Cain and Abel
Two brothers, and the first murder
This story includes the first murder in the Bible: one brother kills another out of jealousy. God confronts him after.
Two things you can tap
- A verse number shows the Bible’s exact words.
- An underlined word shows what it means.
Story
What happened?
Tap a verse number, like , to read the Bible’s exact words.
Who’s who and what came beforePeople, places, and the story so far. Open it anytime.
Scene Card
Cast
- Cain: The first son of Adam and Eve. He is a farmer who grows crops.
- Abel: Cain's younger brother. He is a shepherd who keeps sheep.
- The LORD: God. LORD in capital letters stands for God's personal name. Jewish readers traditionally don't say it aloud, out of respect.
- Eve: The mother of Cain and Abel. She and Adam were the first two people.
Setting
- Outside the garden of Eden. Fields for growing crops, and land where sheep can graze. Later, a land called Nod, east of Eden.
When
- After Adam and Eve left the garden, near the very beginning of the Bible's story. Genesis does not give a date we can match to our calendar.
Before the Story
God made a good world. God made everything, and he called it very good (1:31).
Then trust broke. Adam and Eve believed the serpent instead of God. They ate from the one tree God had told them not to eat from (3:6).
God did not give up on them. He made clothes for them and made a promise (3:15, 3:21). Then he sent them out of the garden to work the ground (3:23).
Here's what you know that almost nobody in this story knows: Abel's blood comes up again in the Bible. Much later, the Bible says Jesus's blood speaks a better word than Abel's blood (Hebrews 12:24).
Map of the Story
| Scene | Verses | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Two brothers | 4:1-2 | Cain and Abel are born. One farms. One keeps sheep |
| 2. Two offerings | 4:3-5 | God accepts Abel's gift but not Cain's. Cain is very angry |
| 3. God warns Cain | 4:6-7 | God tells Cain that sin is waiting for him |
| 4. In the field | 4:8 | Cain kills Abel |
| 5. "Where is your brother?" | 4:9-12 | God asks Cain about Abel and names his punishment |
| 6. A mark of protection | 4:13-16 | God protects Cain. Cain goes to the land of Nod |
Plain Retelling
Scene 1 of 6Two Brothers
Outside the garden of Eden, Eve gave birth to her first baby. It was a boy. His name was Cain.
Eve said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man" (4:1). Her words gave the LORD credit for her son.
Later, Eve had a second son. His name was Abel.
The two brothers grew up and did different work. Abel was a shepherd. He took care of sheep. Cain was a farmer. He worked the soil and grew crops.
When God sent Adam out of the garden, God sent him to work the ground (3:23). Now Cain did that same work.
Scene 2 of 6Two Offerings
After some time, Cain brought some of his crops to the LORD. It was an offering. An offering is a gift given to God.
Abel brought an offering too. He brought "the best portions of the firstborn of his flock" (4:4). The firstborn were the first lambs his sheep had given birth to.
"And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering" (4:4).
But God did not look with favor on Cain and his offering.
The Bible doesn't say why God accepted Abel's gift and not Cain's. But remember: Abel brought the best parts of the first lambs. Genesis says Cain brought some of his crops.
Cain became very angry. His face fell. That means his face showed how upset and gloomy he felt.
Scene 3 of 6God Warns Cain
Then the LORD spoke. "Why are you angry," said the LORD to Cain, "and why has your countenance fallen?" (4:6). Countenance means face.
God did not wait for Cain to calm down. God came to Cain while Cain was still angry.
Then God gave Cain a promise and a warning. If Cain did what was right, he would be accepted. But if he refused, "sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it" (4:7).
This is a comparison. God described sin like a wild animal. It was crouching low by the door, ready to jump. It wanted to take control of Cain. Cain needed to take control of it instead.
God asked Cain about his anger. Then God warned Cain about where it could lead.
The Bible does not tell us whether Cain answered.
Scene 4 of 6In the Field
Cain spoke to his brother Abel. "Let's go out to the field," he said.
The two brothers went out to the field.
There, Cain attacked his brother Abel.
Cain killed him.
This is the first murder in the Bible. A brother killed his own brother.
Scene 5 of 6"Where Is Your Brother?"
Then the LORD spoke to Cain again. "Where is your brother Abel?" (4:9).
God knew the answer. Back in the garden, God had asked Adam a question like this: "Where are you?" (3:9). One likely reason God asked: to give Cain a chance to tell the truth.
Cain lied. He said he did not know. Then he asked, "Am I my brother's keeper?" (4:9). A keeper is someone who watches over and protects. Abel had been a keeper of sheep. Cain said he was not a keeper of his brother.
"What have you done?" replied the LORD. "The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground" (4:10).
This is a comparison. Blood cannot really talk. It means God saw what happened to Abel. Abel could not speak anymore, but God heard. What Cain did would not stay hidden.
God told Cain he was now cursed and sent away from the ground. The ground had soaked up Abel's blood. When Cain farmed, the ground would not grow crops for him anymore. Cain would be a fugitive and a wanderer. A fugitive is someone who is always on the run.
The farmer could not farm anymore.
Scene 6 of 6A Mark of Protection
Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear" (4:13).
Cain was afraid. He said God was driving him away. He would be hidden from God's face. This means he would be far away from God. He would wander the earth, and anyone who found him would kill him.
The LORD said no. If anyone killed Cain, that person would be punished seven times as much.
"And the LORD placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him" (4:15).
The mark was not a punishment. It was protection. Cain had killed his brother. God still kept Cain alive.
Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD. He settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Cain was afraid anyone who found him would kill him. God made sure no one would.
