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Having spoken about the expulsion of Adam from the Garden of Eden, about the Cherubim and about the edge of the sword that fenced paradise, Moses turns to the story of the birth of Cain and Abel, about their sacrifices and says: “And Adam knew Eve... and she gave birth to Cain and said: the acquisitions of man” (Gen. 4: 1), - not to Adam, who knew her, but to the Lord, who formed the fruit in her womb. “And give birth to... Abel. And Abel became a shepherd of the sheep: but Cain did not work the earth” (Gen. 4:2), - that is, when they came of age, one became a shepherd (shepherd), and the other a farmer. “And it came to pass... that Cain offered an offering to God of the fruits of the ground, and Abel offered... of his firstborn sheep and of their fat” (Gen. 4:3-4). Abel sacrificed by choice, but Cain sacrificed without choice. Abel chose and brought the firstborn and the fat, but Cain brought either the grain (ears of grain), or together with the grain, the fruits that were available at that time. Although his sacrifice was poorer than his brother’s, if he had not offered it carelessly, then his sacrifice would have been acceptable, just like his brother’s. But since when they sacrificed together: one - sheep from their flocks, and the other - the fruits of the earth, then Cain already at the very beginning of the sacrifice showed his negligence, and God did not want to accept sacrifices from him in order to teach him how to offer it. Cain had oxen and bulls, he had no shortage of animals and birds to sacrifice, but he did not offer them on the day when the firstfruits of the earth should have been brought. And was he really lacking in classes to sacrifice good classes, or in fruits of trees in order to choose the best from them? But he did not do this, although it was convenient (perhaps), he did not take care of the good classes or the fruits of the best. There was no love in the soul of the sacrificer for the One who accepted the offering. And since he offered the sacrifice carelessly, God rejected it, so that Cain would not think that God did not know his neglect, or that the gifts were more pleasing to Him than those who offered them. God rejected Cain’s sacrifice both for what he had done and for what he was ready to do, because Cain was disobedient to his parents, cruel to his brother, and irreverent before God. So, Abel’s sacrifice was accepted due to the zeal of Abel, and Cain’s was rejected due to Cain’s negligence. “Cain was saddened” not because his sacrifice was rejected, because with his chosen sacrifice he could appease the Angry One with a careless sacrifice. “And his face fell away” (Gen. 4:5), but again not because he was rejected, for he could offer a prayer to God. But whether his chosen sacrifice would have been acceptable or not, even if he had brought it, he had already shown what he wanted. Whether or not God would have been appeased by his prayers, Cain has already shown what he sought. If, instead of the careless sacrifice rejected by God, he did not bring the chosen sacrifice, if he did not make amends with prayers for the neglect with which he offered the sacrifice to God, then it is obvious that his acceptance of his brother’s sacrifice saddened him. The fire that came down from heaven, by which one victim was distinguished from another, was saddened. “His face disappeared” because his rejected sacrifice instilled in him the fear of being ridiculed by his parents and sisters, who saw that his sacrifice had been touched by fire, but it remained unoffered. “And the Lord God said to Cain: Were you grieved by everything? and why did your face disappear? (Gen.4:6). Instead of being filled with anger, you should have been filled with contrition, and instead of your face being saddened, you should have shed tears from your eyes. “If you did good, didn’t you bring it?” - look, Cain’s sacrifice was not rejected because it was small, but because it was not accepted, because it was brought with carelessness and reverence, - “If you did good, didn’t you bring it?” - although you would not have brought anything, along with your brother’s chosen sacrifice, a sacrifice from you would have been accepted, although, apparently, it would not have been acceptable. “And if you do not do good, then sin lies at the door.” “And Abel will turn to you, listen to you, and go with you into the field.” “You are the master of sin” (Gen. 4:7–8), that is, it is in your power to do it. But Cain, although God promised, if he does good, to accept his sacrifice as acceptable, to whom he first offered the sacrifice of negligence, he also sacrifices murder to him. “And Cain said to his brother Abel, Let us go into the field” (Gen. 4:8). He says, “let’s go to the field,” either because they lived on a mountain within the boundaries of paradise, and Cain takes him from there to the plain, or because Abel grazed his flock on the mountain, and from there Cain brings him to the plain, where, due to the multitude of classes and the softness of the earth, it was more convenient for him to commit murder and hide the murdered man in the ground. For the Scripture says: “And it came to pass, while they were in the field, that Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him” (Gen. 4:8). Cain, having killed his brother, falsely assured his parents that Abel was introduced into paradise because he pleased God, and said that the pleasingness of Abel’s sacrifice testifies to his introduction into paradise, for the observance of the commandment brought him into paradise, just as the crime expelled her from paradise. When Cain thought that he had deceived his parents, and there was no one to avenge Abel, then God appears to