Who are Cain and Abel? What is the meaning of the parable about two brothers, one of whom is a fratricide? What does she teach us? You will learn about this from our article!

Night is painful on earth outside of Eden.
The mortal abyss flows through the veins.
Whispers and cries, falling to his knees,
Old Adam to Dying Eve:
"Who
will he step over the abyss?
Who
will restore Abel's family?
Who,
paving a road through the sky,
will say the words
to the person
and to God?
Who will break the torment of parting -
Tree by tree,
By hand - by hand?..”

An ancient Sumerian myth told how the heavenly goddess Inanna chose the shepherd out of the two young men who sought her hand, rejecting the farmer. It was the shepherd who entered into a happy and divine marriage and joined, in the concept of the inhabitants of Ancient Mesopotamia, divine life, divine immortality.

But this kind of “divine marriage” was a violation of allegiance to the God of Israel.

“Sue your mother, sue; for she is not My wife, and I am not her husband; let her put away fornication from her face and adultery from her breasts... And I will punish her for the days of serving the Baals, when she burned incense to them and, adorning herself with earrings and necklaces, went after her lovers, and forgot Me, says the Lord" (Hosea 2:2 ;13).

The story, found in one of the opening chapters of the book of Genesis, also tells about a shepherd and a farmer. But they do not compete for the goddess Inanna (as Abraham’s relatives did for centuries who did not leave Ur) - they make a sacrifice to the Living God, who will then reveal himself to Abraham. The story of the farmer Cain, the elder brother, and the shepherd Abel, the younger brother, is a foretaste of the story of the calling of Abraham, and the story of the Exodus, and - foreshadowed by them - the Great Exodus of Christ, His Passover...

...They make a sacrifice - and in the sacrifice their separation occurs in the face of God. Actually, the entire history of the human race, according to Genesis, is a history of division, so that the separated holy people could begin their difficult path to hearing the Living God, until the time when He Himself stands among His people in “an equal place” (Luke 6). :17) and will divide by His appearance those who recognized the Messiah in Him and those who did not.

“...Cain brought a gift to the Lord from the fruits of the ground, and Abel also brought from the firstlings of his flock and from their fat. And the Lord looked upon Abel and his gift, but did not look upon Cain and his gift. Cain was greatly saddened, and his face fell” (Gen. 4:3-5).

Little is said about Abel and his mysterious righteousness. He is accepted by God in spite of everything - despite the fact that he is not the firstborn, despite the fact that in his very name his mother, so inspired by the birth of her firstborn, Cain, expressed all the disappointment that befell her. Just as Cain is not the promised seed of the woman, so is his younger brother, even more so, futility and vapor, and one cannot rely on him. If Cain, “a man from the Lord” (Gen. 4:1), failed and did not return the entire human race with the power of his reason and cunning to Eden, and did not manage to please God, then what about Abel and his sheep!

But God judged differently, and Cain’s shock knew no bounds. The Genesis account is mysterious and difficult to interpret, but it is clear that it seems to center on the person of Cain, the elder brother. As if in the beginning of insanity, Cain hears the words of God - from afar, from the distant coolness of paradise, the words with which God is trying to protect him.

“And the Lord [God] said to Cain: Why are you upset? and why did your face droop? If you do good, don’t you lift your face? and if you do not do good, then sin lies at the door; he draws you to himself, but you must rule over him” (Gen. 4:6-7)

One translation of this passage sounds like this: “It [sin] desires you, you will be its master.”(Gen. 4:7)

...It is very difficult to protect a person. For this, God must die. But the time has not come yet...

Cain hears the words of God, but his mind, accustomed to seeing not a loving God, but an idol created according to his own ideas, bestowing power, understands them terribly and destructively for both brothers.

“You rule over him,” Cain hears, and says strange words to Abel.

Perhaps Cain felt a certain delight and perceived it as a divine revelation. Everything was given to Cain for dominion - even Abel's righteousness! Indeed, what else is a younger, unsightly brother needed for, if not for the great cause of the elder brother, who, perhaps, will fulfill the mother’s hope in this way, become a liberator and the long-awaited “seed of the wife,” returning to the lost paradise?! His sacrifice is small - which means that God wants to strengthen it by giving Abel himself, who was pleasing to God with his sacrifices! What a brilliant and terrible paradox! Only a great, extraordinary man, the savior of all mankind, can step over human, through brotherly blood! This is what Cain wanted to become. And he stabbed Abel.

And the Lord said:

“What have you done?” (Gen. 4:10)

Cain realizes what he has done. But he does not commit suicide - his long future life in fear and mental confusion will end with the fact that he, as some ancient interpreters said, will be killed by his descendant Lamech - he will take the unfortunate man hiding in the thicket for a forest animal...

It seems that the salvation of mankind is lost forever. If anyone could save him, it would be the unearthly Abel or someone from his seed. But Abel had no seed left. Seth, who was born instead of Abel to the primordial couple, stood too firmly on the earth in his piety without going beyond reasonable boundaries - he no longer sought to save the world, he was prudent. Adam and Eve understood with anguish that there would be no one like Abel on earth again. And even the ascended Enoch was not a suffering victim who completely surrendered himself - no, not to the cruelty of his brother, but to the mysterious call of God, who sought to come to earth to share his death, and - so far could not.

He came down - thousands of years later. He became a sacrifice, and it was not without reason that He mentioned the name of Abel and the shedding of His blood (Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:50-51).

There is no time for God. He united His human blood, shed by the hands of cruel warriors and the cunning of the high priestly minds, who believed that “it is better for one person to die than for the whole people to perish” - united it with the blood of Abel, becoming voluntarily his descendant.

More than reason and hope - Christ is a descendant of Abel. He is the Son and Seed of the Woman, a Man from the Lord. He sacrificed himself, without seeking sacrifices from others. He did not need power over his brothers - He gave Himself for the brothers...

And his perfect Sacrifice reconciles all the brothers scattered across the face of the earth, who have lost all hope of the return of God to earth, who will speak to them in the coolness of paradise.

Ax to the root! Will she give birth?
desert manna and honey?
Son of Abraham prayers
and will offer sacrifices for sin.

But something has become under the sun
not like centuries ago:
put his hand on the roof
unrecognized younger brother,

will turn up the earth with a plow,
will shed the blood of lambs,
sea, north, south
looking for his brother, he will pass.

Smyrna is full of backgammon
His robe and head.
Will fulfill all righteousness,
the words of the women will be fulfilled.

The rocks will part. Kreen
in the sand they will bloom forever.
The only Son of Mary,
From the Lord - Man.

When were Cain and Ebel born?

Cain and Evel (Abel) are the children of the first man, Adam, and his wife Chava (in the Russian version - Eve).

The first man Adam was created by the Almighty on the sixth day of Creation, on Rosh Hashanah - the first day of the month of Tishrei ( Bereshit 1:27, 31; Rosh Hashanah 10b; Zohar 1, 37a).

Both day (daylight hours) and night (dark time of day) contain 12 hours. At the third hour of that day, the Almighty “made man from the dust of the earth” ( Bereshit 2:7), forming the corresponding organs, cavities and limbs ( Sanhedrin 38b; Seder Hadorot). And at the fourth hour the Creator “breathed a life-giving soul into his nostrils, and the man came to life” ( Bereshit 2:7; Sanhedrin 38b).

At the seventh hour of the day, the Almighty “took one of the parts” of the sleeping man and “transformed this part ... into a woman” ( Bereshit 2:21-22).

In answering the question when Cain and Ebel were born, the opinions of the sages were divided.

Some believe that Cain and Evel were born before the expulsion [from Gan Eden - the Garden of Eden. Editor's note.], and others - what after. For example, in the book Sefer Yuhasin the opinion is given that Cain was born in the 15th year from the Creation of the World, and Evel - in the 30th.

