The Story of Kayin v'Hevel The Story of Cain and Abel
Introduction of the Brothers, the Sacrifice

(א) וְהָ֣אָדָ֔ם יָדַ֖ע אֶת־חַוָּ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וַתַּ֙הַר֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד אֶת־קַ֔יִן וַתֹּ֕אמֶר קָנִ֥יתִי אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃ (ב) וַתֹּ֣סֶף לָלֶ֔דֶת אֶת־אָחִ֖יו אֶת־הָ֑בֶל וַֽיְהִי־הֶ֙בֶל֙ רֹ֣עֵה צֹ֔אן וְקַ֕יִן הָיָ֖ה עֹבֵ֥ד אֲדָמָֽה׃ (ג) וַֽיְהִ֖י מִקֵּ֣ץ יָמִ֑ים וַיָּבֵ֨א קַ֜יִן מִפְּרִ֧י הָֽאֲדָמָ֛ה מִנְחָ֖ה לַֽיהוָֽה׃ (ד) וְהֶ֨בֶל הֵבִ֥יא גַם־ה֛וּא מִבְּכֹר֥וֹת צֹאנ֖וֹ וּמֵֽחֶלְבֵהֶ֑ן וַיִּ֣שַׁע יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־הֶ֖בֶל וְאֶל־מִנְחָתֽוֹ׃ (ה) וְאֶל־קַ֥יִן וְאֶל־מִנְחָת֖וֹ לֹ֣א שָׁעָ֑ה וַיִּ֤חַר לְקַ֙יִן֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ פָּנָֽיו׃

(1) And the human had known Eve, his woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain and said, “I’ve created a man with God.” (2) And she went on to give birth to his brother, Abel. And Abel was a shepherd of flocks, and Cain was a worker of the ground. (3) And it was the end of some days, that Cain brought an offering to God from the fruit of the ground. (4) And Abel brought, as well, from the firstborn of his flock and their fat. And God paid attention to Abel and his offering, (5) and did not pay attention to Cain and his offering. And Cain was very upset, and his face was fallen (or "his face fell").

Sin at the Door, Missing Conversation, Fractricide

(ו) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־קָ֑יִן לָ֚מָּה חָ֣רָה לָ֔ךְ וְלָ֖מָּה נָפְל֥וּ פָנֶֽיךָ׃ (ז) הֲל֤וֹא אִם־תֵּיטִיב֙ שְׂאֵ֔ת וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תֵיטִ֔יב לַפֶּ֖תַח חַטָּ֣את רֹבֵ֑ץ וְאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָת֔וֹ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּמְשָׁל־בּֽוֹ׃ (ח) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יו וַֽיְהִי֙ בִּהְיוֹתָ֣ם בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיָּ֥קָם קַ֛יִן אֶל־הֶ֥בֶל אָחִ֖יו וַיַּהַרְגֵֽהוּ׃

(6) And God said to Cain, “Why are you upset and why has your face fallen?” (7) Is it not that if you do well you’ll be raised, and you don’t do well then sin crouches at your door? And its desire will be for you. And you’ll dominate it. (8) And Cain said to his brother Abel. And it was while they were in the field, and Cain rose against Abel his brother and killed him.

4:7 Sin Crouches at the Door: Your sin will crouch over your grave on the day of judgment. (Rashi)

4:7 Sin Crouches at the Door: Sin is an impulse of your heart that is always with you. (Ibn Ezra)

4:7 Sin Crouches at the Door: If you do not improve on your offering, then sin also awaits you, for such is the way of the evil inclination.

4:7 Sin crouches at the Door: At the door of your house your sin lurks causing you to stumble in all your endeavors (Ramban)

4:7 Sin Crouches at the Door: Sin sits outside your door, waiting to be invited inside, where it will make itself master of the house. (Midrash Rabbah)

4:8 And Kayin said to Abel: He entered with him into words of quarrel and contention, to find a pretext to kill him. There are aggadic interpretations on this matter, but this is the plain meaning of the verse.(Rashid)

4:8 And Kayin said to Abel: In my opinion, the phrase is joined to the following words, "And it was while they were in the field" for Kayin said to him "Let's go out to the field," and he killed him there secretly. (Ramban)

Am I My Brother's Keeper?

(ט) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־קַ֔יִן אֵ֖י הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי הֲשֹׁמֵ֥ר אָחִ֖י אָנֹֽכִי׃ (י) וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ ק֚וֹל דְּמֵ֣י אָחִ֔יךָ צֹעֲקִ֥ים אֵלַ֖י מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃

(9) And God said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I don’t know, am I my brother’s keeper (watchman)?" (10) And He (God)said, “What have you done? The sound? Your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.


4:9 Am I My Brother's Keeper?: Commentary #1 on the Special Commentary Page (Etz Hayim)

4:9 Am I My Brother's Keeper? Commentary #2 on the Special Commentary Page (Richard Elliot Friedman)

4:9 Am I My Brother's Keeper? Commentary #3 on the Special Commentary Page (W. Gunther Plaut)

The Consequence of Chosen Action

(יא) וְעַתָּ֖ה אָר֣וּר אָ֑תָּה מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּצְתָ֣ה אֶת־פִּ֔יהָ לָקַ֛חַת אֶת־דְּמֵ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ מִיָּדֶֽךָ׃ (יב) כִּ֤י תַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה לֹֽא־תֹסֵ֥ף תֵּת־כֹּחָ֖הּ לָ֑ךְ נָ֥ע וָנָ֖ד תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה בָאָֽרֶץ׃ (יג) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה גָּד֥וֹל עֲוֺנִ֖י מִנְּשֹֽׂא׃ (יד) הֵן֩ גֵּרַ֨שְׁתָּ אֹתִ֜י הַיּ֗וֹם מֵעַל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה וּמִפָּנֶ֖יךָ אֶסָּתֵ֑ר וְהָיִ֜יתִי נָ֤ע וָנָד֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וְהָיָ֥ה כָל־מֹצְאִ֖י יַֽהַרְגֵֽנִי׃ (טו) וַיֹּ֧אמֶר ל֣וֹ יְהוָ֗ה לָכֵן֙ כָּל־הֹרֵ֣ג קַ֔יִן שִׁבְעָתַ֖יִם יֻקָּ֑ם וַיָּ֨שֶׂם יְהוָ֤ה לְקַ֙יִן֙ א֔וֹת לְבִלְתִּ֥י הַכּוֹת־אֹת֖וֹ כָּל־מֹצְאֽוֹ׃ (טז) וַיֵּ֥צֵא קַ֖יִן מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־נ֖וֹד קִדְמַת־עֵֽדֶן׃

(11) And now you’re cursed from the ground that opened its mouth to take your brother’s blood from your hand. (12) When you work the ground, it won’t continue to give its potency to you. You’ll be a roamer and rover in the earth”. (13) And Cain said to God, “My crime is greater than I can bear. (14) Here, you’ve expelled me from the face of the ground today, and I’ll be hidden from your presence, and I’ll be a rover and roamer in the earth, and anyone who finds me will kill me.” (15) And God said to Cain, “Therefore: anyone who kills Cain, he’ll be avenged sevenfold.” And God set a sign for Cain so that anyone who finds him will not strike him. (16) And Cain went out from YHVH’s presence and lived in the land of roving, East of Eden.