“1 The man had intercourse with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. ‘I have acquired a man with the help of Yahweh,’ she said. 2 She gave birth to a second child, Abel, the brother of Cain. Now Abel became a shepherd and kept flocks, while Cain tilled the soil” (Gen.4:1-2).
The name Cain (‘qayin’) means to have or possess the words which Eve spoke. His brother Abel (‘havel’) oddly enough means empty or vanity. These two brothers were meant to be a set, never one without the other. Cain has substance.
The possessor whilst Abel is empty. Also note that while Eve conceives them both the occasion is only marked once during these two passages. The bible leaves it vague but in rabbinic literature Cain and Abel were in fact at least twins or perhaps possibly triplets with the third being a girl which will bear more prominence in the later passages when compared.36
In normal Hebraic accounting of multiple births the conception then birth of each child is mentioned such as in the text of Genesis 29:32.33 (‘And Leah conceived and bore a son... She conceived again and bore a son...’). But notice how it is worded in the text of Genesis 4:1.2 (‘She conceived and bore Cain... and again, she bore his brother Abel’). There is only one conception but two births.
36 Becoming Every Brother’s Keeper, My Jewish learning, accessed june 3, 2021, https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/becoming-every-brothers-keeper/
41 The Hebrew word for ‘again’ is ‘asaph’ meaning to add something. In this case the birthing of Abel was added to the birthing of Cain which makes the twin story more believable.
“3 Time passed and Cain brought some of the produce of the soil as an offering for Yahweh, 4 while Abel for his part brought the first-born of his flock and some of their fat as well. Yahweh looked with favour on Abel and his offering. 5 But he did not look with favour on Cain and his offering, and Cain was very angry and downcast” (Gen.4:3-5).
Though one may assume it was because Abel took the very best of his livestock and Cain did so unwillingly but the text doesn’t definitely answer as to why Yahweh favours one over the other. More astonishing is the fact that God who should act with impartiality decided to be pleased with sacrifice over produce. This may foreshadow the cultural inclination towards the pastoral and the importance of animal sacrifice in within the tradition such as the offering of lamb and other livestock and much later within the continuum of the role of the Lamb of God. For one Cain and Abel my even be the representation of the conflict between the Israelites who were traditionally herdsmen and the fertility cults who showered the neighboring agricultural adherents with abundance and so this friction is represented very early within the mythic timeline.
Although the Bible is rather scant the Midrash has further to say.
“And Cain spoke to Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field…” (Gen.4:8).
What were they arguing about? They said, ‘come let’s divide up the world, one will take the land and one will take the moveable property. This one said, the ground you are standing on is mine. The other one said: what you are wearing is
42 mine. This one said: take it off! The other one said: fly! Because of this “…Cain rose against his brother Abel and killed him.” R’ Yehoshua of Sakhnin said in the name of R’ Levi: they both took the land and the moveable property. What were they arguing about? One said: the Holy Temple will be built in my boundary. The other said: the Holy Temple will be built in my boundary. As it says “…when they were in the field…” and the field only refers to the Holy Temple. This is what it says “…Zion shall be plowed as a field…” (Micah 3:12) Because of this
“…Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.” 37
In this version both are equally at fault for being greedy and this led to their violence and the first fratricide The Jewish version levels the plane by saying Cain is not the only one to blame, another midrash based assumption is very fascinating.
Yehudah bar Ami said: they were arguing about the first Eve. R’ Ibo said:
the first Eve returned to the dust. Then what were they arguing about? R’ Huna said: an extra twin sister was born with Abel. This one said: I will take her because I am the first born. The other one said: I will take her because she was born with me. Because of this “…Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.”
By Jewish perspective Cain and Abel aside from the reason of the offering spat and or greed. They both viewed for the attention of one of Adam and Eves daughters. One may also reasonably assume that although his rage was excessive.
