Abel הֶ֫בֶל
Adam and Eve's second son, killed by Cain
Who is Abel in the Bible?
Abel was the second son of Adam and Eve, born after his brother Cain (Genesis 4:2). While Cain became a farmer, Abel was a shepherd, and when both brothers brought offerings to God, Abel's offering was accepted while Cain's was rejected (Genesis 4:4). Consumed by jealousy over God's favor toward his brother, Cain killed Abel in a field (Genesis 4:8), becoming the first murderer in human history. In the New Testament, Abel is remembered as an example of faith (Hebrews 11:4) and as a righteous man whose innocent blood cried out for justice before God (Matthew 23:35), making him a powerful symbol of the consequences of sin and the value of genuine devotion to God.
Biography
Abel was the second son of Adam and Eve, born after his brother Cain. He was a shepherd, while Cain was a farmer. Both brothers brought offerings to God, but God accepted Abel's offering and rejected Cain's. This led to Cain's jealousy and anger, and he killed Abel in a field.
God confronted Cain about Abel's murder, and as a result, Cain was cursed to be a wanderer on the earth. The New Testament references Abel as an example of faith (Heb.11.4) and as a righteous man whose blood cried out for justice (Mat.23.35; Luk.11.51). Abel's blood is also contrasted with the blood of Jesus, which speaks of better things (Heb.12.24). After Abel's death, Adam and Eve had another son named Seth.
Family
Parents
In Scripture
4 biblical books ; 4 with study contentGenesis 5 verses
- Genesis 4:2
"Later she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 4:4
"while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,"
Study Genesis → - Genesis 4:8
"Then 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."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 4:9
"And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”"
Study Genesis → - Genesis 4:25
"And Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another seed in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”"
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Matthew 1 verse
- Matthew 23:35
"And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar."
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Luke 1 verse
- Luke 11:51
"from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation."
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Hebrews 2 verses
- Hebrews 11:4
"By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead."
Study Hebrews → - Hebrews 12:24
"to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel."
Study Hebrews →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | הֶ֫בֶל | hebel | Hebel , the son of Adam |
| Greek | Greek | Ἄβελ | Ábel | Abel, the son of Adam |
Encyclopedia Article
ISBE 1915 (Public Domain) Abel (1)
rs take it to be a variant of Jabal, yabhal, "shepherd" or "herdman," Ge 4:20. Compare Assyrian ablu and Babylonian abil, "son"): The second son of Adam and Eve. The absence of the verb harah (Ge 4:2; compare Ge 4:1) has been taken to imply, perhaps truly, that Cain and Abel were twins.
1A Shepherd
"Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground," thus representing the two fundamental pursuits of civilized life, the two earliest subdivisions of the human race. On the Hebrew tradition of the superiority of the pastoral over agricultural and city life, see The Expositor T, V, 351 ff. The narrative may possibly bear witness to the primitive idea that pastoral life was more pleasing to Yahweh than husbandry.
2A Worshipper
"In process of time," the two brothers came in a solemn manner to sacrifice unto Yahweh, in order to express their gratitude to Him whose tenants they were in the land (Ge 4:3,4. See SACRIFICE).
How Yahweh signified His acceptance of the one offering and rejection of the other, we are not told. That it was due to the difference in the material of the sacrifice or in their manner of offering was probably the belief among the early Israelites, who regarded animal offerings as superior to cereal offerings. Both kinds, however, were fully in accord with Hebrew law and custom. It has been suggested that the Septuagint rendering of Ge 4:7 makes Cain's offense a ritual one, the offering not being "correctly" made or rightly divided, and hence rejected as irregular. "If thou makest a proper offering, but dost not cut in pieces rightly, art thou not in fault? Be still!" The Septuagint evidently took the rebuke to turn upon Cain's neglect to prepare his offering according to strict ceremonial requirements. dieles (Septuagint in the place cited.), however, implies nathach (nattach), and would only apply to animal sacrifices. Compare Ex 29:17; Le 8:20; Jud 19:29; 1Ki 18:23; and see COUCH.
3A Righteous Man
The true reason for the Divine preference is doubtless to be found in the disposition of the brothers (see CAIN). Well-doing consisted not in the outward offering (Ge 4:7) but in the right state of mind and feeling. The acceptability depends on the inner motives and moral characters of the offerers. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent (abundant, pleiona) sacrifice than Cain" (Heb 11:4). The "more abundant sacrifice," Westcott thinks, "suggests the deeper gratitude of Abel, and shows a fuller sense of the claims of God" to the best. Cain's "works (the collective expression of his inner life) were evil, and his brother's righteous" (1Joh 3:12). "It would be an outrage if the gods looked to gifts and sacrifices and not to the soul" (Alcibiades II.149E.150A). Cain's heart was no longer pure; it had a criminal propensity, springing from envy and jealousy, which rendered both his offering and person unacceptable. His evil works and hatred of his brother culminated in the act of murder, specifically evoked by the opposite character of Abel's works and the acceptance of his offering. The evil man cannot endure the sight of goodness in another.
4A Martyr
Abel ranks as the first martyr (Mt 23:35), whose blood cried for vengeance (Ge 4:10; compare Re 6:9,10) and brought despair (Ge 4:13), whereas that of Jesus appeals to God for forgiveness and speaks peace (Heb 12:24) and is preferred before Abel's.
5A Type
The first two brothers in history stand as the types and representatives of the two main and enduring divisions of mankind, and bear witness to the absolute antithesis and eternal enmity between good and evil.
M. O. Evans
a'-bel ('abhel, "meadow"): A word used in several compound names of places. It appears by itself as the name of a city concerned in the rebellion of Sheba (2Sa 20:14; compare <re