New Living Translation
Genesis 4:8
8One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.
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
6“Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? 7You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him. 9Afterward the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?” “I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?” 10But the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground!
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 arrived back at Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gateway as if to speak with him privately. But then he stabbed Abner in the stomach and killed him in revenge for killing his brother Asahel.
- 2 Samuel 13:26“Well, then,” Absalom said, “if you can’t come, how about sending my brother Amnon with us?” “Why Amnon?” the king asked.
- 2 Samuel 20:9“How are you, my cousin?” Joab said and took him by the beard with his right hand as though to kiss him.
- Nehemiah 6:2So Sanballat and Geshem sent a message asking me to meet them at one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But I realized they were plotting to harm me,
- Psalms 36:3Everything they say is crooked and deceitful. They refuse to act wisely or do good.
- Psalms 55:21His words are as smooth as butter, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers!
- Proverbs 26:24People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you.
- Micah 7:6For the son despises his father. The daughter defies her mother. The daughter-in-law defies her mother-in-law. Your enemies are right in your own household!
- Luke 22:48But Jesus said, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”
- 2 Samuel 14:6My two sons had a fight out in the field. And since no one was there to stop it, one of them was killed.
- Job 11:15Then your face will brighten with innocence. You will be strong and free of fear.
- Psalms 24:3Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?
- Psalms 139:19O God, if only you would destroy the wicked! Get out of my life, you murderers!
- Matthew 23:35As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar.
- Luke 11:51from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, it will certainly be charged against this generation.
- 1 John 3:12We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous.
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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