It was nonetheless justified as the elder brother of Abel. He does posses the ‘Pi Shnayim’ the inheritance of double the younger, and as women in antiquity sadly fall under possessions. Cain has the stronger case, only after mosaic law did sibling relationships became taboo, do also note sibling marriage for royalty was common in ancient times as a way to preserve a royal lineage of pureblood descendants and it is not hard to assume Adam and Eve being the very first of creations and closest to God some sources even mentioning they were of the
37 Becoming Every Brother’s Keeper, My Jewish learning, accessed june 3, 2021, https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/becoming-every-brothers-keeper/
43 purest first creations of YHWH and possessed his spirit, to be also equated with ancient Jewish royalty.
“6 Yahweh asked Cain, ‘Why are you angry and downcast? 7 If you are doing right, surely you ought to hold your head high! But if you are not doing right, Sin is crouching at the door hungry to get you. You can still master him’” (Gen.4:6-7).
Here we have a heart to heart where YHWH warns Cain about sin. This is where YHWH is the shining example of His compassion and regarding the nature of offerings. Although ritualistic offerings were common even during the time of Abraham and even before his time. To this day it is still characteristic of the Semitic peoples religion and many other religions the world over. Why oblations are pleasing to God and how the very first peoples even the writers of genesis place it canonically at almost the very first form of ritual appeasement to a higher power in the mythic timeline, a belief held by the writers of genesis that even the first people offered sacrifices to gods.
This practice is the subject of intense cultural debate as to their origins. One theory is just as a landlord is due a share of the produce of the land the workers labor so too is God seen as the first creator and owner. He rightly has full claim over his creations and his blessings cause abundance to spring forth and while he does not require nourishment in food and drink from our oblations. It still pleases him when one acknowledges his sovereignty. Customs set aside as to what should be offered. The Semitic people typically offered first fruits, the premices of corn, wheat, barely, lentils but also the first milk and butter and both raw fruit and
44 cooked into cakes38. Hebrews and Phoenicians added oil and salt before placing them on the altar. Nonetheless as stated throughout the Bible and in these passages. Oblations are no substitute for obedience, and YHWH warns Cain of his evil musings as to what he plans more so than what has been offered.
“8 Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let us go out’; and while they were in the open country, Cain set on his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Yahweh asked Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ ‘I do not know,’ he replied. ‘Am I my brother’s guardian?’ 10 ‘What have you done?’ Yahweh asked. ‘Listen!
Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground. 11 Now be cursed and banned from the ground that has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood at your hands. 12 When you till the ground it will no longer yield up its strength to you. A restless wanderer you will be on earth.’ 13 Cain then said to Yahweh, ‘My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Look, today you drive me from the surface of the earth. I must hide from you, and be a restless wanderer on earth. Why, whoever comes across me will kill me!’ 15 ‘Very well, then,’ Yahweh replied, ‘whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance’. So Yahweh put a mark on Cain, so that no one coming across him would kill him. 16 Cain left Yahweh’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden” (Gen.4:8-16).
Thought the previous comparisons had similarities distinct enough the tale of Cain and Abel as we know it may for its themes and eventual murder compared to its parallel is a tragedy compared to its counterpart where it ends very happily.
Here we have a cast of deities. Just as the Midrash points out Cain and Abel were both fighting for a woman, in this tale we have the goddess Ishtar or Inana who is asked by the god Utu her brother to choose a suitor for her to wed. The parallel from Tamuz and Enkimdu’s text is following.
I am a woman and I won’t do that, I won’t! I am a star ... and I won’t! I won’t be the wife of a shepherd! Her brother, the warrior youth Utu, said to holy Inana: (12-19) ’My sister, let the shepherd marry you! Maiden Inana, why are you unwilling? His butter is good, his milk is good – all the work of the shepherd’s hands is splendid. Inana, let Dumuzid marry you. You who
38 R. de Vaux OP, The Early History of Israel, 284.
45 wear jewellery, who wear cuba jewels, why are you unwilling? He will eat his good butter with you. Protector of the king, why are you unwilling?’
