God’s Word Translation
Genesis 4:14
14You have forced me off this land today. I have to hide from you and become a fugitive, a wanderer on the earth. Now anyone who finds me will kill me!”
Genesis 4:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."
- New King James Version (NKJV)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.”
Context of Genesis 4:14
12When you farm the ground, it will no longer yield its best for you. You will be a fugitive, a wanderer on the earth.” 13But Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can stand! You have forced me off this land today. I have to hide from you and become a fugitive, a wanderer on the earth. Now anyone who finds me will kill me!” 15So the Lord said to him, “Not so! Anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” The Lord gave Cain a sign so that anyone meeting him would not kill him. 16Then Cain left the Lord’s presence and lived in Nod [The Land of Wandering], east of Eden.
Read all of Genesis 4Genesis 4:14 word by word
הֵן֩ גֵּרַ֨שְׁתָּ אֹתִ֜י הַיּ֗וֹם מֵעַל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה וּמִפָּנֶ֖יךָ אֶסָּתֵ֑ר וְהָיִ֜יתִי נָ֤ע וָנָד֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וְהָיָ֥ה כָל־מֹצְאִ֖י יַֽהַרְגֵֽנִי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Behold, thou hast driven me outגָּרַשׁgârash · to drive out: drive outH1644
- this dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- from the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: surfaceH6440
- of the earthאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: soilH127
- and fromעַל‛al · uponH5921
- thy faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- shall I be hidסָתַרsâthar · to hideH5641
- and I shall be a fugitiveנוּעַnûa‛ · to shakeH5128
- and a vagabondנוּדnûd · to wanderH5110
- in the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- and it shall come to passהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- every one that findeth meמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- shall slay meהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
Cross-references for Genesis 4:14
- Job 15:20“The wicked person is tortured all his days. Only a few years are reserved for the ruthless person.
- Proverbs 14:32A wicked person is thrown down by his own wrongdoing, but even in his death a righteous person has a refuge.
- Proverbs 28:1A wicked person flees when no one is chasing him, but righteous people are as bold as lions.
- Isaiah 8:22They will look at the earth and see only distress and gloom. They will go in anguish and be forced into darkness.
- Hosea 13:3That is why they will be like fog in the morning and like morning dew that disappears quickly. They will be like straw blown away from threshing floors. They will be like smoke rising from chimneys.
- Genesis 4:16Then Cain left the Lord’s presence and lived in Nod [The Land of Wandering], east of Eden.
- Job 21:14But they say to God, ‘Leave us alone. We don’t want to know your ways.
- Psalms 51:11Do not force me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
- Psalms 143:7Answer me quickly, O Lord. My spirit is worn out. Do not hide your face from me, or I will be like those who go into the pit.
- Matthew 25:41“Then the king will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me! God has cursed you! Go into everlasting fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels!
- 2 Thessalonians 1:9They will pay the penalty by being destroyed forever, by being separated from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious power.
- Deuteronomy 28:65Among those nations you will find no peace, no place to call your own. There the Lord will give you an unsettled mind, failing eyesight, and despair.
- Psalms 109:10Let his children wander around and beg. Let them seek help far from their ruined homes.
- Genesis 4:12When you farm the ground, it will no longer yield its best for you. You will be a fugitive, a wanderer on the earth.”
- Genesis 4:15So the Lord said to him, “Not so! Anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” The Lord gave Cain a sign so that anyone meeting him would not kill him.
- Genesis 9:5In addition, I will demand your blood for your life. I will demand it from any animal or from any person. I will demand the life of any person ⌞who kills⌟ another person.
Commentaries on Genesis 4:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Behold, thou hast driven me out - In Genesis 4:11, Genesis 4:12, God states two parts of Cain's punishment: The ground was cursed, so that it was not to yield any adequate recompense for his most careful tillage. He was to be a fugitive and a vagabond having no place in which he could dwell with comfort or security. To these Cain himself adds others. His being hidden from the face of God; which appears to signify his being expelled from that particular…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. 13-14For Cain, being driven from the land (the place where he worked as a farmer; see 4:2; compare 3:23) meant being separated from God’s presence. God warned the Israelites to remain faithful to the Sinai covenant. If not, he would force them to leave the promised land. This would also mean separation from God's presence in the temple (see, for example, Leviticus 26:27–32).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1413-14. And Cain said ... My punishment is greater than I can bear--What an overwhelming sense of misery; but no sign of penitence, nor cry for pardon.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 4:14
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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