However, commentators often cite Haggadah from the treatise Sanhedrin (38 b), from which it follows that Cain and Evel were born on the first Friday, at the eighth hour [see. on the website: What is Haggadah].

At the eighth hour of the day, Adam and his other “half”, named by him in the holy language Isha(Woman), entered into intimacy. Adam and Isha “went up to the bed together, and came down from it in four” (Sanhedrin 38b) - as a result of their closeness, twins were born at the same hour: a boy who received the name Cain (Bereshit 4:1), and girl ( Rashi, Bereshit 4:1). Somewhat later, the woman gave birth to three more twins: a boy named Evel (Bereshit 4:2), and his two sisters ( Bereshit the servant 22:2-3; Rashi, Bereshit 4:1; Tosafot, Sanhedrin 38b).

Argument

As a result of the sin committed by the first man, [...] on the twelfth and last hour of that day, the Creator decided to expel Adam from the Garden of Eden ( Sanhedrin 38b). At the end of Shabbat, the Creator expelled Adam from the garden ( Bereshit 3:23-24).

Subsequently, for one hundred and thirty years, he [Adam] remained in fasting and repentance, abstaining from intimacy with his wife ( Eruvin 18b). Adam hoped to atone for the death sentence imposed on him and his descendants. But it was impossible to correct what he had done even with complete repentance, because his sin had already led to irreversible changes in the spiritual state of the Universe ( Mikhtav meEliyahu 2, p. 85).

During this time, Adam's sons married their sisters - the Almighty showed mercy to his creatures by allowing that generation a similar inbreeding marriage in order to “build” the world, as it is said ( Tehilim 89:3): “Peace is built by good will” ( Yerushalmi, Yevamot 11:1, Korban haeda). Cain married his sister Kelmana, and Evel married Belvira (Abravanel , Bereshit 4:1; Seder Hadorot).

Cain tilled the land, and Ebel tended the flocks ( Bereshit 4:2).

In the fortieth year from the Creation of the world, on the fifteenth day of the month Nissan, the sons of Adam, following his advice, made sacrifices to the Almighty: Cain laid flaxseed on the altar, and Ebel - the best sheep from his flock. The Creator accepted only Evel’s sacrifice, but “was not pleased with Cain and his gift” ( Bereshit 4:5; Tanhuma, Bereshit 9; Pirkei Derabi Eliezer 21; Yalkut Shimoni, Bereshit 35).

Bearing a grudge, Cain invited his brother to divide the world: he took all the land for himself, and Evel took the herds. And immediately a quarrel broke out between them, caused by the fact that Ebel led his herd through Cain’s arable land. Cain reproached Ebel for grazing his cattle on his land. And Evel reproached his brother for dressing in clothes made from the skins of his sheep ( Bereshit servant 22:7; Tanhuma, Bereshit 9; Sefer Ayashar). Another reason for the conflict was that Cain sought to take away Evel’s wife, who was the most beautiful of all the sisters ( Pirkei Derabi Eliezer 21).

In the fight, Cain dealt a fatal blow to Evel ( Bereshit 4:8) - and Adam mourned his son (Pirkei derabi Eliezer 21).

With the death of Evel, another historical opportunity was missed: after all, Adam was worthy that the twelve tribes of Israel would come from him, but after the death of Evel, the Most High said: “I gave him only two sons, and one of them killed the other - how could I can I produce twelve tribes from him?!” ( Bereshit the servant 24:5).

Cain had many children, and the land gradually began to be populated ( Bereshit 4:17-22).

In the one hundred and thirtieth year from the Creation of the world, Cain was killed by his descendant Lemekh, who mistakenly mistook him for an animal in the forest ( Bereshit 4:23, Rashi; Yagel Libeinu 11) [ - editor's note.].

After the death of his second son, Adam "knew his wife again" ( Bereshit 4:25), and they had a son, Sheth. And after Sheth they had many more children ( Bereshit 5:4; Seder Hadorot).