(20-34) ‘The shepherd shall not marry me! He shall not make me carry his garments of new wool. His brand new wool will not influence me. Let the farmer marry me, the maiden. With the farmer who grows colourful flax, with the farmer who grows dappled grain ...’ ‘The shepherd shall not marry me!’ 39
Viewing for her hand is the shepherd god Dumuzid and the farmer god Enkimdu and just as how Genesis plays out they both quarrel, Cain and Abel regarding which offering is most pleasing or a woman, in this case they are attempting to surpass one another as to which of their profession is the greater of the two and thus win Inana’s hand in marriage.
In what is the farmer superior to me, the farmer to me, the farmer to me?
Enkimdu, the man of the dykes and canals – in what is that farmer superior to me? Let him give me his black garment, and I will give the farmer my black ewe for it. Let him give me his white garment, and I will give the farmer my white ewe for it. Let him pour me his best beer, and I will pour the farmer my yellow milk for it. Let him pour me his fine beer, and I will pour the farmer my soured milk for it. Let him pour me his brewed beer, and I will pour the farmer my whipped milk for it. Let him pour me his beer shandy, and I will pour the farmer my ... milk for it.
‘Let him give me his best filtered beer, and I will give the farmer my curds.
Let him give me his best bread, and I will give the farmer my ... milk for it.
Let him give me his little beans, and I will give the farmer my small cheeses for them. (1 ms. adds 2 lines: Let him give me his large beans, and I will give the farmer my big cheeses for them.) After letting him eat and letting him drink, I will even leave extra butter for him, and I will leave extra milk for him. In what is the farmer superior to me?’
(65-73) He was cheerful. He was cheerful, at the edge of the riverbank. He was cheerful. On the riverbank, the shepherd on the riverbank, now the shepherd was even pasturing the sheep on the riverbank. The farmer approached the shepherd there, the shepherd pasturing the sheep on the riverbank; the farmer Enkimdu approached him there. Dumuzid ... the farmer, the king of dyke and canal. From the plain where he was, the
39 James B. Pritchard, Ancient Near Eastern Texts, 41.
46 shepherd from the plain where he was provoked a quarrel with him. The shepherd Dumuzid from the plain where he was provoked a quarrel with him.
However this is where it sharply contrasts with Genesis, it does not end in murder over conflict but the exact opposite occurs they both become friends and although Dumuzid the Shepard god is the victor, Enkimdu the farmer god attends the wedding as nothing less than a friend.
Why should I compete against you, shepherd, I against you, shepherd, I against you? Let your sheep eat the grass of the riverbank, let your sheep graze on my stubble. Let them eat grain in the jewelled fields of Unug, let your kids and lambs drink water from my Surungal canal.
(80-83) ‘As for me who am a shepherd: when I am married, farmer, you are going to be counted as my friend. Farmer Enkimdu, you are going to be counted as my friend, farmer, as my friend’.
(84-87) ‘I will bring you wheat, and I will bring you beans. I will bring you two-row barley from the threshing-floor. And you, maiden, I will bring you whatever you please, maiden Inana, ... barley or ... beans’.
(88-89) The dispute between the shepherd and the farmer: maiden Inana, your praise is sweet.
However some similarities yet remain. Initially Inana prefers the farmer, but Utu persuades her towards the shepherd saying as what gifts a farmer may grant her a shepherd can just as much match if not exceed those benefits. Inana finally deciding on the shepherd having her mind persuaded harkens to the concept of the Hebrews as herdsman being favored over the society of agricultural farmers motif, just as Abel is more pleasing then Cain.
47 2.4 The Comparion of the Geneology
Next we have the descendants of Adam. As according to the Church Fathers sin took root and we see both Cain and Abels descendants, Cain’s descendants were of far greater renown but more wicked. Seth were much tamer. We see this in Cain building a city. His sons create improvements to mankind but we also see Lamech creating polygamy, a murderer who does not repent. Only the sons of Seth survive the great flood. The genealogy has tensions between these two factions. Cain has a city, but Enoch is devoutly religious, as a replacement of the herder Abel. Seths descendants lead to king David and then to the Great Shepherd Jesus.
“17 Cain had intercourse with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. He became the founder of a city and gave the city the name of his son Enoch. 18 Enoch fathered Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael; Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 Lamech married two women: the name of the first was Adah and the name of the second was Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal: he was the ancestor of tent-dwelling herdsmen. 21 His brother's name was Jubal: he was the ancestor of all who play the harp and the pipe. 22 As for Zillah, she gave birth to Tubal-Cain: he was the ancestor of all who work copper and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah. 23 Lamech said to his wives: Adah and Zillah, hear my voice, wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I killed a man for wounding me, a boy for striking me. 24 Sevenfold vengeance for Cain, but seventy-sevenfold for Lamech. 25 Adam had intercourse with his wife, and she gave birth to a son whom she named Seth, ‘because God has granted me other offspring', she said, 'in place of Abel, since Cain has killed him.’ 26 A son was also born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. This man was the first to invoke the name Yahweh” (Gen.4:17-26).
“1 This is the roll of Adam's descendants: On the day that God created Adam he made him in the likeness of God. 2 Male and female he created them. He blessed them and gave them the name Man, when they were created. 3 When Adam was a hundred and thirty years old he fathered a son, in his likeness, after his image, and he called him Seth. 4 Adam lived for eight hundred years after the birth of Seth and he fathered sons and daughters. 5 In all, Adam lived for nine hundred and thirty years; then he died. 6 When Seth
48 was a hundred and five years old he fathered Enosh. 7 After the birth of Enosh, Seth lived for eight hundred and seven years, and he fathered sons and daughters. 8 In all, Seth lived for nine hundred and twelve years; then he died. 9 When Enosh was ninety years old he fathered Kenan. 10 After the birth of Kenan, Enosh lived for eight hundred and fifteen years and he fathered sons and daughters. 11 In all, Enosh lived for nine hundred and five years; then he died. 12 When Kenan was seventy years old he fathered Mahalalel. 13 After the birth of Mahalalel, Kenan lived for eight hundred and forty years and he fathered sons and daughters. 14 In all, Kenan lived for nine hundred and ten years; then he died. 15 When Mahalalel was sixty-five years old he fathered Jared. 16 After the birth of Jared, Mahalalel lived for eight hundred and thirty years and he fathered sons and daughters. 17 In all, Mahalalel lived for eight hundred and ninety-five years; then he died. 18 When Jared was a hundred and sixty-two years old he fathered Enoch. 19 After the birth of Enoch, Jared lived for eight hundred years and he fathered sons and daughters. 20 In all, Jared lived for nine hundred and sixty-two years; then he died. 21 When Ecosh was sixty-five years old he fathered Methuselah. 22 Enoch walked with God. After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch lived for three hundred years and he fathered sons and daughters. 23 In all, Enoch lived for three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 Enoch walked with God, then was no more, because God took him.” (Gen.5:1-24).
A most cryptic passage in the bible both Hebrew and ours, additional books such as the book of Enoch 1,2 and 3 were later spawned from this quote alone.
While very fanciful it was nonetheless popular with early Christians cited in the letter of Jude 14, Enoch is non canon it expands on these meager passages to make a story of its own regarding angels and visions. He is portrayed as a prophet of God to tell the Nephilim that they will be destroyed and the book features his visions and prophecies. It contains such elements as the coming of messiah.
40Enoch is a genre of apocalyptic literature that was famous during the second temple period predating even before the book of Daniel another apocalyptic text.
The terms ‘the son of man and the messiah can be found first in Enoch although albeit in a different form. The text of Enoch 71:14 you (Enoch) are that Son of Man who was ‘born for righteousness’ and so it is he himself. There is even a
40 Michael Segal, “An Unidentified Biblical Reference in 1 Enoch,” Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Vol.72, No.3, 2010, 466.