Cain

Born

Unknown but likely before 3900 BC (Seth was born 130 years after Adam was created and after Cain murdered Abel.)

Died

Unknown

Parents

Adam and Eve

Children

Enoch

Spouse(s)

Name unknown

Overview

Cain was the firstborn of Adam and Eve1. He was a crop farmer. Cain brought an offering of his crops as an offering to God. However God did not accept it which caused Cain to become angry. Later, Cain murdered his brother Abel. When God later asked Cain where Abel was, Cain claimed to not know and uttered the famous words “I do not know, am I my brother’s keeper?”2 God already knew that he had killed his brother3, and punished him by cursing the ground to no longer produce it’s fruit for him, effectively cursing him to be a “fugitive and wanderer”. Cain claimed that people would kill him for his act, but God promised him divine protection4 and put a “mark” on Cain so that everyone would know that he was protected.

Cain moved to Nod, in the east of Eden and had a son named Enoch. He founded a city that he named Enoch after his son.

Some believe that Cain’s offering was not suitable due to it being the “fruit of the ground.”5 while Abel’s offering, which was accepted by God, was an offering of a sheep. While sheep and animals in general where more common sacrifices under the law of Moses, there were examples of “grain offerings6“. The grain offering appears to be a voluntary offering of gratitude while the animal sacrifices were associated with specific sacrifice types such as the “sin” offering. Assuimng the same principles applied in Cain’s time, it is possible that Cain offered the wrong type of offering. But this is speculative.

What is well established is that Cain’s offering was not offered “in faith”7 and as a result, it was rejected by God. While the events surrounding the sacrifices may have been the catalyst for Cain’s murderous act, John hints that Cain’s behaviour in general was evil.8

Cain’s line appeared to continue in his evil ways with his most notable descendant, Lamech (not to be confused with a different Lamech descended from Seth), boasting of murdering a man for the sake of vengance9. His entire line was wiped out in the Great Flood, a cataclysm sent by God to wipe out all the evil that was present on the earth10.

Cain stands as an example of the importance of two key principles:

  1. The importance in having faith in God
  2. The importance of serving God the way God choses rather than in a way that is convenient or according to our own judgment

Footnotes

  1. Gen 4:1 ↩︎
  2. Gen 4:9 ↩︎
  3. Gen 4:10 ↩︎
  4. Gen 4:15 ↩︎
  5. Gen 4:3 ↩︎
  6. Lev 2 ↩︎
  7. Heb 11:4 ↩︎
  8. 1 Jn 3:18 ↩︎
  9. Gen 4:23 ↩︎
  10. Gen 6:5 ↩︎