CAIN AND ABEL, in the Bible, two brothers, sons of Adam and Eve. According to the Book of Genesis, Cain was the first murderer in history, and Abel was the first murder victim. The Hebrew name Cain is similar to the verb kana (to bring into being), used by Eve when she said, “I have brought forth man” (Gen. 4:1), as well as to the words “kain” (blacksmith) and “kana” (jealous). . The name Abel (in Hebrew Hevel) may be derived from the Hebrew word hevel (breath).

The story of Cain and Abel is found in Genesis 4 and is not mentioned anywhere else in the Hebrew Bible. Abel was a cattle breeder, Cain was a farmer. Cain brought a gift to God from the fruits of the earth, while Abel sacrificed the firstborn animals of his flock. Cain, angry that God favored Abel's sacrifice, killed his brother. When God asked him, “Where is Abel your brother?” - he answered: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9). God punishes Cain with a curse: “You will be an exile and a wanderer on the earth” (Gen. 4:12), but at the same time marks him with the “Seal of Cain” so that no one will kill him. Cain goes to the "land of Nod" (land of wandering), east of Eden.

Running throughout the Bible is the motif of God's preference for younger brothers, such as Jacob, Joseph or David; Abel is the first in this row. Some researchers see in the biblical story a reflection of the conflict between two ways of life, pastoral and agricultural. However, more significantly, the gifts brought by Cain and Abel are the first sacrifices mentioned in the Bible. It has therefore been suggested that this tradition reflected the belief that God was more pleased with animal offerings rather than plant offerings.

It is especially important that in this story the theme of moral responsibility, first heard in the previous story about Adam and Eve, is further developed. When Cain begins to envy his brother, God says to him: “If you do good, don’t you raise your face? and if you do not do good, then sin lies at the door; he draws you to himself, but you must rule over him” (Gen. 4:7). This is the first appearance of the word “sin” (“het”) in the Bible. Cain's sin is especially striking because it is not just murder, but fratricide.

According to rabbinic tradition, Cain repented of his sin and was subsequently accidentally killed by his descendant, the blind Lamech. If Cain in the New Testament is mentioned as an example of villainy (1 John 3:12), then Abel is mentioned as the first righteous man to suffer a violent death (Matthew 23:35), and as an example of faith (Heb 11:4). In the Christian exegetical tradition, Abel is a typos (type) of Christ. On the other hand, there is evidence that some Gnostics worshiped Cain as the enemy of Israel's Creator God, whose worship they rejected.

The Bible says that Cain married, had children, and built the first city (Gen. 4:17-24). Apparently, Cain's wife was one of his sisters (Genesis 5:4). Cain's descendants in the male line did not survive the flood, but the "Keneites", a tribe of blacksmiths and metallurgists mentioned as contemporaries of Abraham (Gen 15:19), Moses (Judg 1:16), Deborah (Judg 4:11) and Saul (1 Sam. 15:6), possibly descended from Cain. In Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf The monster Grendel is a descendant of Cain.

Well, who hasn’t heard the story of the first fratricide in human history? A jealous older brother kills his younger brother because of a botched sacrifice. Their names have long become household names and are remembered every time when we talk about related conflicts or civil wars. But the Bible, like no other book, contains so many mysteries and inconsistencies that it is impossible to simply pass by. The story of Cain and Abel is no exception. First, let's recall how it was, and then try to understand.

Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld "The Sacrifice of Cain and Abel"

As the scripture says

Once upon a time Adam and Eve lived and they had two sons - Cain and Abel. Both brothers have grown up. Cain became a farmer, and Abel became a cattle breeder. And then one day the brothers decided to make sacrifices to the Lord. Everyone offered him what they had. Cain brought grain, and Abel brought the firstborn lambs from his flock. Imagine the amazement of both when light came down from heaven and took away Abel’s sacrifice, not heaven, but in the case of Cain this did not happen. God accepted the sacrifice of the youngest brother, which caused the anger and jealousy of the elder. The result was a bloody murder. This is a short version of what happened, but what is behind it all?

