Genesis 4

Cain and Abel

 " 1Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I
have gotten a man with the help of the LORD." 2And again, she bore his brother Abel.
Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3In the course of
time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4and Abel also
brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard
for Abel and his offering, 5but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was
very angry, and his face fell. 6The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has
your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well,
sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."
"  8Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up
against his brother Abel and killed him. 9Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel
your brother?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brotherʼs keeper?" 10And the LORD
said, "What have you done? The voice of your brotherʼs blood is crying to me from the
ground. 11And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to
receive your brotherʼs blood from your hand. 12When you work the ground, it shall no
longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth."
" 13Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14Behold,
you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I
shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."
" 15Then the LORD said to him, "Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be
taken on him sevenfold." And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him
should attack him. 16Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled
in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

1. Is the “mark” a positive or a negative thing for Cain? Why?

2. Why would Cain kill Abel? What was his motivation for killing him?

3. Does the LORD seem mad at Cain, or helpful to Cain? Why?

What is the overarching idea here? What is the main message?
Qur'an, Surat Al-Ma'ida
27. Recite to them the truth of the story of the two sons of Adam. Behold! they each
presented a sacrifice (to Allah): It was accepted from one, but not from the other. Said
the latter (Abel): "Be sure I will slay thee." "Surely," said the former (Cain), "(Allah) doth
accept of the sacrifice of those who are righteous.
28. "If thou dost stretch thy hand against me, to slay me, it is not for me to stretch my
hand against thee to slay thee: for I do fear Allah, the cherisher of the worlds.
29. "For me, I intend to let thee draw on thyself my sin as well as thine, for thou wilt be
among the companions of the fire, and that is the reward of those who do wrong."
30. The (selfish) soul of the other led him to the murder of his brother: he murdered him,
and became (himself) one of the lost ones.
31. Then Allah sent a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hide the
shame of his brother. "Woe is me!" said he; "Was I not even able to be as this raven,
and to hide the shame of my brother?" then he became full of regrets.
32. On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone killed a person
not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land - it would be as if he
slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of
the whole people. Then although there came to them Our apostles with clear signs, yet,
even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.

1. What is the reasoning Cain gives to Abel on why Allah does not accept his sacrifice?

2. Does Cain say he will fight Abel? What is his reasoning?

3. What is the final message of this passage? What is the moral?