Genesis 4:10

Genesis 4:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.
• New International Version (NIV)The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the Lord said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.

Context of Genesis 4:10

8Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” “What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

Genesis 4:10 word by word

וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ ק֚וֹל דְּמֵ֣י אָחִ֔יךָ צֹעֲקִ֥ים אֵלַ֖י מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃Read the interlinear

• Whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• have you doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• repliedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• The voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• of your brother’sאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
• cries outצָעַקtsâ‛aq · to cryH6817
• to Meאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• fromמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• the groundאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: soilH127

Cross-references for Genesis 4:10

• Genesis 3:13Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied, “and I ate.”
• Joshua 7:19So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and make a confession to Him. I urge you to tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”
• Psalms 50:21You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face.
• Genesis 18:20Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great. Because their sin is so grievous,
• Exodus 3:7The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
• 2 Kings 9:26‘As surely as I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons yesterday, declares the LORD, so will I repay you on this plot of ground, declares the LORD.’ Now then, according to the word of the LORD, pick him up and throw him on the plot of ground.”
• Job 16:18O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help never be laid to rest.
• Job 24:12From the city, men groan, and the souls of the wounded cry out, yet God charges no one with wrongdoing.
• Job 31:38if my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together,
• Psalms 9:12For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
• Psalms 72:14He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their blood is precious in his sight.
• Isaiah 5:7For the vineyard of the LORD of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the plant of His delight. He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard a cry of distress.
• Acts 5:3Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land?
• Hebrews 11:4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
• Hebrews 12:24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
• James 5:4Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.

Commentaries on Genesis 4:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10The voice of thy brother's blood - It is probable that Cain, having killed his brother, dug a hole and buried him in the earth, hoping thereby to prevent the murder from being known; and that this is what is designed in the words, Thy brother's blood crieth unto me From The Ground - which hath opened her mouth to receive it from thy hand. Some think that by the voice of thy brother's blood the cries of Abel's widow and children are to be understood, as it…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-16Verses 1-16 - Section IV - The Family of Adam - Cain and Abel 1. קין qayı̂n Qain (Cain), “spear-shaft,” and קנה qānah “set up, establish, gain, buy,” contain the biliteral root קן qan “set up, erect, gain.” The relations of root words are not confined to the narrow rules of our common etymology, but really extend to such instinctive usages as the unlettered speaker will invent or employ. A full examination of the Hebrew tongue leads to the conclusion…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-15Verses 8-15 Malice in the heart ends in murder by the hands. Cain slew Abel, his own brother, his own mother's son, whom he ought to have loved; his younger brother, whom he ought to have protected; a good brother, who had never done him any wrong. What fatal effects were these of our first parents' sin, and how must their hearts have been filled with anguish! Observe the pride, unbelief, and impenitence of Cain. He denies the crime, as if he could…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10What have you done?: This is more an expression of horror and blame than a question seeking answers (see 3:13). Abel’s blood acts as a legal witness that accuses Cain of a crime. from the ground: See study note on 4:11–12.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me--Cain, to lull suspicion, had probably been engaging in the solemnities of religion when he was challenged directly from the Shekinah itself.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 4:10

• Abel
• Cain
• Escape
• Homicide
• Sin
• Types
• Will

In the dictionaries

• Abel
• Adam
• Blood
• Cain
• Call
• Cursed
• Fall
• Fat
• Hurt
• Mark

Commentaries on Genesis 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings