E2 Modern Biblical Commentary
The Book of Genesis, Chapter 4
This chapter of Genesis relates the story of Cain and Abel, brothers and the children of Adam and Eve. This chapter deals with murder and the full integration of sin into the human race.
Overview
This chapter is where humanity as a race really begins. Adam and Eve begin to have children, and one of these children, Cain, slays another of the children, Abel, thus committing the first murder. Beyond this, this chapter deals with sex and its role in life, as well as addressing the issues of revenge and the true cost of an eye for an eye.
Five Key Verses
Genesis 4:1 - And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.
The third word of this verse is the key one. Knew. In this context, "knew" of course means to have sexual contact with, as evidenced by the fact that following this "knowing," Eve began to conceive children.
The direct association here between knowledge and sex is an important one. It imples that sex is the most intimate of acts in that it seals a physical, emotional, and spiritual relationship by providing a complete knowledge of the partner. This is the Biblical definition of marriage, and it is summed up like this: marriage is an acceptance of complete understanding and knowledge of one's partner.
Genesis 4:7 - 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.
This verse indicates a general principle of life. The context of this verse is that Cain offered a sacrifice to God, but God didn't accept it because of Cain's general attitude. However, God is offering Cain the chance to try again.
The idea here is that one has two choices when failing at something: one can work to improve, or one can be jealous and desire the victories of others. It is implied here that the best course is to work on improving oneself. However, Cain was to choose the other path.
Genesis 4:8 - 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.
This is where the first murder occurs, and an example of how little sins and mistakes can escalate into something greater. In this case, Adam and Eve had only committed a small sin -- eating the fruit in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3 -- but their example of taking sin into their lives provided an example for their children. The sin of the parents was only against God, but Cain sinned against both God and man.
What can we take from this? We are fallible, and we are bound to make mistakes in life and commit sins. Rather than letting them grow, though, we should ask for help in dealing with them, from our fellow man and from God, and actually listen. Cain looked for help from both God and then from his brother, but he was unwilling to take the advice, and the result was murder.
Genesis 4:15 - And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
This verse very clearly speaks out against the idea of an eye for an eye. God's simple word is that even though Cain had committed a murder, it is not appropriate to respond by killing Cain.
In this, one can clearly see that acts of revenge are not the best way of handling things. It also speaks in a modern context in terms of the death penalty: after reading this, can you imagine that God would be in favor of the penalty?
Genesis 4:17 - And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.
So, where did Cain get this wife? The only humans alive were Adam, Eve, and his siblings, so where did Cain's wife come from?
We know from the first chapter of Genesis that Adam and Eve had numerous children; they were to "replenish the Earth" according to Genesis 1:28. So there were likely women available for his choosing. But what about the question of inbreeding? At this stage, with the limited family structure of mankind at the time, inbreeding wouldn't be an issue because of the genetic purity, and besides, they did not have a choice in the matter as there were no other partners available.
Also of note is the fact that Cain left the others to start his own city. This is an explanation for how there came to be separate civilizations and races on Earth.
Modern Perspective on Genesis 4
This chapter gives us a lot to consider. Let's look at two of the key issues important to modern life that are dealt with here.
Sex and adultery: This chapter doesn't forbid nonmarital sex or adultery. Instead, though, it makes clear the reasoning for such a belief. The chapter views sex as an intimate form of knowledge and provides a part of a very deep bond between two individuals. Thus, sex is the foundation of a deep and understanding relationship.
Murder: Murder is wrong, but murder in retribution for other murder is even worse. In other words, the tenet of an eye for an eye is a poor way of dealing with things, and the death penalty doesn't fit in with Genesis, either.
Basically, God values both life and knowledge, and these are two of the essential ingredients of love. To know someone is to love them.