Punishment of Cain. Genesis 4:9-16

May the mumbling commence!

Now we read about the punishment of Cain.  Read from Peterson’s The Message:

                        God said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”

                        He said, “How should I know?  Am I his babysitter?”

God said, “What have you done!  The voice of your brother’s blood is calling to me from the ground. From now on you’ll get nothing but curses from this ground; you’ll be driven from this ground that has opened its arms to receive the blood of your murdered brother.  You’ll farm this ground, but it will no longer give you its best.  You’ll be a homeless wanderer on Earth.”

Cain said to God, “My punishment is too much.  I can’t take it!  You’ve thrown me off the land and I can never again face you.  I’m a homeless wanderer on Earth and whoever finds me will kill me.”

God said to him, “No.  Anyone who kills Cain will pay for it seven times over.”  God put a mark on Cain to protect him so that no one who met him would kill him.

Cain left the presence of God and lived in No-Man’s-Land, east of Eden.  (Genesis 4:9-16)

Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:

Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?"

"I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?" 

The Lord said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.  Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.  When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth." 

Cain said to the Lord, "My punishment is more than I can bear.  Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." 

But the Lord said to him, "Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 

So Cain went out from the Lord's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. (Genesis 4:9-16)

There are several updated wordings for the NIV in Peterson that I believe are fine – like Cain first response to God, the voice of your brother’s blood is calling, and No-Man’s-Land.

The others I’m not so sure about.  The word murdered has some punch to it; however, it does not as strongly implicate Cain in the murder as the “from your hand” in the NIV translation.  I also believe there is a significant difference between restless and homeless. 

The word “restless” underscores that Cain will have to live with his action for the rest of his life.  It’s part of Cain’s punishment.  That’s one reason I believe that God put the mark on Cain to keep him from being killed.  The other important reason is that God did not approve of murder. Two wrongs do not make a right.  Ever.

I do NOT think the mark of Cain was solely for protection.  Peterson unduly emphasizes this point of protection, I believe.  Indeed, living in exile, away from God, and forever reliving the murder of his brother were quite unbearable punishments.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out