The Skeptics Annotated Bible (10 page)

23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

4
And Adam knew Eve
his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

(4.1)
“And Adam knew Eve.”
This is the first sexual intercourse mentioned in the Bible.

2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And
the LORD had respect unto Abel
and to his offering:

(4.4)
“The Lord had respect unto Abel.”
God liked Abel’s dead animals better than Cain’s fruits and vegetables. Why? Well, no reason is given, but it probably had something to do with the amount of pain, blood, and gore involved.
20 Does God desire animal sacrifices?
21 Does God respect anyone?

5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

7 If 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.

8 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.

(4.8)
“Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.”
Because God liked Abel’s animal sacrifice more than Cain’s vegetables, Cain killed his brother Abel in a fit of religious jealousy.

9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?

10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.

11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;

12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength;
a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

(4.12)
“A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.”
As a punishment for killing Abel, God says Cain will be “a fugitive and a vagabond.” Yet in just a few verses (4.16-17) Cain will settle down, marry, have a son, and build a city. This is not the activity one would expect from a fugitive and a vagabond.
22 What became of Cain?

13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and
from thy face shall I be hid
; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that
every one that findeth me shall slay me.

(4.14a)
“From thy face shall I be hid.”
18 Does God know and see everything?

(4.14b)
“Every one that findeth me shall slay me.”
Cain is worried after killing Abel and says, “Every one who finds me shall slay me.” This is a strange concern since there were only two other humans alive at the time—his parents!