 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct its produce כֹּחָ֖הּ H3581 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular to you לָ֑ךְ Preposition | second person feminine singular You will be תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular a fugitive נָ֥ע H5128 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular and a wanderer וָנָ֖ד H5110 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular on the earth בָאָֽרֶץ׃ H776 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 13

Cross-references

Job 15:22 Classic cross-references 2 Corinthians 7:10 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 3:10 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 14:10 Classic cross-references Revelation 16:9 Classic cross-references

Original words

But Cain קַ֖יִן H7014 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיֹּ֥אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular My punishment עֲוֺנִ֖י H5771 Noun - common singular construct | first person common singular [is] greater גָּד֥וֹל H1419 Adjective - masculine singular than I can bear מִנְּשֹֽׂא׃ H5375 Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

BSB notes

Or guilt or sin

Verse 14

Cross-references

Numbers 35:19 Classic cross-references Genesis 9:6 Classic cross-references Job 15:20 Classic cross-references Psalms 143:7 Classic cross-references 2 Thessalonians 1:9 Classic cross-references

Original words

Behold הֵן֩ H2005 Interjection this אֹתִ֜י H853 Direct object marker | first person common singular day הַיּ֗וֹם H3117 Article | Noun - masculine singular You have driven me גֵּרַ֨שְׁתָּ H1644 Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular from the face פְּנֵ֣י H6440 Noun - common plural construct of the earth הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה H127 Article | Noun - feminine singular and from מֵעַל֙ H5921 Preposition-m Your face וּמִפָּנֶ֖יךָ H6440 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular I will be hidden אֶסָּתֵ֑ר H5641 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - first person common singular I {will} be וְהָיִ֜יתִי H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular a fugitive נָ֤ע H5128 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular and a wanderer וָנָד֙ H5110 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular on the earth בָּאָ֔רֶץ H776 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular and וְהָיָ֥ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular whoever כָל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct finds me מֹצְאִ֖י H4672 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common singular {will} kill me יַֽהַרְגֵֽנִי׃ H2026 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular

Verse 15

Cross-references

Ezekiel 9:4 Classic cross-references Genesis 4:24 Classic cross-references Psalms 79:12 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 9:6 Classic cross-references Hebrews 11:4 Classic cross-references

Original words

Not so לָכֵן֙ H3651 Adverb replied וַיֹּ֧אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular the LORD יְהוָ֗ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular - ל֣וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular If anyone כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct slays הֹרֵ֣ג H2026 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct Cain קַ֔יִן H7014 Noun - proper - masculine singular [then Cain] will be avenged יֻקָּ֑ם H5358 Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular sevenfold שִׁבְעָתַ֖יִם H7659 Number - fd And the LORD יְהוָ֤ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular placed וַיָּ֨שֶׂם H7760 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular a mark א֔וֹת H226 Noun - common singular on Cain לְקַ֙יִן֙ H7014 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular so that no one לְבִלְתִּ֥י H1115 Preposition-l . . . כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct who found him מֹצְאֽוֹ׃ H4672 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular would kill הַכּוֹת־ H5221 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct him אֹת֖וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac; Hebrew “Very well!” or “Therefore:”

Verse 16

Cross-references

Jonah 1:3 Classic cross-references Genesis 2:8 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 13:23 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 24:20 Classic cross-references 2 Thessalonians 1:9 Classic cross-references

Original words

So Cain קַ֖יִן H7014 Noun - proper - masculine singular went out וַיֵּ֥צֵא H3318 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular from the presence מִלִּפְנֵ֣י H6440 Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct of the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular and settled וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב H3427 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular in the land בְּאֶֽרֶץ־ H776 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of Nod נ֖וֹד H5113 Noun - proper - feminine singular east קִדְמַת־ H6926 Noun - feminine singular construct of Eden עֵֽדֶן׃ H5731 Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

Nod means wandering.

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