Genesis 4:9 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

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

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Where is your brother Abel?' And Cain replied, 'I don't know. Am I supposed to be responsible for my brother?'

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

God is confronting Cain about his brother Abel's whereabouts, and Cain responds defensively by denying responsibility for his brother's wellbeing.

📚 Historical Context

In the biblical narrative of Genesis, Cain and Abel were the first sons of Adam and Eve, with Cain being a farmer and Abel a shepherd. After God accepted Abel's offering but not Cain's, jealousy consumed Cain, leading him to murder his brother in a field. When God confronted Cain about Abel's whereabouts, Cain responded with deception, denying responsibility and questioning if he was his brother's keeper.

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2 Thessalonians 3:15

But don't treat him like he's your enemy, call him out like you would a brother.

Ezekiel 18:18

But his father? He was cruel to people, robbed his own family, and did terrible things to his community. So yeah, he's going to face the consequences of his own choices.

Philemon 1:18

If he's hurt you or owes you anything at all, just charge it to me instead.

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