I really can't pin down what Cain felt he was accomplishing by killing Abel. God had rejected his sacrifice and Cain was angered. Killing Abel would not change that rejection into acceptance. In fact it would obviously increase the rejection since he was warned before he killed Cain to change his attitude. If indeed Adam and Eve were more pleased with Abel as well, killing him wasn't going to change their opinion. As in God's case it would make it worse. So the only reason I can imagine is that he considered Cain a reminder of his inadequacy and decided to get rid of that constant reminder.

I also have difficulty understanding why Cain didn't fear how God might punish him. He was aware of the cherubim guarding the way to the tree of life and of Adam and Eves banishment from Eden. So he knew God would definitely react. Yet he plowed right ahead!

Opinions are appreciated.

ZK85

sure thing... you might want to take a read at "The Lost Books of the Bible and the Forgotten Books of Eden". also both Jews and Arabs seem to agree on this... here is a few links that i hope will help

http://www.scripturessay.com/q36.html

http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=173&o=43869

hmmmm....I think Cain thought that God wouldnt find out it was him that did it... thats why he said "am I my brothers keeper?" to God when he asked him where his brother was.

Starman

That would require Cain to underestimate God's power.
What basis did Cain have to assume God was unable to detect his crime?
Or could it have simply been he knee-jerk reaction to being asked? I guess we'll never really know. But it's interesting to hear the different viewpoints. Thanx for the feedback.


Thanx for the source and the links.
I once had similar links stored at my website but lost them when I dismantled it.

Morganite

For what it is worth, you can read Forgotten Books of Eden online. You will find it highly speculative.


http://books.google.com/books?id=cG5...BQq0h1RG7SfJ9s


M

ZK85

Remember that Cain never saw God... he heard him but never saw him... he knows that God is powerful but how powerful is he may not have been known to him... and come to think of it what basis did he have to think that God would find out? Surely this was the first crime of this sort and no one was around...

I am sure Cain would have minded his manners when he said "am I my brothers keeper?" I mean who would snap at God when he is sure that he is talking to him? So more likely it was a sort of "gee God I don’t know where he is...my brother could be any where *whistle while pretending to be innocent* " kinda thing…

Well that’s just my opinion on the matter…

Starman

Thanx for the links.
Yes, I know that the info is highly speculative. But I suspect that in some way something of what occurred back there was passed on from generation to generation. I guess one way to stay on the safe side is to put it through the scriptural sieve in order to evaluate it. For example, if Satan is portrayed a mankind's benefactor then I would reject it. Or if another woman is said to have been given Adam prior to Eve-Lilieth, I think they call her. That too I would personally set aside since it goes completely contrary to what Genesis tells us.

BTW
We have to be careful because there is demon-inspired propaganda out there which blames God for all the evil and makes the Devil out to be a nice guy.

You make some good points which I had also considered but which now I view as very probable. Thanks for the feedback!

speakez66

the answer is subject to interpretation of the characters. if you believe cain and able are actual men, or representation of men or groups of men, or cultures in the area at the time. cain was a tiller of the soil, while able was a shepard. this is at a time where an agricultural revolution was under way. the end of pre-history, and the beginning of modern man.
cain's system of agriculture is evident today. producing more and more food results in producing more and more humans. those humans must expand their area. not in an evil way to them, but as your family grows you need a bigger house. this culture of cain has absorbed other cultures of differing traditions.. how can you compete with a system that uses all rescorces in an area for the purpose of limitless population growth.

cain was killing able even into this century. how did the white man conquer the west. by driving off another culture. cowboys killed the indians.... cain still is killing able.

Choux

It is a Jewish myth about the negative power of anger. Anger leads to violent thoughts, leads to violence, leads to murder.


Christianity is about forgiveness and love....therefore a peaceful mind.

BABRAM

According to what is recorded in the Torah, orally preserved for thousands of years and faithfully written via scribes, "Cain" is understood to be first mentioned to have committed murder. He sought G-d's favor and blessing by disobedience. Personally, I don't think he understand the consequence. Cain did, however, not only murdered in his shortsightedness, but coveted. His sinful actions are violations in two of the commandments contained on the Decalogue.


Bobby

BABRAM

Yes, there are many literal things that as Jews, we accept. There are also Jewish stories (aggadot) presented in the Talmud that are legends, jokes, and ethical tales. However for Jews it's our history of understanding of that which is literal and what is aggadot. Now the fact is that there are many literal things that Atheists and Agnostics accept. It's your blatant opinionated myth accusations concerning my Faith that is tiring. And for you to say I turned on you is ignorant, besides hypocritical. Yes, you have an opinion. Now my opinion is that one hundred years from now after most us of have been long forgotten, G-d's Torah will continued to be studied, revered, and revealing.



Bobby