Cain denies knowing where his brother is, and asks if it is his responsibility to take care of his brother. God has created the situation, so God now has to deal with the mess. If God is so concerned about the chosen one and his gifts, then God should be the one watching over Abel, not Cain. Since Abel is acceptable, why should Cain be concerned about him? There is anger in Cain’s response—the hurt emotions are difficult to mask. He lives with his pain and takes what seems like a coping device—he eliminates the source of his despair. Instead of dealing with God, who started the whole thing, Cain chooses to get rid of his brother. Because God had warned Cain about his reaction, Cain had the choice of getting over the pain and moving on. Cain does not get over it, however, and chooses a violent way out. He is guilty of premeditated murder. In a fit of rage, he makes a conscious decision to rise up against his brother, perhaps hoping that this will allow him to lift up his countenance. Cain’s response drips with sarcasm, and the tension builds.
God reacts here as in Genesis 3 while searching for the man and woman in the Garden of Eden: God seeks an explanation for why things have suddenly changed. Prior to the humans’ eating of the forbidden fruit, God moved freely among them. Suddenly, God has to seek them and calls out to them. When God realizes that they are hiding, God seeks an explanation for their behavior. And this pattern continues. There is no indication of what the relationship between God and Cain has been, but now things have changed. God seems to have injected the tension between the brothers by accepting one and rejecting the other. And for no apparent reason, Cain is left to his own devices to deal with the blow to his ego and persona as he learns of God’s rejection. Still, God offers Cain a range of reactions—with their consequences.
Knowing that things have changed, God asks Cain to explain himself: “What have you done?” (Gen. 4:10a). And before Cain can answer, God moves into the heart of the matter by acknowledging Abel’s death and pronouncing judgment against Cain. God moves so quickly we can scarcely catch our breath as the echo of Cain’s question lingers in the air. But God now is angry that Cain chose not to take the high road. Instead, Cain gave in to his anger, jealousy, envy, and depression—and now there is a price to be paid:
“Listen; your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it will no longer yield to you its strength; you will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” (Gen. 4:10–12)
Blood is an important element in Hebrew theology; it symbolizes life and life’s power. To spill another’s blood is not acceptable (Gen. 9:4–7; Exod. 20:13; Lev. 24:20–21; Deut. 19:2). There is a penalty for spilling the blood of an innocent person, and Cain will have to pay. However, God’s punishment seems not to fit the crime. Cain is cursed from the ground that now holds his brother’s spilled blood; the earth, now contaminated with human blood, will not yield its fruits without great difficulty; and Cain will be a fugitive and wanderer upon the earth. His punishment also mirrors that of his father, Adam: the earth is no longer friendly and abundant for them. The earth becomes a source of hardship and suffering. Cain is sent into exile as Adam was banished from the Garden. Both men now live in a changed reality. Cain’s punishment seems like an overreaction by God, since there has been no stipulation against or penalty established for murder. But it may reflect Cain’s overreaction to God’s choice of Abel.
Cain is quick to let God know how he feels this time around. No longer passive and silent before God, Cain has the nerve to whine about his punishment:
Cain said to YHWH, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! Today you have driven me away from the soil, and I shall be hidden from your face; I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and anyone who meets me may kill me.” (Gen. 4:13–14)
Cain acknowledges the pain of being driven from the soil and from God’s face. This relationship is important to Cain, despite his breach of it. He cares about being connected to God; this may have been his purpose in bringing his offering to God in the first place. Now he regrets an action that breaks his relationship with God, although he expresses no remorse for killing his brother. Further, Cain will be a drifter. He no longer has a home, which is important for farmers and all people tied to the land. Cain is destined to wander the earth with no place to call home, estranged from the very land that was his lifeline. And now he is further estranged from the God to whom he offered his best yield. His choices now color his relationship with the One who created him and gave him his being. It is ironic that Cain is so concerned about his own life when he held so little regard for his brother’s. He is worried about being killed when he himself is a killer. Yet he finally speaks his mind and lets God know that he is anguished and afraid.
God has every reason to ignore Cain’s pain. But God is characterized as caring and compassionate even when the divine choice is denied. Even when he stands guilty before God, Cain is given mercy. God assures him that he will not be killed:
Then YHWH said to him, “Not so! Whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance.” And YHWH put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him. (Gen. 4:15)
God provides protection for Cain just as God provided support for Adam and Eve. When they were cast out of the Garden, Adam and Eve received suitable clothing to replace the fig leaves they had sewn for loincloths (Gen. 3:21). Even when pronouncing judgment and punishment, God still provides support and care. God has compassion for Cain who had none for his brother. God does well even when Cain has not.
THIS CURIOUS STORY leaves many unanswered questions. However, we are not surprised that Cain is among the “bad boys.” While we hope he will take the higher way, we empathize with him. The God he worships and adores rejects him in favor of his younger brother. We see that Cain is alienated before he kills his brother: he has no idea why God prefers Abel. God offers no clue and holds Cain responsible for the way he will deal with this dilemma. Cain stands as mute and passive before God as did his father Adam when caught after eating the forbidden fruit. Cain seeks acceptance and approval but does not receive it from God. The sin lurking at the door of Cain’s heart has its way and sways him to an act of violence against his brother. Abel is the victim of injustice and his spilled blood must be avenged. Cain is sent into a life of exile and wandering—headed east just as Adam and Eve were sent east from the Garden of Eden. The human family continues to move farther and farther away from God.
Cain’s punishment is especially painful because he is no longer rooted in a place. Further, his own place in God’s heart has been shaken. He is sent away from God’s presence and sphere of love. He is not cut off, but the relationship has been seriously damaged. Cain’s ego and self-esteem have been destroyed, and he is forced to live out the consequences of his decisions. His emotions got the best of him, and now he must pay for his actions.
Beyond the mention that Adam and Eve produced two sons in the opening verse of chapter 4, they play no role in Cain’s story. They are absent from the action; they offer no solace or advice to their son. They do not protect Abel nor do they provide any care for Cain. Their absence is curious.
God places a mark of protection upon Cain. Anyone who kills him will face the vengeance of God. We are told that Cain left the presence of God and settled in Nod, east of Eden. Nothing is known of this mysterious Nod; its name is embedded in a Hebrew word that implies the troubled roving of one destined for an unsettled life as part of God’s judgment and punishment. Thus, Cain leaves the comfort of family and friends and finds himself wandering aimlessly, never satisfied or content. Even when he settles in Nod, the very name implies a continuing restlessness and dissatisfaction with his lot. He is a restless wanderer in a land of restlessness. Cain can never feel at home in Nod or anyplace else. We are told that Cain’s wife conceived, and Cain’s family line is outlined. He is the father of city dwellers, musicians, shepherds,