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“Cain and Abel”

I'll continue using the sources I've come up with so far, although to be honest most of the time they all read pretty much the same. What I find more and more is that I am relying on the Hebrew interlinear text and following the word order more closely than the KJV and ASV does. I'm still trying to retain a “familiar reading,” where it is worth it, but I also enjoy making 'signature' changes which I feel are more worth it.

I will be removing the NET bible and replacing it with the NIV in comparison set 2. As it turns out the NET bible is uninteresting both from a literary and a theological perspective. They also are not very well organized as a team and frequently drop the ball WRT licensing requests. It's probably not worth it anyways since we want to retain a 'Tyndale-KJV' family familiar reading, and beyond that the NIV is designed to be readable to it makes a nice counterbalance. Again though we must be careful never to copy directly from the NIV since it's a copyrighted translation.

• https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+4&version=ASV (base text)
• https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+4&version=GNV;KJV;ASV;RSV;WEB (comparison 1)
• https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+4&version=DRA;DARBY;YLT;WYC;NIV (comparison 2)

As always we will refer to the interlinear Hebrew, as well as JPS-1987 and Stone Edition Tanach for confirming the theological importance of a verse.

• https://biblehub.com/interlinear/genesis/2.htm (interlinear for word order)
• JPS 1985 w/Rashi on sefaria.org or http://taggedtanakh.org/Chapter/Index/english-Gen-2
• Stone Edition Chumash

In Genesis 3, I discovered that there is really no substitute to going line-by-line and comparing all of the 10 source translations at once, for a feeling of completeness. I also discovered that it can be best to work from a base text (in our case the ASV seems as modern and neutral as possible) and make comparisons to it on the wiki versus on http://www.biblegateway.com. Thus for Genesis 4 we'll start out with the entire ASV reading for genesis 4, and make comments based on how we modify it in accordance with other public domain sources.

I've also decided to hold off on cross reference or extensive notes until phase two of the MVP (Genesis 1-10 or 1-12 as seen). I'd like to get an MVP out to show people what I am doing.

As established in Genesis 3 Discussion, writing style and archaic language updates will not be mentioned in changes.

1 Then Adam knew Eve as his wife; and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.”

• and (kjv regression) to show incorrect chapter markings.
• then, Adam (intl.) 'as his wife'.

2 And again she bore his brother Abel; and Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

3 And it came to pass, in the course of time[a], that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD.

• intl. word order, clarity

4 And Abel also brought of the first of his flock, and of the fattest thereof. And the LORD looked favorably upon Abel and his offering;

• respect to favorably
• special wording, see notes

5 but with Cain and his offering he was not pleased. And Cain felt exceedingly angry, and his face fell.

• had not respect to 'was not pleased', just my wording for now.
• wroth to 'exceedingly angry,' (DRA) fits the mood.
• this 'felt' to cf. his inner struggle.
• face fell (WYC) fits the mood.

6 And the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you so angry? Why is your face downcast?”

• The LORD will say countenance to emphasize patience and exactness, but “Cain's face fell”!
• downcast an interesting reading from “God’s Warning to Cain: A Study of Hebrew Idioms” (https://www.hebrewversity.com/gods-warning-cain-study-hebrew-idioms/)

7 “If you do well[a], will you not be accepted[b]? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; it greatly desires you; but you can be its master.”

• rephrased from memory.
• crouching at the door from YLT.
• “unto you is it's desire” to “it greatly desires you” (sounds better)
• this is “tim-šāl-” (should rule), see also “tim-šōl” (have dominion), 37:8, 1:8 “wə-lim-šōl” (and to rule) and 3:16 “yim-šāl-” (shall rule), 24:2 “ham-mō-šêl” (ruling), etc. the implication is that of a king and subject in terms of power and authority.

8 And Cain said to Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

• Rewrite to show the similar language from before, this “way·yō·mer” means “And (Cain) said,” but it does not tell us what it says.

9 And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel thy brother?” And he said, “I don't know – am I[a] my brother’s keeper?”

