Genesis 4:8

But one day, Cain said to his younger brother Abel, “Let’s go for a walk in the fields.” So they went together. And when they were in the countryside, suddenly Cain attacked Abel and killed him.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

7If you had done what was right (OR, if you do what is right) [RHQ], I would accept your offering. But if you do not do what is right, your desire to sin is ready to attack you like a wild animal that [PRS] crouches outside the doorway, ready to spring on its victim [MET]. Your desire to sin wants to control you, but you must ◄control/not obey► it.”

9Later, even though Yahweh knew what Cain had done, he said to Cain, “ Do you know where Abel, your younger brother, is?” Cain replied, “No, I do not know. ◄My job is not to guard my younger brother!/Am I supposed to take care of my younger brother?►” [RHQ]

Read all of Genesis 4

Cross References

2 Samuel 3:27So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab met him at the city gate, and took him aside as though he wanted to speak with him privately. Then he stabbed Abner in the stomach with his knife/sword. In that way he murdered Abner because Abner had killed [MTY] Joab’s brother Asahel.

2 Samuel 14:6I had two sons. But one day they quarreled with each other out in the fields. There was no one to separate them, and one of them struck the other one and killed him.

Nehemiah 6:2So Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, in which they said “Come and talk with us at a place in Ono Plain north of Jerusalem.” But I knew that really they wanted to harm me if I went there.

Psalms 24:3Who will be allowed to go up on Zion Hill in Jerusalem, in order to stand and worship in Yahweh’s holy temple?

Psalms 55:21What he said was easy to listen to, like butter is easy to swallow [MET], but in his inner being he hated people; his words were soothing like olive oil, but they hurt people like sharp swords do [MET].

Proverbs 26:24Those who hate someone and are saying [MTY] something very different from what they are thinking are hypocrites; they are only planning to harm that person.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 4:7-8

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. God is here reasoning with Cain, to convince him of the sin and folly of his anger and discontent, and to bring him into a good temper again, that further mischief might be prevented. It is an instance of God's patience and condescending goodness that he would deal… Read the whole commentary →

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Study Genesis 4:8