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

9And 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.

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

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

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

14Behold, 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.

16So 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 3:9Classic cross-references Proverbs 28:13Classic cross-references John 8:44Classic cross-references Genesis 9:5Classic cross-references Psalms 9:12Classic cross-references

Original words

And the LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionCainקַ֔יִןH7014Noun - proper - masculine singularWhereאֵ֖יH335Interrogative[is] your brotherאָחִ֑יךָH251Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularAbelהֶ֣בֶלH1893Noun - proper - masculine singularI do notלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particleknowיָדַ֔עְתִּיH3045Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularhe answeredוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular{Am} Iאָנֹֽכִי׃H595Pronoun - first person common singularmy brother’sאָחִ֖יH251Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularkeeperהֲשֹׁמֵ֥רH8104Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular

Verse 10

Cross-references

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

Original words

Whatמֶ֣הH4100Interrogativehave you doneעָשִׂ֑יתָH6213Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singularreplied [the LORD]וַיֹּ֖אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularThe voiceק֚וֹלH6963Noun - masculine singular constructof your brother’sאָחִ֔יךָH251Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularbloodדְּמֵ֣יH1818Noun - masculine plural constructcries outצֹעֲקִ֥יםH6817Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralto Meאֵלַ֖יH413Preposition | first person common singularfromמִן־H4480Prepositionthe groundהָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃H127Article | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 11

Cross-references

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

Original words

Nowוְעַתָּ֖הH6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbyouאָ֑תָּהH859Pronoun - second person masculine singular[are] cursed and banishedאָר֣וּרH779Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularfromמִן־H4480Prepositionthe groundהָֽאֲדָמָה֙H127Article | Noun - feminine singularwhichאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativehas openedפָּצְתָ֣הH6475Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerits mouthפִּ֔יהָH6310Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularto receiveלָקַ֛חַתH3947Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Direct object markeryour brother’sאָחִ֖יךָH251Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularbloodדְּמֵ֥יH1818Noun - masculine plural constructfrom your handמִיָּדֶֽךָ׃H3027Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular

Verse 12

Cross-references

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

Original words

Whenכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionyou tillתַֽעֲבֹד֙H5647Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe groundהָ֣אֲדָמָ֔הH127Article | Noun - feminine singular{it will} noלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlelongerתֹסֵ֥ףH3254Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singularyieldתֵּת־H5414Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructits produceכֹּחָ֖הּH3581Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularto youלָ֑ךְPreposition | second person feminine singularYou will beתִּֽהְיֶ֥הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singulara fugitiveנָ֥עH5128Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularand a wandererוָנָ֖דH5110Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularon the earthבָאָֽרֶץ׃H776Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 13

Cross-references

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

Original words

But Cainקַ֖יִןH7014Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֥אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularMy punishmentעֲוֺנִ֖יH5771Noun - common singular construct | first person common singular[is] greaterגָּד֥וֹלH1419Adjective - masculine singularthan I can bearמִנְּשֹֽׂא׃H5375Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

BSB notes

Or guilt or sin

Verse 14

Cross-references

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

Original words

Beholdהֵן֩H2005Interjectionthisאֹתִ֜יH853Direct object marker | first person common singulardayהַיּ֗וֹםH3117Article | Noun - masculine singularYou have driven meגֵּרַ֨שְׁתָּH1644Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singularfrom the faceפְּנֵ֣יH6440Noun - common plural constructof the earthהָֽאֲדָמָ֔הH127Article | Noun - feminine singularand fromמֵעַל֙H5921Preposition-mYour faceוּמִפָּנֶ֖יךָH6440Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singularI will be hiddenאֶסָּתֵ֑רH5641Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - first person common singularI {will} beוְהָיִ֜יתִיH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singulara fugitiveנָ֤עH5128Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularand a wandererוָנָד֙H5110Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularon the earthבָּאָ֔רֶץH776Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularandוְהָיָ֥הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularwhoeverכָל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructfinds meמֹצְאִ֖יH4672Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common singular{will} kill meיַֽהַרְגֵֽנִי׃H2026Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular

Verse 15

Cross-references

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

Original words

Not soלָכֵן֙H3651Adverbrepliedוַיֹּ֧אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe LORDיְהוָ֗הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular-ל֣וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularIf anyoneכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructslaysהֹרֵ֣גH2026Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular constructCainקַ֔יִןH7014Noun - proper - masculine singular[then Cain] will be avengedיֻקָּ֑םH5358Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularsevenfoldשִׁבְעָתַ֖יִםH7659Number - fdAnd the LORDיְהוָ֤הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularplacedוַיָּ֨שֶׂםH7760Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulara markא֔וֹתH226Noun - common singularon Cainלְקַ֙יִן֙H7014Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularso that no oneלְבִלְתִּ֥יH1115Preposition-l. . .כָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructwho found himמֹצְאֽוֹ׃H4672Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularwould killהַכּוֹת־H5221Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructhimאֹת֖וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

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

Verse 16

Cross-references

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

Original words

So Cainקַ֖יִןH7014Noun - proper - masculine singularwent outוַיֵּ֥צֵאH3318Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularfrom the presenceמִלִּפְנֵ֣יH6440Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural constructof the LORDיְהוָ֑הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularand settledוַיֵּ֥שֶׁבH3427Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularin the landבְּאֶֽרֶץ־H776Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular constructof Nodנ֖וֹדH5113Noun - proper - feminine singulareastקִדְמַת־H6926Noun - feminine singular constructof Edenעֵֽדֶן׃H5731Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

Nod means wandering.

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