Cain and says: “Where is your brother Abel?” (Gen.4:9). God appears to him without anger, so that if he repents, the prayer uttered through his lips will atone for the sin of murder committed by his hand; and if he did not repent, then he would be given the grave punishment that the crime deserved. But Cain, instead of repentance, is filled with indignation and the Omniscient One, who asked him about his brother in order to attract Cain to Himself, answers with anger and says: “We know not: food am my brother’s guardian” (Gen. 4:9). God continues: “What have you done?” (Gen. 4:10). If you do not know where Abel is, because you are not his guardian, then tell him who asks you about what you have done, what you have done, so as not to ask Him others about you. Tell me, “What have you done?” . If the One who questioned you did not know what you had done, he would not have asked you about what you did. When Cain did not want to say even this, that is, what he had done, then God’s knowledge is revealed, and God, distinguishing the crime, says: “The voice of the blood of your brother cries to Me from the earth” (Gen. 4:10). What do you say, Cain? Will Justice take revenge or not take revenge for the blood crying out to Him? Wasn't It delayed so that you would repent? Was it not for this reason that It hid His knowledge and questioned you as if you were ignorant, so that you would confess your crime? Since it is not pleasing for you to do good, as Justice inspired you, and you rushed to sin, from which it warned you in advance, “you are cursed on the earth,” because you caused grief to Adam and Eve, the forefathers of the whole earth, “you are cursed on the earth” (Gen. 4:11), because you opened the doors of Sheol (hell) to the whole earth. “When you make the earth, he will not give it to you,” because you alone wanted to eat its products, “you will be groaning and shaking on the earth” (Gen. 4:12), because you walked on it with pride and arrogance. Since this curse was immediately fulfilled in action, he who had previously said with pride: “I am not my brother’s keeper,” after pronouncing the curse, the one deposed from the height of his pride immediately began to groan and shake. He says: “My greatest guilt is gone from me” (Gen. 4:13). But this confession is not accepted, because Cain did not bring it when asked, but brought it unwillingly, saying when it had already been determined for him: “You will be groaning and shaking.” And Cain, as if not wanting to appease Justice with his prayers, instead of begging God’s forbearance, again (with a challenge) either out of fear, or with insidious intent, says: “Behold, you are driving me out from the face of the earth,” - he cursed me from the face of the earth; and I “will hide from Your face” - that is, I cannot stand before You, having shown myself impudent before Your face, saying: “I am not my brother’s keeper.” “And I will be groaning and trembling on the earth: and it shall come to pass that whoever finds me will kill me” (Gen. 4:14). Do you wish death for yourself, Cain, or are you afraid of death? But if you die, how will God’s decree be fulfilled on you? And if life is dear to you even in such calamities, then was it not much more desirable to Abel, who was far from your calamities? Some say that Cain begged here for deliverance from death, while others claim that he begged for the acceleration of death, which is why God told him: “It will not happen to you as it did to the murderers after you.” Murderers after Cain will be put to death as soon as they are discovered, but “whoever kills Cain will be avenged seven times” (Gen. 4:15). Since he asked himself to die so that people would not laugh at his humiliation, then in the continuation of seven generations they will see his humiliation, and then he will die. But we cannot accept what some say, that seven generations of his descendants perished with Cain. If we assume that the descendants of Cain were destroyed by the flood, then the flood destroyed only one seventh generation. And if one generation perished with Cain, then why do they say that seven generations perished with Cain? Moreover, those who claim this cannot prove that the flood occurred during the seventh generation of Cain. For the Scripture says that from Cain was born Enoch, from Enoch was born Irad (Gaidad), from Irad was born Mechiael (Maleleil), from Mechiael was born Methuselah, from Methuselah was born Lamech, from Lamech was born Jobel, and “he was the father of those who dwell in booths and feeders of cattle” (Gen. 4:20). Of course, these livestock feeders living in the booths did not keep virginity in their booths, especially when Scripture says, “For all flesh has caused its way upon the earth” (Gen. 6:12). And if nine generations passed from Cain to the sons of those who lived in the booths and were cattle feeders, and the flood had not yet occurred, then how can one agree with those who claim that seven generations perished with Cain - when, according to what we have said, it turns out that nine generations have passed, and the flood has not yet begun? Therefore, it is true that the shame of the Cains lasted until the seventh generation, while Cain begged that death would deliver him from that shame on the very first day. And that Cain lived until the seventh generation is, firstly, evident from the fact that this was the determination of God’s judgment, and, secondly, the same is confirmed by the years of human life in primitive generations. If Cain’s father, Adam, lived until the ninth generation, that is, until the sons of Lamech, and died in the fifty-sixth year of Lamech’s life, then it was not surprising for Cain to live until the seventh generation. Although Cain asked to be