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering" (4:4) | God accepted Abel's gift. Genesis doesn't say why. Much later, the Bible says Abel offered it by faith (Hebrews 11:4). |
| "Why are you angry" (4:6) | God came to Cain while Cain was angry, before he hurt his brother. God talks to angry people. |
| "Sin is crouching at your door" (4:7) | This is a comparison. Sin is like a wild animal waiting to pounce. God warned Cain before Cain hurt Abel. |
| "Am I my brother's keeper?" (4:9) | Cain meant "No." The rest of the Bible says we are meant to care for each other. "We should love one another" (1 John 3:11). |
| "Your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground" (4:10) | This is a comparison. God hears people who are hurt, even when no one else does. |
| "The LORD placed a mark on Cain" (4:15) | The mark protected Cain. God kept even a murderer alive. |
Back Then
The names mean something. The name Cain sounds like a Hebrew word for "gotten" or "possession." That fits what Eve said when he was born. Abel means "breath." A breath does not last long. (Easton's Bible Dictionary)
Nod means "wandering." Cain the wanderer settled in the land of Wandering. (Easton's Bible Dictionary)
Firstborn animals were special. Later, God's law said the firstborn animals belonged to God (Exodus 13:12).
God's law also welcomed gifts of grain. Later, the law of Moses describes grain offerings to the LORD (Leviticus 2:1). So a gift of crops was not wrong in itself.
Literal Reader Alert
Did God like meat better than vegetables? The Bible doesn't say that. Some readers think Abel's gift showed more care, because he brought the best and the first. Others point to Hebrews, which says Abel gave "by faith" (Hebrews 11:4). Genesis does not explain it. It's okay to notice things like this. Careful readers have asked about it for centuries.
Is being angry a sin? Feeling angry is not the same as doing wrong. God did not call Cain's feeling a sin. God asked Cain about it and warned him not to let sin take control. Paul wrote, "Be angry, yet do not sin" (Ephesians 4:26). Jesus also warned that anger held against a brother or sister is serious (Matthew 5:22). So tell God about your anger, and ask God for help with it. Feeling rage can be scary. If you feel like hurting someone, or yourself, you are not a monster, and you are not alone. Tell a trusted adult today. If you or someone else is in danger, call 911 or your local emergency number. In the United States, you can call or text 988 any time, day or night. Outside the United States, findahelpline.com lists free helplines.
What was the mark of Cain? The Bible doesn't say what it looked like. It only says what it was for: to keep Cain from being killed (4:15).
Was the mark dark skin? No. For a long time, some people claimed the mark of Cain was dark skin. They used that idea to defend slavery and racism. This is false, and it is wrong. The Bible never says it. The mark was God's protection, not a curse on anyone's skin. Every person is made in the image of God (1:27).
Who else was out there? Cain was afraid other people would find him. Later, Cain had a wife (4:17). Genesis says Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters (5:4), but it doesn't explain more. It's okay to notice things like this. Careful readers have asked about it for centuries.
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with a parent, pastor, or trusted adult.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Eve | Thankful | God helped her give birth to her son (4:1) |
| Cain | Very angry | God did not accept his offering (4:5) |
| Cain | Crushed | His punishment felt too heavy to carry (4:13) |
| Cain | Afraid and alone | He would wander, hidden from God's face, and feared being killed (4:14) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
Which part of this story feels closest to you today? Tap one.
I'm really angry
Feeling angry is not the same as doing wrong. God came and talked with Cain while he was angry. You can tell God how you feel, and tell someone you trust too.
Someone hurt me
God heard Abel's blood cry out from the ground. God sees what happened to you. Please tell a trusted adult.
I did something wrong
Cain tried to hide it. You don't have to. God protected even Cain. In Jesus, God forgives.
I feel so alone
Cain felt hidden from God's face. But God's mark went with him. God has not left you either.
It's really bad right now
Please tell a trusted adult today. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 any time. If you are in danger, call 911 or your local emergency number. Outside the U.S., find a helpline at findahelpline.com.
You Might Have Heard
"The lesson is: Don't be like Cain. Control your anger."
What's true: God did tell Cain to master sin (4:7). The Bible later says, "Do not be like Cain" (1 John 3:12). Hurting others is always wrong.
What the story is mainly about: What God does. God came to Cain before the murder, to warn him. God came after the murder, to ask him to tell the truth. God heard Abel's blood. And God protected Cain, even after what he did.
Where Jesus is: The Bible says Jesus's blood "speaks a better word than the blood of Abel" (Hebrews 12:24). Abel's blood cried out that something terrible had happened. Jesus's blood speaks forgiveness.
Good News
Abel's blood cried out from the ground, and God heard it. God does not forget people who are hurt.
God also did not let Cain be killed. He put a mark on Cain to protect him.
Jesus's blood was also shed. Abel's blood cried out that a terrible wrong had been done. Jesus's blood speaks forgiveness, for people who have been hurt and for people who have hurt others. Christians believe it speaks for you too.
God hears the cry of everyone who is hurt, and in Jesus he speaks a better word: forgiveness.
Big Idea
God warns, God hears the cry of the one who was hurt, and God protects even the one who did the hurting.
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
In the Small Catechism, Luther explains the Fifth Commandment, "You shall not kill." He says we should fear and love God, so that we do not hurt or harm our neighbor's body. Instead, we should help and befriend our neighbor in every bodily need.
In the Large Catechism (1529), Luther says this commandment is about more than killing. It also covers the anger inside us. And it asks us to help our neighbor, not only to leave our neighbor alone. So the answer to Cain's question is yes. We are meant to watch over and care for each other.
In Church
Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary. Genesis 4 is not read on any Sunday. Genesis 4:1-16 is one of the lectionary's weekday readings in Year A. The Sunday readings from early Genesis include creation, the fall, and the flood.
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.
How did that feel?