Well why not me?

There are nine different interpretations of this story, offered by Christians, Jews and Muslims. According to one of them, the Lord tests Cain. He makes him understand that the younger brother is more talented in serving God and this must be accepted. You can't get everything at once. You should be reconciled and, together with your brother, engage in godly work without offense or pride.

Muslims believe that Abel's heart is the heart of a righteous man and the Lord sees this. That is why his sacrifice was accepted.

Search a woman

Despite the fact that according to the classical version, at the time of the events mentioned, only four people lived on earth: Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel, there is another option. In addition to the Brothers, there were also sisters. One of them, Avan, was intended for Abel. Cain was inflamed with passion for his brother's bride and decided to take her as his wife. So, according to the mentioned version, it turns out that this was a conflict between two men over a woman. And, as you know, in this case bloodshed is the traditional outcome of the dispute. This is what happened later: Cain married Avan and gave birth to a son, Enoch (Hanokh).

Version of the accident

Remember what the dying Jesus said on the cross: “Forgive them, Lord, for they do not know what they are doing.” The same goes for Cain. How could he intentionally kill his brother if he didn’t know what death was? Until this moment, no one had ever died on earth. In anger, he grabbed his brother and he, according to Muslims, prayed: “Allah, do with me what you want!” Cain hesitated, he didn’t know what to do, and then he got an assistant. The devil whispered to him how to deal with his brother. You need to take a stone and hit Abel on the head. Blinded by anger, Cain listened to the advice and only then, sobbing over his brother’s body, realized what had been done. It turns out that Cain was literally misled by a demon.

Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld "Fratricide"

Hiding material evidence is punishable by law

And so, the unfortunate Cain sits, confused by the Devil, offended by God, over the cooling body of his brother. What's happened? What have I done and what should I do next? Where to put the corpse? And then he sees one raven killing another. He pecks him to death, then digs a hole and places his dead enemy there. Cain did the same - he buried his brother’s body in the ground.

When the Lord asked where Abel had gone, Cain replied: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Not only did he kill, but he also lied, trying to hide the crime! This is another reason for God’s just wrath.

The mysterious "sign of Cain"

And so Cain is cursed. He was banished to the land of Nod for eternal wanderings. But he's scared. He is afraid that the people who meet him on the way might kill him. Here's another biblical riddle for you: what kind of people are there if only Cain, his parents and a couple of sisters were to remain on earth? There is no reliable answer to this question yet.

But be that as it may, the Lord had mercy and marked Cain with a special sign, giving him protection and patronage. God is merciful and for him there is no sinner who is so mired in sin that he cannot earn forgiveness.

There is a version that this symbolic “sign of Cain” marked the entire Jewish people, doomed to wander the world in search of their destiny. But, despite all the hardships, he has the most important thing - the protection of the Lord.

St. Augustine in his writings associates the Jewish people with Cain, and Jesus and the Christian church with Abel. Envious and jealous Jews kill the shepherd Jesus, for which they receive the curse of his father.

At one time, Emperor Constantine commanded all Jews to wear a special sign indicating their origin. And whoever disobeys will receive either a fine or a whip.

A few more versions

Christian theologians believe that Cain’s sacrifice was not accepted because it did not come from a pure heart, and therefore was not accepted.

Jewish philosopher Yosef Albo believed that Cain valued the life of an animal as well as the life of a person and that is why he dealt with his brother. He simply avenged the murdered lamb. Then the question arises: how could he relate one thing to the other, if at that time such a concept as death did not exist at all?

The Haggadah (part of the Talmudic literature) states that Abel was stronger than his brother and defeated Cain in a fight. He also begged and asked for mercy. Abel mercifully released the unfortunate man, and he took advantage of the moment and killed his brother.

Some researchers believe that this confrontation between the brothers symbolized the conflict between pastoral and agricultural ways of life.