spared his shame, not only was he not delivered as he wished, but beyond his expectations, in addition to the punishment previously determined for him, a sign was added to it. For it is said: “The Lord God put a sign on Cain, so that everyone who finds him will not kill him” (Gen. 4:15). By those who found Cain we must understand the descendants of Seth, who were motivated to take revenge on him for the blood of their uncle, Abel, and who shunned Cain because of his shame and groaning, and did not enter into marital alliances with his tribe - however, since there was a sign on Cain, they did not dare to kill him. When Cain suffered punishment, and in addition to the punishment a sign was added (the reason for which is told to us, but we will keep silent about what it consisted of as something unnecessary), then Scripture says about Cain: “Cain went out from the presence of God and dwelt in the land of Noah, right down to Eden” (Gen. 4:16). Cain moved away from his parents and brothers, because he saw that they did not enter into marital alliances with him. The earth was called Nud (Naid or Nod), because it also shook and groaned. It is likely that, according to the word of God, she fell under another curse: “whenever you make earth, he will not give it to you” (Gen. 4:12). After this, “Cain knew his wife, and conceived Enoch. And he built a city, and a city named in the name of his son Enoch” (Gen. 4:17). He did this so that the city would not be called Nud, that is, “the city of shaking.” “And Enoch was born Irad (Haidad): and Irad begat Mechiael a (Maleleel): and Mechiael begat Methuselah: and Methuselah begat Lamech. And Lamech took two wives... and begat Adah Jovil (Jabal): this was the father of those who dwell in the booths and feeders of cattle. And his brother’s name was Jubal: this was the father of all those who played the harp and organ. Sella... gave birth to Tubalkain (Fovel): this one was a Mlatobian, a forger of copper and iron, and Tubalkain’s sister Noema. Lamech spoke to his wives... hear my voice... for he killed a man to plague me and a young man to stab me to death. For I took vengeance from Cain in a week, and from Lamech in seventy weeks” (Gen. 4:18–24). Some, explaining the words of Lamech to his wives, say that the wives were from the tribe of Seth and advised Lamech to become pious. But he says to them: “What do you see in me that is vile and similar to what my father Cain did? Did I kill my husband as a plague to me, like Cain, or, just as Cain killed the young man Abel by strangling him in the face, so did I kill the young man to stab him to death for me? If I acted like Cain, then Cain was punished for a week, but I determine for myself that they punish me seventy times a week.” Others, believing that vengeance on Cain should extend to the seventh generation, and based on the words: “all flesh made their way” (Gen. 6:12), say that Lamech was wicked. And since his wives saw that the succession of their generation was ending, because those born to them were not male, but female, according to what was said: “When men began to be many on the earth, and daughters were born to them” (Gen. 6:1), - the same belittlement in the multiplication of the race led them to fear, giving them the idea that the decree of judgment spoken to Cain and his seven generations was befalling them - then Lamech encourages the wives with his cunning answer and says: “For he killed a man to plague me, and a young man to kill me” (Gen. 4:23). If God extended Cain’s punishment until seven generations perished with him, then for me, who killed two, he will extend it even more, so that seventy generations taken seven times must perish with me; we will die and, having tasted the cup of death, we will be delivered from the punishment that for me will extend to seven times the seventieth generation. Others say that Lamech, being cunning and treacherous, seeing that his family was diminishing, and the descendants of Seth did not agree to enter into alliances with them because of the shame lying on their ancestor, Cain, so that the lands would not remain uncultivated due to the lack of farmers, and so that their family would not disappear altogether, Lamech became jealous of the welfare of his tribe and killed Cain and one of his sons, who was most like on the father, so that the son’s resemblance to his father would not impose a shameful stain on their entire tribe. So, having killed Cain and thus, as it were, destroyed the barrier that separated the generations of Cain and Seth and prevented them from entering into family ties with each other, Lamech, as if in secret, said to his wives: “The husband and the young man have been killed, decorate your daughters for the sons of Seth, for the murders I have committed, the beauty and decoration of your daughters will make it so that even those who in the past six years will agree to enter into marriage alliances with us.” the clans did not want to have such alliances with us.” And the wives of Lamech adorn their daughters for the sons of Seth. Jovil pleases them at feasts with animal meats. Jubal captivates them with the sweet sounds of his harps. The sons of Seth rush towards them, forget the wonderful covenant bequeathed to them by their father, and leave their dwellings, which were higher than the dwellings of Cain’s tribe. With such cunning, Lamech brought both families into confusion, reasoning: if God has mercy on the Seth family, which has entered into unity with us, and saves it from destruction, then He will show mercy to us, and through this we will get rid of the punishment for murder for the sake of those who are innocent of murder and who have entered into marriage alliances with us. You might be interested in: