Berean Standard Bible
Genesis 4:8
8Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.”1 And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
Genesis 4:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now 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 killed him.
Context of Genesis 4:8
6“Why are you angry,” said the LORD to Cain, “and why has your countenance fallen? 7If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.” Then 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?” 10“What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.
Read all of Genesis 4Genesis 4:8 word by word
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יו נֵלְכָה הַשָּׂדֶה וַֽיְהִי֙ בִּהְיוֹתָ֣ם בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיָּ֥קָם קַ֛יִן אֶל־הֶ֥בֶל אָחִ֖יו וַיַּהַרְגֵֽהוּ׃Read the interlinear
- Then Cainקַ֫יִןqayin · CainH7014
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- his brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- Abelהֶ֫בֶלhebel · AbelH1893
- Andהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- in the fieldשָׂדַיώâdeh ώâday · SirionH7704
- rose upקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- and killed himהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
Cross-references for Genesis 4:8
- 2 Samuel 3:27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
- 2 Samuel 13:26“If not,” said Absalom, “please let my brother Amnon go with us.” “Why should he go with you?” the king asked.
- 2 Samuel 20:9“Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.
- Nehemiah 6:2Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me.
- Psalms 36:3The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and well-doing.
- Psalms 55:21His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.
- Proverbs 26:24A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
- Micah 7:6For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies are the members of his own household.
- Luke 22:48But Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
- 2 Samuel 14:6And your maidservant had two sons who were fighting in the field with no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him.
- Job 11:15then indeed you will lift up your face without blemish; you will stand firm and unafraid.
- Psalms 24:3Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in His holy place?
- Psalms 139:19O God, that You would slay the wicked— away from me, you bloodthirsty men—
- Matthew 23:35And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
- Luke 11:51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation.
- 1 John 3:12Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.
Commentaries on Genesis 4:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Cain talked with Abel his brother - קין ויאמר vaiyomer Kayin, and Cain said, etc.; not talked, for this construction the word cannot bear without great violence to analogy and grammatical accuracy. But why should it be thus translated? Because our translators could not find that any thing was spoken on the occasion; and therefore they ventured to intimate that there was a conversation, indefinitely. In the most correct editions of the Hebrew Bible there…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. 8The impact of the sin on human relationships is tragically shown in the first murder. The word brother appears seven times in 4:2–11, emphasizing Cain's act of killing his brother despite responsibility to one's family.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. And Cain talked with Abel his brother--Under the guise of brotherly familiarity, he concealed his premeditated purpose till a convenient time and place occurred for the murder (1Jo 3:12; Jude 11).Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 4:8
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. Genesis 4:8 SP, LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate; Hebrew Then Cain spoke to his brother Abel. ↩
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
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