Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground.” –Genesis 4:6-22
Cain should have had some idea that he would be punished and that it could be severe, based on his parents’ experience (3:16-24). But he didn't know he would be “cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand” (4:11). He didn't foresee that he would no longer enjoy the produce of his labor (v. 12), rendering him a “fugitive until death” (Proverbs 28:17). Presumably this meant he would be reduced to foraging for food since he could not stay in one place long enough to cultivate crops that would be useful to himself and others.
This was a harsh sentence for one who'd chosen to be a tiller of the ground (v. 13). He would now also be an outcast from human society–his family. He would have to constantly look over his shoulder, fretting that someone from his family would exact vengeance on him (v. 14).
Cain also feared losing access to God. He would go “out from the presence of the Lord,” but not before being shown great mercy. He was given a mark of protection, and a sevenfold vengeance for his death was decreed (v.15). And, even though he had taken life, Cain would be allowed to procreate (v. 17); Abel’s line had ended, but this terrible sin was not the end of Cain’s line (v. 18-22).
There are two other significant factors about which Cain was ignorant.
1. Cain didn’t know (or would not admit) he was his brother’s keeper
When asked, Cain feigned ignorance of his brother’s whereabouts. He should have known that sin cannot be hidden from God, but he wanted to cast off responsibility for his brother’s life and death. He refused to admit God had a right to make him his brother’s keeper. He thought he was only responsible for himself. He knew how to care for plants, just as his brother knew how to care for animals, but caring for a brother is quite different.
As we will see, brother-keeping becomes a major theme in the Old Testament, and God places a high value on it. Under the principle that would be established in Genesis 9:5-6, a man should avenge his brother’s murder, so it would be unthinkable for him to cause a brother’s death. Later, under Mosaic law, it would become shameful for a brother to fail to secure a dead brother’s legacy by refusing to procreate children for him with the widow (Deuteronomy 25:5-10).
If Cain had been a brother-keeper, he would have looked out for Abel and protected him from harm. He would have mourned his brother’s death rather than pretend it was nothing. He would have been the one to avenge his murder instead of being the one whose life would be required by God.
Murder is not only a violation of the sanctity of human life, it also violates brother-keeping in a sense larger than familial ties. As the lawyer would learn in his conversation with Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" or "Who is my brother?" are not proper considerations (Luke 10:25-37). Rather we must ask ourselves, "Am I a good neighbor?" and “Am I fulfilling my brotherly duty?” If we pass someone by because he or she is not a next-door neighbor or blood kin, we may be leaving him or her to die or be preyed upon by ruthless people. We may not be guilty of striking the blow that kills someone, but our sin may be one of omission.
2. Cain did not know Abel’s blood cried out to God from the ground
Cain would not escape God’s scrutiny for his act, and no murderer ever will. The idea that the blood of innocent slain people cries out to God from the ground runs throughout scripture:
▶Abel’s eloquent blood is referred to directly in Hebrews 11:4 and 12:24. His blood still speaks to us today–of his faith and the worthiness of God. Only the blood of Jesus speaks more articulately of salvation. We don’t know how blood speaks, but one is comforted to know we have an attentive, discerning, and just heavenly Father.
▶Numbers 35:33 - Human blood for which there is no accounting was said to pollute the land of Israel. Numbers 35 laid out principles that form the basis of our own laws. Through Moses, God spelled out the differences between murder and manslaughter and taught the people how they should handle various cases. Perpetrators of manslaughter should essentially be jailed in cities of refuge, but murder victims were to be delivered into the hands of the “blood avenger” (the brother or other near kin, Gen. 9:5-6) for capital punishment. In this way, the stain of innocent blood would be expunged from the land.
▶Deuteronomy 21:1-9 - This passage answers the question of what to do with a mysterious death, in light of Numbers 35. Human death is not to be shrugged off. Even though the manner of death could not be known, the person’s death would be held against the nearest town unless a rather specific and involved process was followed.
▶Psalms 9:12 and 10:3-14 - A killer imagines there is no God, or, if He does exist, that He doesn’t take note of murder; he thinks, “I will not be moved…. God will not require it.” But God does see, and has a long memory.
▶Luke 11:47-51 is an example of God’s long memory concerning murder. Jesus indicted the lawyers and Pharisees of His day for the murders of past prophets, from Abel to Zechariah. The Son of God not only remembers their blood but holds them guilty for what they are about to do... shedding His own innocent blood on the cross!
▶In Revelation 6:9-10 we hear a lament from beneath the altar: “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” They are the souls of people slain because of the word of God. Are they prophets like Abel and Zechariah? Is this what the unavenged blood of slain innocent throughout time repeatedly says to God? It may not be much comfort to learn them must wait longer until the full number is reached of “fellow servants” and “brethren” who remain to be killed, nevertheless they are assured of being among the white-robed righteous.
And so we see that Abel’s blood crying out to God is not an isolated case. These passages will be dealt with more fully in future blog posts, but it’s important here to trace their connection to Genesis 4.
Next up - The legacy of the first murder: Genesis 4, part 3
Are you guilty of an abortion? Take comfort in knowing God does forgive.
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Image credit: Albrecht Durer, Cain Killing Abel, 1511
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