Why Did Cain Kill Abel in the Bible? - Genesis 4

Why did Cain Kill Abel? – Quick Answer

The text of Genesis 4 seems to imply Cain killed Abel because he was still angry and resentful that Abel’s sacrifice had been accepted by God while his own had been rejected.

Introduction to Cain and Abel’s Story

In Genesis 4, Adam and Eve’s two sons, Cain and Abel, were offering sacrifices to the Lord. Cain, who was a farmer, brought some of his crops to sacrifice. Abel, who was a shepherd, brought the firstborn of his flock for the offering. When the sacrifices were offered, God expressed His approval of Abel’s sacrifice, but rejected Cain’s offering.

Gen 4:3  In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 

Gen 4:4  and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 

Gen 4:5  but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 

The reason God accepted Abel’s sacrifice but not Cain’s is not the topic of this article, but you can read our previous article for the answer… Why Didn’t God Accept Cain’s Sacrifice?

Cain’s Resentment

God was displeased with Cain for his offering, and He told him so. The Lord told Cain that if he would do what was right, he would be accepted like his brother… but Cain didn’t listen.

Gen 4:8  Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

One day, when Cain and Abel were in the field talking, Cain “rose up against his brother Abel and killed him” (4:8). We don’t know the murder weapon, but the motive seems clear. Rather than repenting of his wrongdoing and accepting God’s correction, Cain chose to harbor resentment towards his brother in his heart. When this resentment boiled over, he lashed out in anger, becoming the first murderer in human history.

Other variables may have led to Cain killing his brother, but this is all we can say based on the limited information in the text.

What happened to Cain?

After killing Abel, Cain didn’t immediately show much remorse. When God asked him about the whereabouts of his brother, he pretended he didn’t know, saying, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper.”

Of course, God knew what Cain had done. God cursed Cain for his sin, telling him the ground would make it hard for him to grow crops, and he would be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth (Genesis 4:12). “Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden” (Genesis 4:16).