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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Genesis 4:13-16

GENESIS—NOTE ON Genesis 4:13 Cain will be alienated from both the ground and God. He will become a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. He fears that others will have such a dread of him that anyone who sees him will kill him. The precise nature of the mark on Cain is not known, except that it must have been something visible.

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See also Genesis 4:13-16 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Genesis 4:13. _MY PUNISHMENT IS GREATER THAN I CAN BEAR._] The margin reads, _Mine iniquity_ is _greater than_ that it may _be forgiven_. The original words, גדול עוני מנשוא _gadol avoni minnes...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - 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, g...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 4 After the Fall and the Two Seeds _ 1. Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1)_ 2. Their offerings (Genesis 4:3) 3. The divine remonstrance (Genesis 4:6) 4. Abel slain by his brother ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    The Story of Cain and Abel. This belongs to the J cycle of stories, but apparently not to the same stratum as Genesis 4:3, for it is assumed that the earth has a population from which Cain fears venge...

  • B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary

    MY PUNISHMENT IS GREATER THAN. CAN BEAR. The meaning is plain if this is. correct translation. Many have held that the word translated punishment should be rendered "iniquity," as in the margin of the...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    PUNISHMENT. iniquity. Hebrew. _'aven._ See App-44. For "my punishment", &c, read "Is mine iniquity too great to be forgiven? "with Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, Arabic, Targum of Onkelos, Samaritan Pen...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _And Cain said_ The bitter cry of Cain is not that of repentance for his sin, but of entreaty for the mitigation of his doom. _My punishment_ Better than marg. _mine iniquity_. The Hebrew word is used...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PART SEVENTEEN THE BEGINNING OF TRUE RELIGION (Genesis 4:1-15) 1. _Preliminary Definitions_ It is doubtful that there is a more ambiguous word in our language today than the word religion. It has li...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND CAIN SAID UNTO THE LORD, MY PUNISHMENT IS GREATER THAN I CAN BEAR._ My punishment is greater than I can bear. The original words have been variously interpreted. х_ `ªWON_ (H5771) signifies, pri...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    4:13 borne. (i-13) Or 'Mine iniquity (Heb. _ gahvon_ ) is too great to be forgiven.' See Note Lamentations 4:6 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    CAIN AND ABEL. THE DESCENDANTS OF CAIN The narrative, which forms part of the Primitive document, impressively shows how sin, having once appeared, became hereditary in the human race, and speedily de...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Cain was not sorry. He thought about himself. He did not think about Abel, whom he had killed. But God still protected Cain because he might be truly sorry later....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 4 CAIN KILLS ABEL V1 Adam had sex with his wife Eve and she became *pregnant. Her son Cain was born. She said, ‘I have gained a man by the *Lord’...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    MY PUNISHMENT (OR _MY INIQUITY_) IS GREATER THAN I CAN BEAR. — Literally, _than can be borne,_ or _“_forgiven.” It is in accordance with the manner of the Hebrew language to have only one word for an...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל ־יְהוָ֑ה גָּדֹ֥ול עֲוֹ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CAIN'S LINE, AND ENOCH Genesis 4:12 "MY punishment is greater than I can bear," so felt Cain as soon as his passion had spent itself and the consequences of his wickedness became apparent-and so feel...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CAIN AND ABEL Genesis 4:1 IT is not the purpose of this narrator to write the history of the world. It is not his purpose to write even the history of mankind. His object is to write the history of r...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    CAIN'S CAREER Genesis 4:9 God's first question to the soul is, “Adam, where art thou?” The next, “Where is thy brother?” We _are_ our brother's keepers. All related to us, within our reach, or needin...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The degeneration of the first man and woman was transmitted, the firstborn being manifestly an inheritor of the fallen nature of his parents. His mother named him Cain, intimating a hope that the seed...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    HE YET SPEAKS! Abel is dead, but he still speaks (Hebrews 11:4). His blood calls for vengeance, thus speaking (Hebrews 12:24; Genesis 4:10). However, it seems he speaks more clearly through his exampl...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And Cain said unto the LORD, (m) My punishment [is] greater than I can bear. (m) He burdens God as a cruel judge because he punished him so severely....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _My iniquity, &c. Like Judas, Cain despairs. The Rabbins make him complain of the rigour of God's judgment, "My sin (or punishment) is too great to be borne." I must then be driven from the land of my...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. Revelation 14:11; Reve...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    There is one characteristic of divine revelation to which attention may be profitably called as a starting point. We have to do with facts. The Bible alone is a revelation of facts, and, we can add (n...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    13._My punishment is greater, etc_. Nearly all commentators agree that this is the language of desperation; because Cain, confounded by the judgment of God, had no remaining hope of pardon. And this,...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    But grace could work. The grace of a God above the evil of man, and Abel approaches Him by faith. Hereon follows the separation of the families of God and of the enemy, of the world and of faith. Abel...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND CAIN SAID UNTO THE LORD,.... In the anguish of his spirit and the distress of his mind: MY PUNISHMENT IS GREATER THAN I CAN BEAR; thus complaining of the mercy of God, as if he acted a cruel part...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment [is] greater than I can bear. Ver. 13. _My punishment is greater than I can bear._] Or, mine iniquity is greater than can be forgiven. In either sense he si...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Cain said, My punishment_ (Hebrews _my sin_) _is greater than I can bear_ Sin, however, seems to be put for punishment, as it is Genesis 4:7, and in many other places. For Cain was not so sensible of...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The birth, trade, and religion of Cain and Abel. 8 The murder of Abel. 9 The curse of Cain. 17 Enoch the first citie. 19 Lamech and his two wiues. 25 The birth of Seth, 26 and Enos. 1 AND Ada...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Instead of turning to the Lord in true repentance, Cain gives himself up to utter despair, declaring that the guilt of his sin is...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    GOD'S JUDGMENT UPON CAIN...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    SECOND SECTION _Cain and Abel. The Cainites. The ungodly Worldliness of the First Civilization._ GENESIS 4:1-26 1And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived, and bare Cain [the gotten, or possessi...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    CAIN AND ABEL Adam and Eve, having acquired a sinful nature, could only communicate the same nature to their children. Their firstborn was named Cain, which means "smith" or "fabricator," one who plan...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    MY PUNISHMENT IS GREATER, THEN I CAN BEAR: Or, my iniquity is greater then that it may be forgiven...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Hebrew, _My sin; _ but _sin_ seems here to be put for punishment, as before, Genesis 4:7 Genesis 19:15 Leviticus 5:1 Psalms 69:27...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    & Genesis 5:1-32 As each section of the Book of Genesis opens before us, we are furnished with fresh evidence of the fact that we are travelling over, what a recent writer has well termed, "the seed-...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 4:13 Cain H7014 said H559 (H8799) LORD H3068 punishment H5771 greater H1419 bear H5375 (H8800)...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And Cain said to Yahweh, “My punishment is beyond bearing.” ' Cain can only think of the consequences for himself of his sin. There is no repentance, only regret over what he has lost. How can he co...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE STORY OF CAIN AND ABEL (GENESIS 4:1 TO GENESIS 5:1 A). Genesis 4:1. The Sin of Cain TABLET III It is quite clear that this section once existed separately from Genesis 2-3. The immediate and last...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 4:8 Sin finds in the very constitution of the human mind the enginery of its own retribution. I. The very consciousness of sin is destructive of a sinner's peace. II. Sin tends to develop s...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 4 I. From the story of Cain we gather the following thoughts: I. Eve's disappointment at the birth of Cain should be a warning to all mothers. Over-estimate of children may be traced somet...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: First sons of Adam, Cain and Abel. Murder of Abel. First civilization. Birth of Seth. CHARACTERS: Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, Seth. CONCLUSION: Attainment can never take the place of Atonement....

