Revised Literal Translation
Genesis 4:8
8And 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.
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
6And Yhwh said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 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. 9And Yhwh said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? 10And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto 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
- 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 3:27And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
- 2 Samuel 13:26Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?
- 2 Samuel 20:9And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.
- Nehemiah 6:2That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
- Psalms 36:3The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
- Psalms 55:21The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
- Proverbs 26:24He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
- Micah 7:6For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
- Luke 22:48But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?
- 2 Samuel 14:6And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and slew him.
- Job 11:15For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:
- Psalms 24:3Who shall ascend into the hill of Yhwh? or who shall stand in his holy place?
- Psalms 139:19Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
- Matthew 23:35That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
- Luke 11:51From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zachariah, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.
- 1 John 3:12Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s 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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries