Reference: Abel
American
1. The second son of Adam and Eve. He became a shepherd, and offered to God a sacrifice from his flocks, at the same time that Cain his brother offered the fruits of the earth. God had respect to Abel's sacrifice, and not to Cain's; hence Cain in anger killed Abel, Ge 4. It was "by faith" that Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain; that is, his heart was right towards God, and he worshipped Him in trustful obedience to the divine directions. His offering, made by the shedding of blood, was that of a penitent sinner confiding in the atonement ordained of God; and it was accepted, "God testifying of his gifts," probably by fire from heaven; "by which he obtained witness that he was righteous," that is, justified, Heb 11:4. "The blood of Abel" called from the ground for vengeance, Ge 4:10; but the blood of Christ claims forgiveness and salvation for his people, Heb 12:24; 1Jo 1:7.
2. Abel is also a prefix in the names of several towns. In such cases it signifies a grassy place or meadow.
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And he said, What hast thou done? With a voice, the shed-blood of thy brother is crying out to me from the ground,
Only be very firm and bold, taking heed to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee, do not turn aside therefrom, to the right hand or to the left, - that thou mayest prosper, whithersoever thou goest.
By faith, a fuller sacrifice, did Abel, offer unto God, than Cain, - through which, he received witness that he was righteous, there being a witnessing upon his gifts, by God; and, through it, though he died, he yet is speaking.
And unto the mediator of a new covenant, Jesus, - and unto the blood of sprinkling, more excellently speaking, than, Abel.
Easton
(Heb. Hebhel), a breath, or vanity, the second son of Adam and Eve. He was put to death by his brother Cain (Ge 4:1-16). Guided by the instruction of their father, the two brothers were trained in the duty of worshipping God. "And in process of time" (marg. "at the end of days", i.e., on the Sabbath) each of them offered up to God of the first-fruits of his labours. Cain, as a husbandman, offered the fruits of the field; Abel, as a shepherd, of the firstlings of his flock. "The Lord had respect unto Abel and his offering; but unto Cain and his offering he had not respect" (Ge 4:3-5). On this account Cain was angry with his brother, and formed the design of putting him to death; a design which he at length found an opportunity of carrying into effect (Ge 4:8-9. Comp. 1Jo 3:12). There are several references to Abel in the New Testament. Our Saviour speaks of him as "righteous" (Mt 23:35). "The blood of sprinkling" is said to speak "better things than that of Abel" (Heb 12:24); i.e., the blood of Jesus is the reality of which the blood of the offering made by Abel was only the type. The comparison here is between the sacrifice offered by Christ and that offered by Abel, and not between the blood of Christ calling for mercy and the blood of the murdered Abel calling for vengeance, as has sometimes been supposed. It is also said (Heb 11:4) that "Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain." This sacrifice was made "by faith;" this faith rested in God, not only as the Creator and the God of providence, but especially in God as the great Redeemer, whose sacrifice was typified by the sacrifices which, no doubt by the divine institution, were offered from the days of Adam downward. On account of that "faith" which looked forward to the great atoning sacrifice, Abel's offering was accepted of God. Cain's offering had no such reference, and therefore was rejected. Abel was the first martyr, as he was the first of our race to die.
Abel (Heb. 'abhel), lamentation (1Sa 6:18), the name given to the great stone in Joshua's field whereon the ark was "set down." The Revised Version, however, following the Targum and the LXX., reads in the Hebrew text 'ebhen (= a stone), and accordingly translates "unto the great stone, whereon they set down the ark." This reading is to be preferred.
Abel (Heb. 'abhel), a grassy place, a meadow. This word enters into the composition of the following words: Abel-beth-maachah, Abel-cheramim, Abel-meholah, Abel-mizraim, Abel-shittim
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Now, the man, having come to know Eve his wife, - she conceived and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a Man, even Yahweh! And she went on to hear his brother, Abel, - and Abel became a feeder of sheep, whereas Cain, was a tiller of the round. read more. So it came to pass, after certain days, that Cain brought in of the fruit of the ground, a present to Yahweh:
So it came to pass, after certain days, that Cain brought in of the fruit of the ground, a present to Yahweh: Abel, also, even, he, brought in of the firstlings of his sheep, and of their fat, and Yahweh approved of Abel and of his present;
Abel, also, even, he, brought in of the firstlings of his sheep, and of their fat, and Yahweh approved of Abel and of his present; but of Cain and his present, he approved not, - and it angered Cain greatly, and his countenance fell.
but of Cain and his present, he approved not, - and it angered Cain greatly, and his countenance fell. So then Yahweh said unto Cain, - Wherefore hath it angered thee, and wherefore hath thy countenance fallen? read more. Shall it not, if thou do right, be lifted up? But if thou do not right, at the entrance a sin-bearer is lying, - Unto thee, moreover, shall be his longing, though, thou, rule over him. And Cain said unto Abel his brother Let us go into the field And it came to pass when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
And Cain said unto Abel his brother Let us go into the field And it came to pass when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. Then said Yahweh unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said know not, the keeper of my brother, am, I?
Then said Yahweh unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said know not, the keeper of my brother, am, I? And he said, What hast thou done? With a voice, the shed-blood of thy brother is crying out to me from the ground, read more. Now therefore, accursed, art thou, - from the ground which hath opened her mouth, to receive the shed-blood of thy brother at thy hand. Though thou till the ground, it shall not go on to give its vigour to thee. A wanderer and a fugitive, shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto Yahweh - Greater is my punishment than I can bear. Lo! thou has driven me out, this day, from off the face of the ground And from thy face, shall I be hid, So shall I become a wanderer and a fugitive in the earth. And it shall come to pass, whosoever findeth me, will slay me. And Yahweh said to him - Not so, whosoever slayeth Cain seven - fold, shall it be avenged. So Yahweh set, for Cain, a sign, that none finding him should smite him. So Cain went forth from the presence of Yahweh, - and dwelt in the land of Nod, eastward of Eden.
And the golden mice, by the number of all the cities of the Philistines, pertaining to the five lords, both fortified cities, and country villages, - yea, even the great meadow whereon they rested the ark of Yahweh, until this day, is in the field-land of Joshua, the man of Beth-shemesh.
That there may come upon you - all righteous blood poured out upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, unto the blood of Zachariah, son of Barachiah, whom ye murdered between the Temple and the altar.
By faith, a fuller sacrifice, did Abel, offer unto God, than Cain, - through which, he received witness that he was righteous, there being a witnessing upon his gifts, by God; and, through it, though he died, he yet is speaking.
And unto the mediator of a new covenant, Jesus, - and unto the blood of sprinkling, more excellently speaking, than, Abel.
Not just as, Cain, was, of the wicked one, and slew his brother! And, for what cause, slew he him? Because, his works, were, wicked, whereas, those of his brother, were, righteous.
Fausets
Hebrew Hebel. Second of Adam and Eve's sons, Genesis 4: Abel means "vanity" or "weakness", "vapor" or "transitoriness". Cain means "possession"; for Eve said at his birth, "I have gotten as a possession a man from Jehovah," or as the Hebrew (eth) may mean, "with the help of Jehovah"; she inferring the commencement of the fulfillment of the promise of the Redeemer (Ge 3:15) herein. On the contrary, Abel's weakness of body suggested his name: moreover prophetic inspiration guided her to choose one indicative of his untimely death. But God's way is here from the first shown, "My strength is made perfect in weakness" (2Co 12:9; Heb 11:34. The cause of Cain's hatred was "because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous" (1Jo 3:12). Envy of the godly was "the way of Cain" (Jg 1:11). "Faith" was present in Abel, absent from Cain (Heb 11:4); consequently the kind of sacrifice (the mode of showing faith) Abel offered was "much more a sacrifice" (Wycliffe; so the Greek) than Cain's. "By faith Abel offered unto God a much more sacrifice than Cain," i.e. one which had more of the true virtue of sacrifice; for it was an animal sacrifice of the firstlings of the flock, a token of the forfeiture of man's life by sin, and a type of the Redeemer to be bruised in heel that He might bruise the serpent's head.
God's having made for man coats of skin presupposes the slaying of animals; and doubtless implies that Abel's sacrifice of an animal life was an act of faith which rested on God's command (though not expressly recorded) that such were the sacrifices He required. If it had not been God's command, it would have been presumptuous will worship (Col 2:23), and taking of a life which man had no right over before the flood (Ge 9:2-4). Cain in self-righteous unbelief, refusing to confess his guilt and need of atonement (typified by sacrifice), presented a mere thank offering of the first fruits; not, like Abel, feeling his need of the propitiatory offering for sin. So "God had respect unto Abel (first) and (then) to his offering." "God testified of his gifts" by consuming them with fire from the shekinah or cherubic symbol E. of Eden ("the presence of the Lord": Ge 4:16; 3:24), where the first sacrifices were offered. Thus" he obtained witness that he was righteous," namely, with the righteousness which is by faith to the sincere penitent.
Christ calls him "righteous": Mt 23:35. Abel represents the regenerate, Cain the unregenerate natural man. Abel offered the best, Cain that most readily procured. The words "in process of time" (Ge 4:3 margin), "at the end of days," probably mark the definite time appointed for public worship already in paradise, the seventh day sabbath. The firstling and the fat point to the divine dignity and infinite fullness of the Spirit in the coming Messiah. "By faith he being dead yet speaketh" to us; his "blood crying from the ground to God" (Ge 4:10) shows how precious in God's sight is the death of His saints (Ps 116:15; Re 6:10). The shedding of Abel's blood is the first, as that of Jesus is the last and crowning guilt which brought the accumulated vengeance on the Jews (Lu 11:51; Mt 23:34-38). There is a further avenging of still more accentuated guilt, of innocent blood yet coming on "them that dwell on the earth". (Revelation 11). In Heb 12:24, it is written "Christ's blood of sprinkling speaketh better things than that of Abel," namely, than the blood of Abel's animal sacrifice. For Abel's is but the type, Christ's the antitype and one only true propitiatory sacrifice. To deny the propitiation would make Cain's offering to be as much a sacrifice as Abel's. Tradition makes the place of his murder and grave to be near Damascus. (See ABILA.)
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And enmity, will I put between thee, and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed, - He shall crush thy head, but, thou, shalt crush his heel.
And enmity, will I put between thee, and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed, - He shall crush thy head, but, thou, shalt crush his heel.
So he expelled the man, - and caused to dwell - in front of the garden of Eden - cherubim and a brandishing sword - flame, to keep the way to the tree of life.
So he expelled the man, - and caused to dwell - in front of the garden of Eden - cherubim and a brandishing sword - flame, to keep the way to the tree of life.
So it came to pass, after certain days, that Cain brought in of the fruit of the ground, a present to Yahweh:
So it came to pass, after certain days, that Cain brought in of the fruit of the ground, a present to Yahweh:
And he said, What hast thou done? With a voice, the shed-blood of thy brother is crying out to me from the ground,
And he said, What hast thou done? With a voice, the shed-blood of thy brother is crying out to me from the ground,
So Cain went forth from the presence of Yahweh, - and dwelt in the land of Nod, eastward of Eden.
So Cain went forth from the presence of Yahweh, - and dwelt in the land of Nod, eastward of Eden.
and let the fear of you and the dread of you be upon every living creature of the earth, and upon every bird of the heavens, - over everything that moveth along on the ground, and over all the fishes of the sea, - into your hand, have they been given.
and let the fear of you and the dread of you be upon every living creature of the earth, and upon every bird of the heavens, - over everything that moveth along on the ground, and over all the fishes of the sea, - into your hand, have they been given. As for every moving thing that hath life, yours, shall it be, for food, - Like the green herb, have I given you all things.
As for every moving thing that hath life, yours, shall it be, for food, - Like the green herb, have I given you all things. Yet flesh with the life thereof, the bleed thereof, shall ye not eat;
Yet flesh with the life thereof, the bleed thereof, shall ye not eat;
And he went from thence, against the inhabitants of Debir, - now, the name of Debir, formerly, was Kiriath-sepher.
And he went from thence, against the inhabitants of Debir, - now, the name of Debir, formerly, was Kiriath-sepher.
Costly in the eyes of Yahweh, is, death, for his men of lovingkindness.
Costly in the eyes of Yahweh, is, death, for his men of lovingkindness.
For this cause, lo! I, send unto you, prophets and wise men and scribes, - some from among them, ye will slay and crucify, And some from among them ye will - scourge in your synagogues, and pursue from city to city:
For this cause, lo! I, send unto you, prophets and wise men and scribes, - some from among them, ye will slay and crucify, And some from among them ye will - scourge in your synagogues, and pursue from city to city: That there may come upon you - all righteous blood poured out upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, unto the blood of Zachariah, son of Barachiah, whom ye murdered between the Temple and the altar.
That there may come upon you - all righteous blood poured out upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, unto the blood of Zachariah, son of Barachiah, whom ye murdered between the Temple and the altar.
That there may come upon you - all righteous blood poured out upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, unto the blood of Zachariah, son of Barachiah, whom ye murdered between the Temple and the altar.
That there may come upon you - all righteous blood poured out upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, unto the blood of Zachariah, son of Barachiah, whom ye murdered between the Temple and the altar. Verily, I say unto you - All these things, will have come, upon this generation.
Verily, I say unto you - All these things, will have come, upon this generation. Jerusalem! Jerusalem! that slayeth the prophets, and stoneth them that have been sent unto her, - how often, would I have gathered thy children, like as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, - and ye would not!
Jerusalem! Jerusalem! that slayeth the prophets, and stoneth them that have been sent unto her, - how often, would I have gathered thy children, like as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, - and ye would not! Lo! your house is left to you;
From the blood of Abel, unto the blood of Zachariah who was destroyed betwixt the altar and the house; Yea! I say unto you - It shall be sought out from this generation.
From the blood of Abel, unto the blood of Zachariah who was destroyed betwixt the altar and the house; Yea! I say unto you - It shall be sought out from this generation.
And at once he said unto me - Sufficient for thee, is my favour, for, my power, in weakness, is made complete. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may spread a tent over me.
And at once he said unto me - Sufficient for thee, is my favour, for, my power, in weakness, is made complete. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may spread a tent over me.
The which things, indeed, though they have, an appearance, of wisdom, in self-devised religious observance, and lowliness of mind, and ill-treatment of body, are, in no honourable way, unto a satisfying of the flesh.
The which things, indeed, though they have, an appearance, of wisdom, in self-devised religious observance, and lowliness of mind, and ill-treatment of body, are, in no honourable way, unto a satisfying of the flesh.
By faith, a fuller sacrifice, did Abel, offer unto God, than Cain, - through which, he received witness that he was righteous, there being a witnessing upon his gifts, by God; and, through it, though he died, he yet is speaking.
By faith, a fuller sacrifice, did Abel, offer unto God, than Cain, - through which, he received witness that he was righteous, there being a witnessing upon his gifts, by God; and, through it, though he died, he yet is speaking.
Quenched the power of fire, escaped the mouths of the sword, were made powerful from weakness, became mighty in battle, overturned, camps of aliens;
Quenched the power of fire, escaped the mouths of the sword, were made powerful from weakness, became mighty in battle, overturned, camps of aliens;
And unto the mediator of a new covenant, Jesus, - and unto the blood of sprinkling, more excellently speaking, than, Abel.
And unto the mediator of a new covenant, Jesus, - and unto the blood of sprinkling, more excellently speaking, than, Abel.
Not just as, Cain, was, of the wicked one, and slew his brother! And, for what cause, slew he him? Because, his works, were, wicked, whereas, those of his brother, were, righteous.
Not just as, Cain, was, of the wicked one, and slew his brother! And, for what cause, slew he him? Because, his works, were, wicked, whereas, those of his brother, were, righteous.
And they cried out with a loud voice, saying - How long, O Sovereign, the Holy and True, dost thou not vindicate and avenge our blood from them that dwell upon the earth?
And they cried out with a loud voice, saying - How long, O Sovereign, the Holy and True, dost thou not vindicate and avenge our blood from them that dwell upon the earth?
Hastings
Ge 4:2-10. The Heb. form Hebhel denotes 'vapour' or 'breath' (cf. Ec 1:1, English Version 'vanity'), which is suggestive as the name of a son of Adam ('man'). But it is perhaps to be connected with the Assyrian aplu, 'son.' Abel was a son of Adam and Eve, and brother of Cain. But the narrative presupposes a long period to have elapsed in human history since the primitive condition of the first pair. The difference between pastoral and agricultural life has come to be recognized for Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground (see Cain). The account, as we have it, is mutilated: in Ge 4:8 Heb. has 'and Cain said unto Abel his brother' (not as AV and RV). Septuagint supplies the words 'Let us pass through into the plain,' but this may be a mere gloss, and it cannot be known how much of the story is lost.
Nothing is said in Gn. of Abel's moral character, or of the reason why his offering excelled Cain's in the eyes of Jahweh; cereal offerings were as fully in accord with Hebrew law and custom as animal offerings. Heb 11:4 gives 'faith' as the reason. In Heb 12:24 the 'blood of sprinkling' 'speaketh something better than the blood of Abel,' in that the latter cried for vengeance (Ge 4:10).
In Mt 23:35; Lu 11:51 Abel is named as the first of the true martyrs whose blood had been shed during the period covered by the OT, the last being Zachariah (wh. see). In Joh 8:44 it is possible that Jesus was thinking of the story of Abel when He spoke of the devil as 'a murderer from the beginning,' i.e. the instigator of murder as he is of lies.
A. H. M'Neile.
ABEL.
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And she went on to hear his brother, Abel, - and Abel became a feeder of sheep, whereas Cain, was a tiller of the round. So it came to pass, after certain days, that Cain brought in of the fruit of the ground, a present to Yahweh: read more. Abel, also, even, he, brought in of the firstlings of his sheep, and of their fat, and Yahweh approved of Abel and of his present; but of Cain and his present, he approved not, - and it angered Cain greatly, and his countenance fell. So then Yahweh said unto Cain, - Wherefore hath it angered thee, and wherefore hath thy countenance fallen? Shall it not, if thou do right, be lifted up? But if thou do not right, at the entrance a sin-bearer is lying, - Unto thee, moreover, shall be his longing, though, thou, rule over him. And Cain said unto Abel his brother Let us go into the field And it came to pass when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
And Cain said unto Abel his brother Let us go into the field And it came to pass when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. Then said Yahweh unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said know not, the keeper of my brother, am, I? read more. And he said, What hast thou done? With a voice, the shed-blood of thy brother is crying out to me from the ground,
And he said, What hast thou done? With a voice, the shed-blood of thy brother is crying out to me from the ground,
And the golden mice, by the number of all the cities of the Philistines, pertaining to the five lords, both fortified cities, and country villages, - yea, even the great meadow whereon they rested the ark of Yahweh, until this day, is in the field-land of Joshua, the man of Beth-shemesh.
That there may come upon you - all righteous blood poured out upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, unto the blood of Zachariah, son of Barachiah, whom ye murdered between the Temple and the altar.
From the blood of Abel, unto the blood of Zachariah who was destroyed betwixt the altar and the house; Yea! I say unto you - It shall be sought out from this generation.
Ye, are, of your father - the adversary, and, the covetings of your father, ye choose to be doing. He, was, a murderer, from the beginning, and, in the truth, he stood not; because truth is not in him: Whensoever he speaketh falsehood, of his own, he speaketh; because, false, he is, and, the father of it.
By faith, a fuller sacrifice, did Abel, offer unto God, than Cain, - through which, he received witness that he was righteous, there being a witnessing upon his gifts, by God; and, through it, though he died, he yet is speaking.
And unto the mediator of a new covenant, Jesus, - and unto the blood of sprinkling, more excellently speaking, than, Abel.
Morish
Abel A'bel
The name signifying 'meadow,' given to several places, which are distinguished by the other names appended. The name 'Abel' stands alone in 1Sa 6:18; for which see 'ABEL, THE GREAT;' and in 2Sa 20:14,2Sa 20:18, for which see 'ABEL-BETH-MAACHAH.'
Abel A'bel
The second Son of Adam. The name, Hebel given him by his mother, signifying 'breath' or 'vanity,' possibly originated in her disappointment at Cain not proving to be the promised Redeemer. In process of time the great difference in the two brothers was manifested by Abel offering to God a slain animal, whilst Cain brought the fruit of own labour from the cursed ground, ignoring the facts that in the fall of Adam life had been forfeited and the ground cursed. Abel presented a sacrifice in the way of faith through a slain firstling of the flock. Heb 11:4. He thus obtained a witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: cf. Mt 23:35. Thus early were brought out in clear lines the two seeds: one born of God, and the other 'of that wicked one' 1Jo 3:12. Abel is a type of Christ, as Cain is that of the Jew. As the Jews broke the law against both God and their neighbour, so Cain disregarded God's judgement on man, and slew his brother. In Cain is also exemplified the religion of the natural man, who, disregarding his distance from God, thinks he can approach at any time and with any form of worship.
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And the golden mice, by the number of all the cities of the Philistines, pertaining to the five lords, both fortified cities, and country villages, - yea, even the great meadow whereon they rested the ark of Yahweh, until this day, is in the field-land of Joshua, the man of Beth-shemesh.
Then went up all the men of Israel from following David, to follow Sheba son of Bichri, - but, the men of Judah, clave unto their king, from the Jordan, even as far as Jerusalem.
And he passed on throughout all the tribes of Israel, unto Abel and unto Beth-maachah, and all the Berites, - and they were called together, and came in, yea and followed him.
That there may come upon you - all righteous blood poured out upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, unto the blood of Zachariah, son of Barachiah, whom ye murdered between the Temple and the altar.
By faith, a fuller sacrifice, did Abel, offer unto God, than Cain, - through which, he received witness that he was righteous, there being a witnessing upon his gifts, by God; and, through it, though he died, he yet is speaking.
Not just as, Cain, was, of the wicked one, and slew his brother! And, for what cause, slew he him? Because, his works, were, wicked, whereas, those of his brother, were, righteous.
Smith
A'bel
(i.e., breath, vapor, transitoriness, probably so called from the shortness of his life), the second son of Adam, murdered by his brother Cain,
he was a keeper or feeder of sheep. Our Lord spoke of Abel as the first martyr,
so did the early Church subsequently. The traditional site of his murder and his grave are pointed out near Damascus.
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Now, the man, having come to know Eve his wife, - she conceived and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a Man, even Yahweh! And she went on to hear his brother, Abel, - and Abel became a feeder of sheep, whereas Cain, was a tiller of the round. read more. So it came to pass, after certain days, that Cain brought in of the fruit of the ground, a present to Yahweh: Abel, also, even, he, brought in of the firstlings of his sheep, and of their fat, and Yahweh approved of Abel and of his present; but of Cain and his present, he approved not, - and it angered Cain greatly, and his countenance fell. So then Yahweh said unto Cain, - Wherefore hath it angered thee, and wherefore hath thy countenance fallen? Shall it not, if thou do right, be lifted up? But if thou do not right, at the entrance a sin-bearer is lying, - Unto thee, moreover, shall be his longing, though, thou, rule over him. And Cain said unto Abel his brother Let us go into the field And it came to pass when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. Then said Yahweh unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said know not, the keeper of my brother, am, I? And he said, What hast thou done? With a voice, the shed-blood of thy brother is crying out to me from the ground, Now therefore, accursed, art thou, - from the ground which hath opened her mouth, to receive the shed-blood of thy brother at thy hand. Though thou till the ground, it shall not go on to give its vigour to thee. A wanderer and a fugitive, shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto Yahweh - Greater is my punishment than I can bear. Lo! thou has driven me out, this day, from off the face of the ground And from thy face, shall I be hid, So shall I become a wanderer and a fugitive in the earth. And it shall come to pass, whosoever findeth me, will slay me. And Yahweh said to him - Not so, whosoever slayeth Cain seven - fold, shall it be avenged. So Yahweh set, for Cain, a sign, that none finding him should smite him. So Cain went forth from the presence of Yahweh, - and dwelt in the land of Nod, eastward of Eden.
That there may come upon you - all righteous blood poured out upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, unto the blood of Zachariah, son of Barachiah, whom ye murdered between the Temple and the altar.
Watsons
ABEL. He was the second son of Adam and Eve, and born probably in the second or third year of the world; though some will have it that he and Cain were twins. His name signifies vapour, vanity, and might be given either because our first parents now began so to feel the emptiness and vanity of all earthly things, that the birth of another son reminded them painfully of it, although in itself a matter of joy; or it was imposed under prophetic impulse, and obscurely referred to his premature death. His employment was that of a shepherd; Cain followed the occupation of his father, and was a tiller of the ground. Whether they remained in their father's family at the time when they brought their offerings to the Lord, or had establishments separate from that of Adam, does not clearly appear. Abel was probably unmarried, or had no children; but Cain's wife is mentioned. "At the end of the days,"