EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Genesis 4:8
8One day Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘We should go out to the fields.’ While they were in the fields, Cain attacked his brother Abel. He killed Abel.
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
6Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why do you look sad? 7If you do what is right, I will accept you. But if you do not do the right thing, sin will be very near to you. It will be like a wild animal at your door that is ready to eat you. But you must become its master.’ One day Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘We should go out to the fields.’ While they were in the fields, Cain attacked his brother Abel. He killed Abel. 9Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel, your brother?’ Cain replied, ‘I do not know where he is. Must I always keep my brother safe?’ 10Then the Lord God said, ‘Why have you done this bad thing? Now your brother's blood is lying there on the ground. That is like his voice which is shouting to me for help.
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Cainקַ֫יִןqayin · CainH7014
- talkedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- withאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- Abelהֶ֫בֶלhebel · AbelH1893
- his brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- and it came to pass, when they were in the fieldשָׂדַיώâdeh ώâday · SirionH7704
- rose upקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- and slew himהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
Cross-references for Genesis 4:8
- 2 Samuel 3:27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab met him at the city's gate. Then Joab took him into a corner, as if he wanted to speak with Abner alone. But he pushed his knife into Abner's stomach. Joab killed Abner because Abner had killed Asahel, Joab's brother.
- 2 Samuel 13:26So Absalom said, ‘If you will not come with me, please let my brother Amnon come.’ The king said, ‘Why do you want him to go with you?’
- 2 Samuel 20:9Joab said to Amasa, ‘How are you, my brother?’ He took hold of Amasa's beard with his right hand. He pretended that he wanted to kiss him.
- Nehemiah 6:2Sanballat and Geshem sent this message to me: ‘Come and meet with us in a village on the low land of Ono.’ I realized that they wanted to cause trouble for me.
- Psalms 36:3He speaks wicked things to deceive people. He does nothing that is wise or good.
- Psalms 55:21He speaks a message of peace, but he is really thinking about war. His words are easy to listen to, but they hurt like sharp knives.
- Proverbs 26:24A hypocrite can say nice things to hide his thoughts, but he is still thinking about ways to hurt people.
- Micah 7:6Sons think that their fathers are fools. And daughters refuse to obey their mothers. Wives quarrel with their husbands' mothers. A man's enemies are the people who live in his own house now.
- Luke 22:48Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, why do you want to kiss me, the Son of Man? You are helping my enemies to take hold of me!’
- 2 Samuel 14:6I had two sons. One day, they were fighting in the fields. There was nobody near to stop them. One son knocked down the other son and killed him.
- Job 11:15Do what I say. Then you will not be ashamed any more. Instead, you will be strong. You will not be afraid.
- Psalms 24:3Who may climb up the hill of the Lord? Who can stand in his holy place?
- Psalms 139:19God, you should surely destroy the wicked people! Yes, you murderers, leave me alone!
- Matthew 23:35Because of all this, God will punish you for all the good people that you and your ancestors have killed. Long ago, Abel was the first of those good people. You also killed Zechariah, the son of Berekiah. He died in the yard of the temple near the altar.
- Luke 11:51Abel was the first to die like this and Zechariah was the last. They even killed Zechariah in the yard of the temple, near the altar. Yes, God will punish the people who are alive today for all those murders.
- 1 John 3:12We should not be like Cain. He belonged to Satan and he even killed his brother, Abel. Why did he do that? Cain did bad things and he killed Abel because Abel did things that were right.
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
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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