Genesis 4:13

Genesis 4:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
• New International Version (NIV)Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Cain said to the Lord, "My punishment is greater than I can bear.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear!

Context of Genesis 4:13

11So 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.” Then Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to endure! 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.” 15But the Lord said to him, “All right then, if anyone kills Cain, Cain will be avenged seven times as much.” Then the Lord put a special mark on Cain so that no one who found him would strike him down.

Genesis 4:13 word by word

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה גָּד֥וֹל עֲוֹנִ֖י מִנְּשֹֽׂא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Cainקַ֫יִןqayin · CainH7014
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• My punishmentעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: punishmentH5771
• greaterגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• than I can bearנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375

Cross-references for Genesis 4:13

• Job 15:22He does not expect to escape from darkness; he is marked for the sword;
• Revelation 16:9Thus people were scorched by the terrible heat, yet they blasphemed the name of God, who has ruling authority over these plagues, and they would not repent and give him glory.

Commentaries on Genesis 4:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13My punishment is greater than I can bear - The margin reads, Mine iniquity is greater than that it may be forgiven. The original words, מנשוא עוני גדול gadol avoni minneso, may be translated, Is my crime too great to be forgiven? words which we may presume he uttered on the verge of black despair. It is most probable that עון avon signifies rather the crime than the punishment; in this sense it is used Leviticus 26:41, Leviticus 26:43; 1 Samuel 28:10; 2…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 4:13

• Abel
• Cain
• Chiding
• Conviction
• Curse
• Despondency
• Homicide
• Judgments
• Murmuring
• Prayer
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Cain
• Abel
• 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