Genesis 4:9

Genesis 4:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?
• New International Version (NIV)Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Context of Genesis 4:9

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.” 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. And 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. 11Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

Genesis 4:9 word by word

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־קַ֔יִן אֵ֖י הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי הֲשֹׁמֵ֥ר אָחִ֖י אָנֹֽכִי׃Read the interlinear

• And the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• Cainקַ֫יִןqayin · CainH7014
• Whereאַי'ay · where?H335
• your brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• Abelהֶ֫בֶלhebel · AbelH1893
• I do notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• Am Iאָֽנֹכִ֫י'ânôkîy · IH595
• keeperשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104

Cross-references for Genesis 4:9

• Genesis 3:9But the LORD God called out to the man, “Where are you?”
• Psalms 9:12For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
• Genesis 37:32They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe or not.”
• Job 22:13Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?
• Psalms 10:13Why has the wicked man renounced God? He says to himself, “You will never call me to account.”
• Proverbs 28:13He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
• John 8:44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
• Acts 5:4Did it not belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God!”

Commentaries on Genesis 4:9

• 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. 9Where is your brother?: The questions God asked Cain (4:6, 9, 10) remind us of those God asked Cain’s parents (3:9–13). In both situations, humans answered by avoiding the truth (compare 3:12–13). It is surprising how defiant Cain’s answer is. This suggests that his attitude was the real problem with his offering.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. I know not--a falsehood. One sin leads to another.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 4:9

• Abel
• Cain
• Escape
• Falsehood
• Homicide
• Sarcasm
• Selfishness
• Sin
• Will

In the dictionaries

• Abel
• Cain
• Adam
• Blood
• 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