Who is Cain in the Bible? Cain and Abel - the biblical story of the brothers.

The story of the first fratricide among people is known to everyone - even unbelievers and not reading the Bible. However, disputes are still ongoing, for which Cain killed Abel. For the most part, people agree that envy was the driving force; on the second, that Cain was jealous. But, like all biblical stories, this one has a broader interpretation.

Before we figure out why Cain killed Abel, let us recall the story itself. There were two brothers: Abel, a cattle breeder, and Cain, a farmer. Both made a sacrifice to God: Abel - the first offspring from their herds, Cain - the fruits of their lands. Only the gift of Abel was accepted, which ascended in flame to heaven, and the agricultural gift was rejected. Cain "was very upset" and killed his brother. Not only that, when God asked him about Abel, he lied to him, saying that he did not know what had happened to him. This and other biblical parables can be studied in more detail in the article.

Christian interpretation

First of all, of course, the rejection by God of the gift of the farmer is striking, for which Cain seems to have killed Abel - he envied his success. And jealousy, no doubt, is also present here. However, Rev. Sirin believes that it is not so much jealousy and envy, but why the Lord did not accept the gift. Sirin says that Cain had herds and other good, but in his sacrifice he limited himself to less valuable. God understood this, and therefore did not accept it. So Cain’s guilt was deeper and began earlier than he envied and killed his brother.

Judaic interpretation

There is a wider opinion about the reasons why Cain killed Abel: Haggadah (a collection of parables and legends in Judaism) indicates that there was a fight between the brothers. Abel won, but forgave and let Cain go; the same one considered himself an insulted loss and meanly killed his brother.

The symbolic meaning of the image of Cain

For whatever Cain killed Abel, he remained in the world culture as a scoundrel, a liar and the first sinner - before the history of the brothers, the word “sin” was not mentioned in the Bible. The Cain seal - a mark left by God on the forehead of a fratricide - still means in relation to a person the "seal of a criminal", and not necessarily a murderer. Precisely because killing is not the only sin (or crime) committed by Cain.

Who are Cain and Abel? What is the use of the parable of two brothers, one of whom is a fratricide? What does she teach us? You will learn about this from our article!

Painful night on earth outside of Eden.
  A mortal abyss streams through the veins.
  Whispers and cries, falling to his knees
  Old Adam to the dying Eve:
  "Who
  cross the abyss?
  Who
  will restore the Abel family?
  Who,
  paving the way through the sky
  will say the words
  to man
  and to God?
  Who will break the parting flour -
  Tree by tree
  Hand - by hand? .. ”

An ancient Sumerian myth told how the heavenly goddess Inanna chose the shepherd out of two young men who sought her hand, rejecting the farmer. It was the shepherd who entered into a happy and divine marriage, joined, in the concept of the inhabitants of Ancient Mesopotamia, divine life, divine immortality.

But this kind of “divine marriage” was a violation of fidelity to the God of Israel.

“Sue your mother, sue; for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband; may she remove fornication from her face and adultery from her breasts ... And I will punish her during the days of Baal’s service, when she incense burned and adorned herself with earrings and necklaces, went after her lovers, and forgot me, says the Lord ”(Hosea 2: 2 ;13).

The story, located in one of the opening chapters of Genesis, also tells the story of a shepherd and a farmer. But they do not compete for the goddess Inanna (as the relatives of Abraaam did not leave Ur for centuries) - they make a sacrifice to the Living God, who will then be revealed to Abraham. The story of the farmer Cain, the elder brother, and the shepherd Abel, the younger brother, is a preface to both the history of Abraham's calling, and the history of the Exodus, and the prototype of the Great Exodus of Christ, His Easter ...

... They make a sacrifice - and in the sacrifice they are divided in the face of God. Actually, the whole history of the human race, according to Genesis, is the history of separation, so that the separated holy people can begin their difficult path to hearing the Living God, until He Himself becomes in the midst of His people “in the same place” (Luke 6 : 17) and by His appearance will divide those who recognized the Messiah in Him and those who did not.