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 4:1. _I have gotten._ קניתי _kaniti,_ from the root _kana,_ he possessed. The LXX have betrayed their ignorance of the Eternal Word, or Wisdom, by frequently rendering this word _created._ God...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _My punishment is greater than I can hear_ CAIN’S DESPAIR 1. Behold, Thou hast cast me out this day from (_or_ from upon) the face of the ground. Thou hast driven me! He sees it to be Jehovah’s own...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground_ THE STORY OF CAIN AND ABEL I. RELIGION ACTUATED MEN IN THE VERY EARLIEST TIMES. II. THE MERE NATURAL RELIGION IS ESSENTIALLY DEFECT...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Genesis 4:9_ THE BITTER CURSE WHICH SIN BRINGS UPON AN INDIVIDUAL LIFE We have been thoroughly educated in the nature and effects of sin by the sacred narrative, n...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 4:1 Exiled from Eden, o'er, canopied by grace, animated by hope, assured of the Divine forgiveness, and filled with a sweet peace, the first pair enter on their life experience of...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Lets turn to Genesis Chapter four. Adam and Eve have been expelled from the Garden of Eden because of their disobedience to God. And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Job 15:22 Revelation 16:9 Revelation 16:11 Revelation 16:21...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    SEEING CHRIST IN CAIN AND ABEL Genesis 4:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS 1. Cain and Abel came by natural generation. The only human beings God ever created were Adam and Eve. They were created with the power...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    CAIN AND ABEL Genesis 4:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS It falls to our lot to connect the links between our last study and today's. 1. WE HAVE ADAM NAMING HIS WIFE, "EVE." Here is the Scripture: "And Adam ca...

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    Why wasn’t Cain given capital punishment for the murder he committed? PROBLEM: In the OT, murderers were given capital punishment for their crime (Genesis 9:6; Exodus 21:12). Yet Cain was not only set...

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