As we turn to Genesis 4, we encounter a tale of two brothers that ends in murderous tragedy. But the story is much more than a recount of the first killing in the Scriptures. It’s a narrative that displays generational patterns, sibling rivalry, and, you guessed it—how to remix the Eden story.
“No Hakeem! We’re supposed to be done with the garden!” We’re never quite done with the garden in the biblical story. Trust me, it’s foundational.
In the case of Cain and Abel, we’ll explore some parallels between their story and that of their parents. Side note: Shoutout to resources like The Beast That Crouches at the Door by Rabbi David Fohrman. Check it out to learn about more parallels.
Trouble is Lurking
Two characters seek to influence humans away from God in Genesis 3 and 4. We’ve identified the first character as the snake in the Eden story. So, who’s the troubling character in the Cain and Abel story?
Sin.
Look what God says in Genesis 4:7:
“ 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
Here, sin is described in animalistic terms as it waits to pounce on Cain if given the opportunity. Sin seeks to prey on Cain, like the snake who seeks to prey on Cain’s parents. Could the snake and sin characters be getting at the same being or reality? What will happen if Cain doesn’t rule over it?
Taking What Doesn’t Belong to You
Cain murders Abel.
In doing so, Cain takes what doesn’t belong to him — human life. Human life belongs to God. But how did things get to the point of murder? Let’s read.
1 Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have obtained a male child with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a cultivator of the ground. 3 So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel, on his part also brought an offering, from the firstborn of his flock and from their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering; 5 but for Cain and his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his face was gloomy.1
In the offering ceremony, God only accepts Abel's offer. As we can imagine, Cain felt some way about that. That man was HOT about it. His anger eventually led to his choice to take his brother’s life.
Compared with the Eden story, we see that Adam and Eve also take what doesn’t belong to them — the forbidden fruit.
Adam and Eve allow the snake to take rulership, and Cain allows sin to take rulership. As a result, both stories introduce death into the human experience. Adam and Eve’s choice opens the door to death, and Cain causes the first death.
Yet, in both cases, we see God searching out the offenders.
A God in Pursuit of the Hidden
After Cain kills Abel, we read:
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”2
The first thing that comes out of God’s mouth is a question regarding a missing person. Hmm…that sounds very familiar. Let’s look at Genesis 3:9.
9 Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”
Adam and Eve also go missing when they eat the forbidden fruit. The first thing God says is a question about a missing person! But where did Adam and Eve go? They hid from God.
8 Now they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.3
Interestingly, hiding shows up in Cain’s story as well:
13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to endure! 14 Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and I will be hidden from Your face, and I will be a wanderer and a drifter on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”4
The word for “presence” in Gen. 3:9 and “face” in Gen. 4:14 are the same in Hebrew—panim. To be before someone’s face is to be in their presence. So Adam and Eve hide from the presence of God in fear, and Cain fears he will be hidden from God’s presence.
God puts some kind of mark on Cain to protect him, but there are still consequences that he will face for his actions.
Laborious Farmers in Exile
Although God acts to prevent a cycle of murder in the aftermath of Abel’s death, consequences remain:
11 Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a wanderer and a drifter on the earth.”5
As we saw in Gen. 4:3, Cain was a farmer, but farming would be difficult for him now. The ground will now play tug-a-war with Cain to produce crops going forward, similar to the consequences of his daddy’s action in Eden.
Cursed is the ground because of you;
With hard labor you shall eat from it
All the days of your life.
18 Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you;
Yet you shall eat the plants of the field;
19 By the sweat of your face
You shall eat bread,
Until you return to the ground,
Because from it you were taken;
For you are dust,
And to dust you shall return.”6
This ground would no longer play buddy-buddy with Adam either. Adam and Cain will be at odds with the ground. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
After God lays out these consequences, both men are moved from their homes to the east:
…23 therefore the Lord God sent him out of the Garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove the man out; and at the east of the Garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.7
16 Then Cain left the presence of the Lord, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.8
Adam is exiled to the east of the Garden but remains in the region of Eden. Yet Cain moves further east, outside of Eden altogether as Abel's blood cried out against him. We shall explore the motif of crying out in the next post.
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Genesis 4:1-5
Genesis 4:9
Genesis 3:8
Genesis 4:13-14
Genesis 4:11-12
Genesis 3:17-19
Genesis 3:23-24
Genesis 4:16