“... Cain brought from the fruits of the earth a gift to the Lord, and Abel also brought from his first-born flocks and from their fat. And the Lord looked upon Abel and his gift, but did not look upon Cain and his gift. Cain was very upset, and his face went down ”(Genesis 4: 3-5).

Little is said about Abel and his mysterious righteousness. He was accepted by God in spite of everything - in spite of the fact that he is not the first-born, in spite of the fact that in his very name his mother, so inspired by the birth of the first-born Cain, expressed all disappointment that befell her. Just as Cain is not the promised seed of his wife, so is his younger brother all the more so, vanity and steam, and one cannot hope for him. If Cain, “a man from the Lord” (Genesis 4: 1), failed, and did not return the entire human race by the power of his mind and cunning to Eden, did not manage to please God, then where is Abel with his sheep!

But God judged otherwise, and the shock of Cain knew no bounds. The story of Genesis is mysterious and difficult to interpret, but it is clear that it seems to concentrate on the personality of Cain, the elder brother. As if in a beginning insanity, Cain hears the words of God - from afar, from the far cool of paradise, the words with which God is trying to protect him.

“And the Lord said [Cain] to Cain: why are you upset? and why did your face go down? if you do good, do you look up? and if you do not do good, then sin lies at the door; he draws you to him, but you rule over him ”(Genesis 4: 6-7)

One of the translations of this place is: “He [sin] will crave you, you will be his lord”(Genesis 4: 7)

... Man is very difficult to protect. For this, God must die. But the time has not come yet ...

Cain hears the words of God, but his mind, which is already used to seeing not a loving God, but an idol bestowing power according to his ideas, understands them scary and destructive for both brothers.

“You rule over him,” Cain hears, and Abel says strange words.

Perhaps Cain felt a certain delight and perceived it as a divine revelation. Everything is given to Cain for dominance - even the righteousness of Abel! In fact, what else does the younger, plain brother need for, if not for the great work of the older brother, who, perhaps, will just so fulfill his mother’s hope, will become the liberator and the long-awaited “seed of his wife” that returns to the lost paradise ?! His sacrifice is small - it means that God wants to strengthen it by giving Abel himself, pleasing to God with his sacrifices! What a brilliant and terrible paradox! Only a great, outstanding person, the savior of all mankind can step over human blood, through brotherly blood! They wanted to be Cain. And he stabbed Abel.

And the Lord said:

“What have you done?” (Genesis 4: 10)

Cain realizes what he did. But he does not lay hands on himself - his long future life in fear and mental confusion will end in the fact that, as some ancient interpreters said, he will be killed by his descendant Lamech - he will take the unfortunate man hiding in the thicket for a forest animal ...

It seems that the salvation of mankind has been lost forever. If anyone could save him, it is the undead Abel or someone from his seed. But Abel did not have a seed left. Seth, who was born instead of Abel to a primordial couple, stood too firmly on the earth in his piety without leaving a reasonable framework - he did not seek to save the world, he was prudent. Adam and Eve understood longingly that there would be no more like Abel on earth. And even the ascended Enoch was not a victim-victim who completely surrendered himself - no, not his brother’s cruelty, but the mysterious call of God, who strove to descend to earth to share his death, and yet he could not.

He came down - millennia later. He became a victim, and it was not without reason that He mentioned the name of Abel and the shedding of His blood (Matthew 23:35; Luke 11, 50-51).

There is no time for God. He combined His human blood, shed by the hands of cruel warriors and the cunning of high priestly minds, who believed that “it is better that one person died than the whole nation died” - combined with Abel’s blood, becoming his descendant voluntarily.

More than reason and hope - Christ is a descendant of Abel. He is the Son and Seed of the Wife, Man from the Lord. He himself sacrificed himself, not seeking sacrifices from others. He did not need power over the brothers - He gave Himself for the brothers ...

And his perfect sacrifice reconciles all the brothers scattered across the face of the earth, who have lost all hope of God returning to the earth, who will speak to them in the cool of paradise.

Pekiru - to the root! Will give birth
  desert manna and honey?
  Son of Abraham prayer
  and offer sacrifices for sin.

But something under the sun has become
  not like centuries ago:
  put your hand on the wound
  unrecognized younger brother,

turn the earth with a plow
  blood lamb will pour
  by sea, north, south
  looking for a brother, will pass.

Smyrna are full and backgammon
  His robes and the head.
  Fulfill all truth
  words will be filled with wives.

The rocks will part. Crins
  in the sand bloom forever.
  Mary’s Only Son
  From the Lord - Man.

Who are Cain and Abel?

In the Abrahamic religions, Cain and Abel are the sons of Adam and Eve, born after the expulsion of the ancestors from Eden. As God bequeathed, Cain and Abel worked on the earth and ate the fruits of their hard labors. Cain was a farmer, and Abel a shepherd.

The story of Abel and Cain is the story of the first murder on Earth. The land at that time was still very young, but it has already undergone influence. Cain was the first person born on a young Earth, Abel was the first person to die.

The story of Cain and Abel is told in the fourth chapter. You can read or listen to the chapter on Cain and Abel by clicking on the link:

The names Cain and Abel: meaning.

Name Cain   came either from the Hebrew root of CANA, which means "create / produce into the world," or from the root of KINA, which means "envy." The first version is supported by the lines of the Bible in which Eve speaks of Cain, “I have made man.” The name Cain has become a household name. Today it is customary to call an evil and envious person capable of meanness.

Name Abel   (Hevel) probably goes back to the Hebrew word hevel - breath. However, many modern scholars say that the name Abel comes from Akkadian “Ablu,” which means son.

Why did Cain kill Abel?

Cain the farmer and Abel the cattle breeder sacrificed the fruits of their labors to God. God graciously accepted the sacrifice of Abel, because it was offered with a pure heart. Cain's sacrifice was rejected, as Cain made a sacrifice only out of habit, without love of God. Out of envy and anger, Cain kills Abel, thereby committing the first crime on young Earth.

The story of Cain after fratricide.

After the assassination, Cain tried to hide his sin before God. When God asked Cain where his brother was, he answered that he did not know, since he was not his brother's watchman. It is believed that God asked Cain in the hope of confessing his sin, but Cain did not show a desire to repent.

Cain and Abel. Zhitnikov Mikhail.

After the assassination, Cain was cursed by God from the land on which Abel's blood was shed. According to God's word, the earth will not give strength to Cain. And he must become an exile and a wanderer on the earth. And Cain was sent to the land of Nod.

Cain appeals to God, saying that his punishment is greater than he can bear, and that anyone who meets him can kill him.

And the Lord [God] said unto him, For all that kill Cain, he will avenge himself in every way. And the Lord [God] made Cain a sign, that no one meeting him would kill him.

Cain is the father of Enoch and the ancestor of his line. He also founded the city and named it after his son ENOH. Who was Cain's wife?   There is no mention of this in the Bible, but there are two opinions, and both are based on the Book of Jubilees:

• Cain's wife was his sister Avan;
• Cain's wife was Sava.

Cain's tribe has 7 generations. It is believed that the Cain family was not saved during the Great Flood. In the apocryphal book of Enoch it is written that the soul of Abel became the head of the martyrs and persecuted the descendants of Cain.

“This is the spirit who came out of Abel, who was killed by his brother Cain; and he complains of him until his seed (Cain) is erased from the face of the earth and his seed is destroyed from the seed of men. "

The story of Cain and Abel. Manuscripts and interpretations.

The oldest known copy of the biblical narrative containing the story of Cain and Abel is the Dead Sea Scrolls (Qumran manuscripts). The bulk of the Qumran manuscripts dates from 250 BC. e. up to 68 years old e. The scroll containing the story of Cain and Abel dates from the first century BC.

The story of Cain and Abel has also reached us in a number of other texts (24 manuscripts in total). This story is subject to various interpretations.

The image of Abel is interpreted both as the first victim of the murder, and as the first martyr; while Cain is seen both as the first killer and as the ancestor of evil. Some scholars suggest that the biblical story of Cain and Abel is based on the ancient Sumerian legend of the conflict between nomadic shepherds and sedentary farmers.

The image of Cain was reflected in Kabbalah, where he is considered the son of the angel Samael and Eve, as well as in Gnosticism, where he is considered the son of Satan and Eve.

An interesting fact is that following the story of Cain and Abel, the Bible not once observes the idea of \u200b\u200bGod's preference for the youngest son:

• The story of Esau and Jacob;
• The story of Joseph and his eleven brothers;
• The story of David and his older brothers, etc.

The story of Cain and Abel has become the archetype of fratricide. This story is interpreted in literature and other forms of art.

A medieval legend says that Cain was sent by God to the moon in order to see from there all the charms of earthly life and not be able to return. According to this legend, on the full moon, looking at the moon, one can see the image of Cain killing Abel. Cain with a bundle of brushwood is synonymous with the moon and in the divine comedy of Dante Alighieri.

... Two hemispheres and beyond Seville into the waves

Cain descends, holding his brushwood

There is an interesting interpretation of the story of Abel and Cain, according to which this story explains the source of all wars. How is it that blood brothers worshiping one God become mortal enemies? According to the author of the theory, it is not the difference in dogmas or rituals that leads to wars, including religious ones, but “claims to equality” or “denial of hierarchy” (

After the expulsion from paradise, children began to be born to Adam and Eve: sons and daughters.

They named the first son Cain, and the second Abel. Cain was engaged in agriculture, and Abel was engaged in raising livestock.

  Once they sacrificed to God as a sign of love, humility and thanksgiving. Cain is the earthly fruit, and Abel is the best animal from his flock. Abel was kind and gentle, he offered a sacrifice from a pure heart, with love and faith in the promised Savior, with a prayer for mercy and hope for God's mercy; and God accepted the sacrifice of Abel, - the smoke from it ascended to heaven.

Cain was evil and cruel. He sacrificed only according to custom, without the love and fear of God. The Lord did not accept his sacrifice, - smoke from it spread on the ground.

The Lord did this in the instruction that sacrifice to God should be combined with the inner sacrifice of a good heart and a virtuous life.

Seeing that his victim was not accepted, Cain was angry with his brother and began to envy him. His face darkened. The Lord, seeing Cain’s bitterness, turns to him as a dear son, but standing on the edge of the abyss, warning him of the already planned fratricide.

If you do good, do you look up, and if you do not do good, then sin lies at the door. He draws you to him, but you rule over him.

Gen. 4 - 11 With these words, the Lord shows that everyone, even with such inclinations as Cain, can become a righteous man.

But Cain did not heed the exhortation of God and, having called Abel in the field, killed him. Then the Lord turned to Cain, wishing that he would repent, and asked him: “Where is your brother Abel?” But the devil finally took possession of Cain’s heart, and he boldly answered: “I don’t know; am I my brother’s watchman?” This denial of guilt no longer gave hope for correction.

Then God said to him: “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the earth. For this you will be cursed, and the earth will not bear fruit to you, and you will roam the earth.”

Severe punishment broke Cain's tenacity. He began to ask that someone, having met with him, kill him. But this desire, caused by despair, was criminal and therefore could not be fulfilled. As a punished killer, Cain was to serve as a warning example to others. His drooping, distorted villainous face served as a sign that no one should kill him, neither a wild beast, nor a man.

Great was his crime and insult inflicted upon the purity and holiness of love. But, despite this, there were people who decided to follow Cain into exile.

This story opens up two paths for us: the path with God and the path without God, the path of good and love and the path of evil, pride and arbitrariness. One leads to eternal life - the other to death ...

A person’s life is a gift of God, therefore a person has no right to either deprive himself of life or take it from others. Taking life from one's neighbor is called murder and is one of the gravest sins.