10 And he said, “What have you done? the voice of the blood of your brother cries out to me from the ground.”

• h. 'the voice of the blood'

11 “Now, you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand;”

• Now is a GNV/KJV regression

12 “From now on, when you till the ground, it won’t yield its strength to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

• base text from WEB; in to on

13 And Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment[a] is greater than I can bear!”

• Added exclamation mark.
• punishment to guilt

14 “For you you have driven me from the face of the ground, and from before thy face; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth, and whosoever finds me will kill me.”

• behold to for
• emphasis on Cain's embellishments (added to God's word).

15 and the LORD said to him, “Whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” The LORD set a mark upon Cain, so that anyone finding him would not kill him.

• base text from WEB
• set a mark and kill from GNV/KJV

16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bore Enoch; and he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch.

18 And to Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael; and Mehujael begat Methushael; and Methushael begat Lamech[a].

19 And Lamech took for himself two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

20 And Adah bore Jabal: he was the father of all those who dwell in tents and raise livestock.

• all those who…

21 And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all those who play the harp and the flute.

• flute is a nice word from the interlinear.

22 And Zillah, she also bore Tubal-cain, the teacher of every craftsman of brass and iron; and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

• alternate wording from interlinear

23 And Lamech said unto his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; You wives of Lamech, listen to my words: For I have slain a man for wounding me, And a young man for bruising me;”

24 “If Cain shall be avenged seven times, Truly Lamech seven and seventy times.”

• More general reading closer to hebrew.

25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bore a son and named him Seth: “For God has given me another seed instead of Abel; because Cain slew him.”

• wording changes

26 And to Seth also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh. During these times, men began to call upon the name of the LORD.

[1] This statement should put to rest any notion that Cain was not the son of Adam and Eve. Other than the outright statement that he is their son, Eve further notes that when God created them he created them by themselves, but in this act she and Adam had become agents of the LORD in the creation of the human race.

[1] From Rashi, “The threefold ‘את’ signify extension of the scope of the text, teaching that a twin sister was born with Cain, and that with Abel two were born; we see this in that “ותוסף” (and she bore more) than the previous time (Genesis Rabbah 22:3).”

[2] Cain followed in his father's footsteps, as a keeper of gardens, a farmer; and took upon himself the pain of the curse, believing that he must accept it and work through it and from this process redeem the land. Abel did not till the ground (for it was cursed); instead, he took care of animals, which showed kindness. By this process of showing kindness to animals, he would reap the benefits of the (cursed) land via the sheep, and in this manner his work would not be affected by God's curse. Although this is one oft-considered explanation of why Abel's sacrifice was accepted (either that or only 'blood' is acceptable) the real answer is in [3].

[3a] “And it came to pass, in the course of time,” Cain's offering was given in his spare time, and “of the fruit of the ground” meaning vegetables and herbs, not even delicious fruit of the tree.

[4] Abel brought immediately (compared to Cain, “brought”, not “in the course of time,”) the “first-born” and “fattest” of his flock. This contrasts with Cain's offering, which was not done with the same honor and care.

[5] Certainly Cain's offering was not comparable to Abels due to the contrast which immediately precedes it. Cain 'did not do well' in 'pleasing' God with his offering. This is referred to by 4:5 “lō šā·‘āh;” (not he did respect) and 4:4 “way·yi·ša‘” (And looked favorably) which are the same word (8159. shaah “to gaze”).

[7a] “If you do well,” means that Cain has the ability to improve his ways and God would accept him in the future.

[7b] this “accepted” is “śə-’êṯ,” (h7613), which also has the meaning of “countenance being lifted up”, and this plays into the idiom of one's face falling from the previous verse.

“An illustration for this Hebrew figure of speech can be found in the Aaronic priestly blessing: ‘The LORD lift up His face…’ – there, the Hebrew word for ‘lift up’ is ‘Yisa’ {ישא} which comes from the same root as ‘Set.'{שאת}”.“God’s Warning to Cain: A Study of Hebrew Idioms”
https://www.hebrewversity.com/gods-warning-cain-study-hebrew-idioms/

Also, according to Rashi, this “śə-’êṯ,” means forgiveness. For example, “nō-śê” in Exodus 34:7 means forgiveness, and is the same root word. Here Rashi is explaining that God's words are a warning; God is not just telling Cain there is reward or punishment for one's actions in the future; but also that if Cain turns from his anger and does what is right he will lift up Cain's face and make him feel better.

[8] this “way·yō·mer” is commonly found until now and means “And (Cain) said,” but it does not tell us what it says but leaps into the next grammatical construct. The meaning here is that it doesn't matter what Cain said because Cain was just arguing fruitlessly; some commentary suggests Abel was speechless at his brother's ranting, some commentary suggests he started an argument as a pretext to find a reason to kill Abel. In any case the discussion did not solve anything, and Cain's anger continued to bubble until he killed his brother in the field. We note this is in contradiction to 4:7 when God tells Cain he can still repair his situation if he improves his ways.

[8] In this passage, the Rabbis who penned the Septuagint make the strong statement that “This is not the Tanach”. For one may not add to or subtract from the words of the Torah; yet in this passage the Rabbis added {'Let us go into the field;'} to the Greek. Thus, by adding these words the Rabbis are telling us this work is not an authentic Torah. Secondly, that such a change ocurrs in the first passage discussing murder is well-taken; with this one change they murder the notion that this is a reliable, authentic Torah worthy of study!

“Here is this verse from Young's Literal Translation.

<wrap indent>“And Cain saith unto Abel his brother, {'Let us go into the field;'} and it cometh to pass in their being in the field, that Cain riseth up against Abel his brother, and slayeth him.”</wrap>

Young's remains true to the Hebrew, but adds, “Let us go into the field.” Where did Young's get this? From the Greek Septuagint, which reads as follows.

<wrap indent>“And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go out into the plain; and it came to pass that when they were in the plain Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.”</wrap>

Where did the Septuagint get the “Let us go out into the plain?” We don't know.”“The Untold Story of Cain and Abel” By Jeff A. Benner
https://www.ancient-hebrew.org/studies-interpretation/untold-story-of-cain-and-abel.htm

[9a] 'I'; The LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” and he said, “I don’t know. Am I[a] my brother’s keeper?” This is a fascinating passage so let's delve into the Hebrew for this one.

This passage is fascinating because Cain uses the word “’ā-nō-ḵî.”. First, imagine how Cain would have said this. “I don't know, am I my brother's keeper?” the insinuation being, if not Cain, then it is God who must be Abel's keeper. This is driven home by the word “’ā-nō-ḵî.” as mentioned – this is a very uncommon form of the word 'I', which is also used by God as in, “I am the Lord your God…” (Exodus 20:2). Also see 7:4, 15:1, and others.

”“So this is what Cain said (to God): “I killed him [because] you created in me the evil inclination. But You — You are the keeper (haShomer) of all things, why did you allow me to kill him? You are the one who killed him — You who are called I (Anokhi), for if you had accepted my sacrifice as you did his, I wouldn’t have been jealous of him!” (Tanhuma Bereishit).

The rabbis understand Cain’s use of the word ‘Anokhi’ here not as first person singular, but as another name of God. “Isn’t Anokhi (God) the guardian of my brother?” he retorts in response to God’s question, thereby proving, as it were: “It is God (and not I, Cain) who had the task of watching over my brother Abel, and therefore God who failed him.””“ This is, in fact, the same sort of finger-pointing that preceded Adam and Eve being kicked out of the garden.

From Rashi; Rashi notes that this is a question, and therefore can be read similar to “You bear the worlds above and below. and is it impossible for You to bear my sin?” (Genesis Rabbah 22:11). However, Cain must bear his sin and accept his punishment.

[13a] 'guilt'; Cain is distressed by this punishment and says to God, according to the translations; “My punishment is greater than I can bear (RSV, Genesis 4:13).” Did Cain commit the sin of Adam and Eve and mishear what God said, thus allowing him opportunity to sin? The Hebrew here has strong support for 'sin', 'iniquity' and 'guilt' as possible alternate translations, and this enlightens the passage; It is not Cain over-reaching with God's word as Eve had done, but it is Cain's great remorse and guilt at what he has done that causes him to believe he will be driven from before God's presence – in the same way Adam and Eve were driven from the garden of Eden (also see 2:17, 3:10). As we see, he is wrong in that he would be killed; and this is striking because as God tells Noah later, the punishment for murder is death. He is also wrong about being driven from God's face; yet he goes out from before God's presence into the east, some commentators have said as a form of false humility (as he was told he was wrong about his punishment and God had set a mark on Cain).

[15] “Here is an instance where God shows grace and mercy. The story of Noah, the Exodus of the Israelites and many others are stories of grace and this story is no different as God grants mercy, grace and hope to Cain. Then the LORD said to him, “Not so! If any one slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who came upon him should kill him. (RSV, Genesis 4:15) ””

Rashi notes the grammar here is an elliptical construction (ex. “And Cain said to Abel, …”) with a literally abbreviated statement. “Therefore whoever kills Cain,” express a threat, suggesting the consequence “it shall be done to him” and “such shall be his punishment” but it does not explicitly state what the punishment would be. So how can someone who kills Cain be punished seven times? He cannot die seven times, but, he will lose seven generations; thus the seventh generation will kill Cain.

[16] Despite the fact that Cain had added to God's punishment, he went out from the presence of the LORD; it was not a punishment, but the shame of Cain. Cain left from before God's presence and went into the land of Nod.

[18a] Adam, Cain, Enoch, Irad, Mehujael, Methushael, Lamech. Therefore Lamech was the seventh generation; Lamech killed Cain (see: 19)

[19] From Rashi, “And Lamech took for himself…” It would not have been necessary to state all this in detail except to inform us by the conclusion of the narrative that the Holy One, blessed be He, kept the promise He made when He said, שבעתים יקם קין “vengeance shall be taken of Cain after seven generations״; for Lamech arose after he had begotten children and had raised the seventh generation and killed Cain. It is to this that the statement refers “for I have slain a man for wounding me.” (v. 23).

From Rashi, “two wives” This was the custom of the generation that lived before the time of the Flood; they had two wives, one for children and the other for companionship. The one for companionship was made barren and was dressed in rich clothing and fed with the best food, while the first wife was left without her husband’s companionship to mourned like a widow. Job expressly mentions this (Job 24:21). “He is a companion to (or, he feeds) the barren that bear not, and does not good to the widow”, (see the Agada of Pereq Chelek, see also Genesis Rabbah 23:2).

[22] The early Jewish midrash Genesis Rabba (23.3) identifies this Naamah (the daughter of Lamech and sister of Tubal-cain) as the wife of Noah (see Rashi's commentary on Genesis 4:22), while some Jewish traditions associate her with singing.

The Naamah mentioned in the Bible is a Cainite, a descendant in the lineage of Cain. However, a Sethite Naamah is named as the wife of Noah, and a daughter of Enoch, Noah's grandfather, in a medieval midrash. Also, the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit (written c. 225–175 BC) does not name any of the wives aboard Noah's Ark, but it does say that Noah's wife was one of his “own kindred” (Tobit 4:12).

The 17th-century theologian John Gill mentioned a theory which identified Naamah instead with the name of the wife of Ham, son of Noah, who he believed may have become confused with Noah's wife.

In the Book of Jubilees (160–150 BC) the names of the wives of Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth are as follows:

• Wife of Noah – Naamah
• Wife of Shem – Sedeqetelebab
• Wife of Ham – Na'eltama'uk
• Wife of Japheth – 'Adataneses

It adds that the three sons each built a city named after their wives.

