The narrative of the curse of Cain is in the text of Genesis 4:11-16. The curse was as a result of Cain treacherously murdering his brother Abel, then lying about the murder to God. When Cain spilled his brother's blood, the earth became cursed as soon as the blood hit the ground. In a sense, the earth was left "drinking Abel's blood". Genesis 4:12 gives a two part sentencing for Cain's curse. The first concerns the earth that was cursed by Abel's blood. Should Cain attempt to farm the land, the earth would not yield produce for him. This may imply why he went on to build cities, namely the City of Enoch. The second part of the curse marks Cain as a fugitive (Hebrew: נוּעַ ) and wanderer (Hebrew: נוּד ). The combination of these Hebrew words (וע נוד ), "fugitive" and "wanderer" is unique in the Hebrew Bible. Modern interpretation of the Hebrew verse 12 suggest that Cain went on to live a nomadic lifestyle as well as being excluded from the family unit. In the Septuagint, the emphasis of Cain's curse is dramatically increased by the combination of the Greek participles (στένων καὶ τρέμων) "groaning and shaking upon the earth". Syriac Christianity interprets the Greek version as Cain experiencing a real physical affliction that when witnessed by others, they would know who he is. Philo interprets the Greek verse 12 as an allegory for Cain's fear of being soulless. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Targums translate to "an exile and unstable".
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Famous quotes containing the words curse of, curse and/or cain:
“As Labor is the common burthen of our race, so the effort of some to shift their share of the burthen on to the shoulders of others, is the great, durable, curse of the race.”
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
“The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin’.
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin’.”
—Bob Dylan [Robert Allen Zimmerman] (b. 1941)
“I’ll kill you with my own hands rather than let you put the mark of Cain on my brother!”
—Abraham Polonsky (b. 1910)