What happened to Cain?

Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld "Cain the Exile"

According to ancient sources, Cain did not just wander around the world. He married his beloved sister and founded the city. Farming did not require constant movement in order to find fertile pastures. Having begun a sedentary lifestyle, Cain moved to a new stage in the development of society.

The turning point or the mother's first tears

After killing Abel, the Devil comes to Eve and says that her son is dead. She asks: what does this mean, how to understand it? The devil replies that now he will no longer eat with her, laugh, or breathe. Eva realizes the essence of what happened and bursts into bitter tears. From this moment on, the theme of tears and sorrow does not leave the biblical pages. For the first time, the devil creates pain in a world where no one knew about it.

Instead of output

It is not only the Bible that is replete with stories of relationships between brothers. Their main essence is forgiveness. After years of hostility, Esau embraced Jacob. Joseph welcomed the brothers who sold him into slavery with open arms. This is the main idea of ​​pacifism, which originates precisely in these narratives - we are all brothers and we have nothing to share. Why Cain killed Abel is an eternal question. You are left to draw your own conclusions.

Other news

Many people know that Adam and Eve had two sons, and the elder took the life of the younger, but why Cain killed Abel remains a mystery to many. This is the first example of fratricide in human history, which is often used by people in identical life situations. Despite the fairly detailed description of what happened in the Bible, today there are many versions that differ from each other.

Why did Cain kill Abel?

To understand this issue, you must first remember the story itself. Adam and Eve were the first people who were kicked out of heaven after committing sin. They had two sons: Cain and Abel. The first devoted his life to agriculture, and the second became a cattle breeder. When they decided to give the sacrifice to God, the brothers brought the fruits of their labor. Cain offered grain as a gift to God, and Abel offered a lamb. As a result, the sacrifice of the younger brother was accepted into heaven, but the elder was left without. All this angered Cain, and he killed his brother Abel. This is the story that the holy book tells.

In general, there are several different explanations presented by Christians, Jews and Muslims. One version says that this was a kind of test for the older brother. He had to understand that a person cannot get everything at once. Cain had to humble himself and continue to live without any resentment or disappointment. Muslims are sure that Abel has the heart of a righteous man and this was the reason for accepting the sacrifice.

Other versions of why Cain killed Abel

Although the holy book states that at the time of the incident only 4 people lived on earth, there is another version. There were also sisters, one of whom, Avan, became a dispute between two brothers. As you know, many conflicts between men over women end in bloodshed. This version arose based on the fact that it was Avan that Cain married and had a son.

There is a version that Cain could not intentionally kill anyone, since at that time it was not known what death was. Muslims have the opinion that everything happened purely by chance. Angry with his brother, Cain grabbed him and asked God what he should do next. It was at this moment that the Devil appeared and set him up for murder. As a result, Cain killed his brother, completely unwillingly.

Christian theologians complement the version set out in the Bible. According to her, God did not want to accept Cain's sacrifice because it was not from a pure heart. The Jewish philosopher Yosef Albo had a different opinion, who believed that for an older brother, killing an animal was unacceptable, which is why he took revenge on his relative for his actions. This version has some contradiction: on what basis could such thoughts arise if the concept of death did not yet exist.

There is information in Talmudic literature that the brothers fought on equal terms, and Cain was defeated, but he managed to beg forgiveness. As a result, Abel released the unfortunate man, but the fratricide from the Bible, taking advantage of the chance, dealt with a relative. According to another version, the brothers are the personification of the confrontation between agricultural and pastoral lifestyles.

What happened next?

After Cain killed his own brother, he married Avan and founded the city. He continued to engage in farming, which became the basis for the development of a new society. As for Eve, she learned about the death of her son thanks to the Devil, who explained to her what had happened in the most terrible colors. The mother experienced the bitterness of loss and cried all day long. This can be called the first manifestation of human pain. Since then, this topic has been present quite often on the pages of the Bible.