Connecting With Jesus

Cain’s Fear

In Genesis 4:14, who is Cain worried will kill him?

“A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth” (Genesis 4:12).

Because of his intense jealousy toward Abel, Cain rose up against his brother and killed him. Afterward, he tried to play innocent, but God already knew what had happened. He pronounced curse on Cain: “When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and vagabond you shall be on the earth.” He was driven away.

Cain then responds, “Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground, I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me” (verse 14). In this passage, Cain wasn’t concerned about his sin, but about his punishment. He was saying it was more than he could bear, and he feared people were going to hunt him down and kill him.

Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel understood that they had been commanded to “be fruitful, and multiply” (Genesis 1:22). Cain knew that in the process of time, men and women would procreate and there would be thousands upon thousands of people in the world. Do you realize how many people could have been born in the 900 years from that time until the Flood? It was likely in the millions! Cain knew that he would be an outlaw-public enemy number one. He was anticipating that people would hunt him down and kill him as they multiplied and spread across the Earth. He made that statement because he was anticipating what was going to happen as the planet became more populated. Since we don’t have an exact timeline of the first family, it is also possible that Adam and Eve already had other grown children as well. Cain might have feared one of his brothers or sisters would immediately take revenge on behalf of their murdered brother. God, in His mercy, put a mark on Cain to protect him from any would-be avengers.

Lord, thank you for showing me, even through this tragic story, that your mercy is great. Thank you for showing me compassion every day.

For Further Study: Genesis 4:1-15; 1 John 3:11, 12; Hebrews 11:4

Genesis 4:1-15 KJV
And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. [2] And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. [3] And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. [4] And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: [5] But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. [6] And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? [7] If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. [8] And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. [9] And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? [10] And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. [11] And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; [12] When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. [13] And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. [14] Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. [15] And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

1 John 3:11-12 KJV
For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. [12] Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

Hebrews 11:4 KJV
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.