Genesis 4:11

Genesis 4:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;
• New International Version (NIV)Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

Context of Genesis 4:11

9Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” And he replied, “I don’t know! Am I my brother’s guardian?” 10But the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! So now, you are banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12When you try to cultivate the ground it will no longer yield its best for you. You will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.” 13Then Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to endure!

Genesis 4:11 word by word

וְעַתָּ֖ה אָר֣וּר אָ֑תָּה מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּצְתָ֣ה אֶת־פִּ֔יהָ לָקַ֛חַת אֶת־דְּמֵ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ מִיָּדֶֽךָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• thou cursedאָרַר'ârar · to curseH779
• from the earthאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: soilH127
• which hath openedפָּצָהpâtsâh · to openH6475
• her mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• to receiveלָקַחlâqach · to take: recieveH3947
• thy brother’sאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
• from thy handיָדyâd · handH3027

Cross-references for Genesis 4:11

• Genesis 4:14Look! You are driving me off the land today, and I must hide from your presence. I will be a homeless wanderer on the earth; whoever finds me will kill me.”
• Genesis 3:14The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all the wild beasts and all the living creatures of the field! On your belly you will crawl and dust you will eat all the days of your life.
• Deuteronomy 27:16‘Cursed is the one who disrespects his father and mother.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’
• Deuteronomy 28:15“But if you ignore the Lord your God and are not careful to keep all his commandments and statutes I am giving you today, then all these curses will come upon you in full force:
• Deuteronomy 29:19When such a person hears the words of this oath he secretly blesses himself and says, “I will have peace though I continue to walk with a stubborn spirit.” This will destroy the watered ground with the parched.
• Galatians 3:10For all who rely on doing the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the book of the law.”
• Job 16:18“O earth, do not cover my blood, nor let there be a secret place for my cry.
• Job 31:38“If my land cried out against me and all its furrows wept together,
• Isaiah 26:21For look, the Lord is coming out of the place where he lives, to punish the sin of those who live on the earth. The earth will display the blood shed on it; it will no longer cover up its slain.
• Revelation 12:16but the earth came to her rescue; the ground opened up and swallowed the river that the dragon had spewed from his mouth.

Commentaries on Genesis 4:11

• 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. 11-12Like his father (see 3:9–12, 17–19), God asked Cain questions before he judged him (4:9–10). Adam's sin had already caused the ground to be cursed. Now Cain was cursed and driven away from the land he had farmed because he had polluted it with innocent blood. a fugitive and a wanderer: God sentenced Cain to endless wandering in a land that offered neither food nor safety. The consequences of sin were becoming worse.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1211-12. now art thou cursed from the earth--a curse superadded to the general one denounced on the ground for Adam's sin.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 4:11

• Abel
• Cain
• Curse
• Escape
• Homicide
• Judgments
• Sin

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