[23] Lamech killed Cain, from Rashi; “hear my voice” his wives left him because he had killed Cain and Tubal-Cain, his own son, and they were afraid of retribution. Lamech was blind and Tubal-Cain used to lead him. The latter saw Cain and thought him to be an animal. He therefore told his father to draw the bow, and thus Lamech killed him. As soon as he learned that it was his forefather Cain, he smote his hands together, struck his son between them and so killed him too. His wives fled from him in fear of a punishment (“whosoever kills Cain…”) thereupon separated from him, and he wanted to reassure them he could take care of them.

From Rashi, “Hear my voice” obey me and return to me: for the man I slew — was he slain by my wounding? i.e. did I wound him with premeditation, that the wound should be called by my name (i. e. attributed to me); and the child that I slew — was it slain by my blow? (i. e. by a blow directed intentionally by me?) [Rashi here inserts the word בתמיה which he uses frequently to direct that the preceding words should be read as a question.] Did I not act inadvertently and not with premeditation? This was not my wound, nor was this my blow!

[24] Rashi, “If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold…” as previously explained, it signifies “If vengeance shall be taken on Cain after seven generations”. If in the case of Cain who killed with premeditation the punishment was suspended for him until the seventh generation, in the case of Lamech who slew inadvertently it follows that it should be suspended until many seven generations.

Also “Seventy and Seven” Lamech's wives said, “Why should we bear children only to be destroyed? Soon the Flood will come and will sweep everyone away!” Lamech then said unto them, “Did I slay a man “for my wounding” (i.e. that I should be wounded — punished)? Did “I” slay Abel who was a man in height but a child in years, that my descendants should be exterminated on account of this sin (the sin of Cain who killed Abel)? If Cain who did kill had his punishment suspended until the seventh generation, I who have not killed — does it not necessarily follow that my punishment) should be suspended for many seven generations? This, however, is an absurd argument a fortiori, for if so, the Holy One, blessed be He, could never exact his debt nor fulfil his word.

[25] This “‘ō-wḏ” meaning “again” has the secondary meaning of “more”. Rashi ”(this word) is used here to teach that his love for her was now greater than before (Genesis Rabbah 23:4-5).“

[26] Rashi explains the hebrew word “הוּחַ֔ל” (hū-ḥal,) is the same root as “חולין” (profane matters); they called the names of men and the names of idols after the name of the Holy One, blessed be He — making them into objects of idol worship and calling them Deities (Genesis Rabbah 23:7).

[26] From Ellicott's; “It is the hopeless error of commentators to suppose that Eve, and Enos, and others, knew all that is now known, and all that the inspired narrator knew. They thus do violence to the plainest language of Holy Scripture, and involve its interpretation in utter confusion. Read without these preconceived notions, the sense is plain: that the name Jehovah had now become a title of the Deity, whereas previously no such sacredness had been attached to it. It was long afterwards, in the days of Moses, that it became the personal name of the covenant God of the Jews.”

There is support for this in “When Abram entered Canaan, he camped between Ai and Bethel. There, “he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord” (Genesis 12:8). In other words, Abram publicly thanked God, praised His name, and sought His protection and guidance. Years later, Abraham’s son Isaac built an altar to the Lord in Beersheba and also “called on the name of the Lord” (Genesis 26:25).” Also Joel 2:32; “32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.”

Calling on the name of the Lord is to be a lifelong pursuit (Psalm 116:2). God commands us to call on Him in times of trouble (Psalm 50:15). The one who “dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1) and has God’s promise of blessing: “‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him’” (verses 14–15).

From Clarke's; “Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord - The marginal reading is, Then began men to call themselves by the name of the Lord; which words are supposed to signify that in the time of Enos the true followers of God began to distinguish themselves, and to be distinguished by others, by the appellation of sons of God; those of the other branch of Adam's family, among whom the Divine worship was not observed, being distinguished by the name, children of men. It must not be dissembled that many eminent men have contended that הוחל huchal, which we translate began, should be rendered began profanely, or then profanation began, and from this time they date the origin of idolatry. Most of the Jewish doctors were of this opinion, and Maimonides has discussed it at some length in his Treatise on Idolatry; as this piece is curious, and gives the most probable account of the origin and progress of idolatry, I shall insert it here.”