  ... But to Adam and Eve, God gave another son. Their joy was immeasurable. In the hope that he will not be like Cain, but will replace Abel, they called him Seth, which means “foundation” - the foundation of a new humanity, peaceful, pious, in which there will be no fratricide and malice, which will return step by step to centuries the path of the righteous, leading a person through overcoming sin to God.

Everything in the world once happens for the first time. The Bible Book of Genesis in the fourth chapter talks about how for the first time in the history of mankind the greatest atrocity has been accomplished. Abel and Cain? the story of the first murder. At that time, the newly created world was still young, but by no means innocent. Original nature was damaged by human nature, and a person born in the image and likeness of the Creator crossed out his likeness in himself.

Cain and Abel? a story that has since been repeated countless times in a wide variety of ways. A long string of endless streams of killers and their victims will stretch. If you think about it, then the victims can be called those who fell from the criminal hands, and those who went to this atrocity. The latter, as a rule, are victims of their gloomy spiritual passions. The greed, anger, envy and other creatures of Satan boiling in them? these are the true perpetrators of the crimes.

Expelled from Paradise

But let us return to the pages of the Bible, on which we see the story of Cain and Abel. After Adam and Eve were expelled from paradise, they found themselves in a world that was very similar to the one where we all live. The similarity was that, like us, its inhabitants became mortal, susceptible to disease and old age, and for the first time learned what suffering is. In addition, in this world there was nothing gratuitous; everything had to be earned with hard work. Soon their sons were born? Cain and Abel.

The story told in the Bible begins with the fact that each of them has chosen his own career in life. Older? Cain - became a farmer, and his younger brother Abel? the shepherd. The brothers had no doubts about matters of faith, since the being of God seemed to them an obvious reality, and when the time of sacrifice approached, each of them approached him with a sincere desire to please the Almighty. Both laid the fruits of their labors on the altar: Cain — the firstfruits of the harvest, and Abel — the primordial lamb from their flock.

Abel and Cain: The Story of the Outcast Victim

We are not given the opportunity to comprehend the motives by which the Lord preferred the sacrifice of Abel to the sacrifice made by his elder brother, but it happened just like that. Cain, instead of humbly bowing before the will of God, was filled with envy and a feeling of wounded pride. He even frowned and changed outwardly. The scripture says that the Lord tried to enlighten him and avert evil thoughts. He literally warns him that a person who does not do good is in wait for sin, but even in this case he must find the strength in himself to resist him.

Abel and Cain? a story of a person’s responsibility for his actions. Temptations await each of us at some moments in our life, but is it one thing to desire something, and something else entirely? give free rein to your desires. Cain allowed the sin that was born in his soul to take complete control of himself. Having chosen the moment when, in his opinion, there were no witnesses, he killed Abel.

Any killing? sin, but shedding the blood of a brother is doubly sinful. Apparently, the feeling of anger was so disturbed by Cain's mind that it never occurred to him that there was no place in the world where you could hide from the eyes of the all-seeing God. There were no people at that terrible moment, but the Spirit of God was invisibly present.

Last chance to repent

The crime happened, but the all-merciful Lord even here does not deprive the unfortunate Cain of the last hope for forgiveness. By his question: “Where is Abel, your brother?”? he gives him the opportunity to confess his deed and bring repentance. But sin has completely taken over the killer. Responding that he does not know where his brother is, he lies to God himself, thereby completely breaking with him. Abel and Cain? the story of two brothers, blood relatives, but so different in their mental structure. Foster brothers who have become symbols of righteousness and sin. This storyline will find an endless continuation in the world.

Punishment? harsh and inevitable

In punishment, the Lord curses Cain and condemns him to eternal wanderings on the earth and to eternal rejection. He even marks the killer with a special meta, which is called the Kain seal, so that everyone he knows knows who is in front of him and does not dare to take his despicable life from him. The biblical story of Cain and Abel carries a deep philosophical meaning. Who killed whom? a vulgar simplification of the problem inherent in this passage of scripture. In this case, the motivating factors that led to the crime, the awareness of responsibility for one’s actions and the duty to resist sin, as well as the inevitability of reckoning for the deed are important.