Bible Readings

Cain and Abel

Cain and his younger brother Abel were the two sons of Eve, but Cain’s feelings towards Abel were far from brotherly.

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‘Cain Leadeth Abel to Death’ by James Tissot (1836-1902).
By James Tissot (1836-1902), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

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Cain and Abel

By James Tissot (1836-1902), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain. Source

‘Cain Leadeth Abel to Death’ by James Tissot (1836-1902).

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Introduction

After telling us about Adam and Eve, and how the serpent contrived to get them banished from Paradise, we hear next about the two sons of Adam and Eve, Abel and his elder brother Cain. It is a tragic tale, the first of several in the Bible about the estrangement of two brothers, just as happened with Isaac and Ishmael, and Esau and Jacob.

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1

Cain and Abel

Genesis 4:1-12

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?

10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.

11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;

12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

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