KJV ORIGINAL
And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
And now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened up to receive your brother's blood that you spilled.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God is telling Cain that he is now cursed because the earth itself has witnessed his murder of Abel and received his brother's blood.
📚 Historical Context
This is part of God's judgment on Cain after he murdered his brother Abel out of jealousy over God's acceptance of Abel's sacrifice. In ancient Hebrew culture, blood spilled on the ground was considered to cry out for justice, and the earth itself was seen as a witness to violence. This curse would make Cain a wanderer, unable to successfully farm the very ground that had absorbed his brother's blood.
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