The man who committed the first murder in the world could not get lost in history. The name of the main sinner is engraved in the Bible and will forever remain in the hearing. True, the reason for the murder still remains a mystery. Cain was held responsible for the licentiousness and intemperance of the human race. It is impossible to imagine how much the man disappointed his own family.

The history of Cain

The first mention of the eldest son is found in the fourth chapter of the Book of Genesis, where the secret of the birth of the first people on Earth is revealed. It also briefly tells the story of the first murder and the exile of Eve's firstborn.

In the fifth chapter of the Book of Genesis, the name of the fratricidal sinner no longer appears. This attitude towards the characters of Scripture causes a lot of controversy among theologians. Word of God scholars claim that a portion of the Bible is missing that deals with the life of a sinner after the exile. There is no reliable evidence for the theory put forward.

In Judaism, Christianity and Islam, there are post-biblical traditions dedicated to the illustrious brothers, but they are all based on the Old Testament and subjectively reveal the topic of why Cain killed. Despite the significance of the figure of the fratricide for several religions, the Bible contains almost no information about the first earthly sinner.

Biography

Cain is the first man born on Earth. The eldest son of Eve (according to followers of Kabbalah and Gnosticism, the son of the angel Samael and Eve) chose agriculture as his life’s work. Cain's younger brother, Abel, took a different path and became interested in raising sheep. Both men revered God and regularly made offerings to the Almighty.

At the next sacrifice, God rejected Cain's sacrifice, but Abel's was accepted. The unequal attitude of the Almighty towards the children of Adam hurt Cain. In a fit of emotion, the first person on Earth kills his younger brother:

“And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.”

Ancient scriptures claim that Cain did not know how to commit murder. The young man remembered the act of sacrificing a sheep, which Abel performed, and also cut his brother’s throat. According to another version, during a quarrel between the brothers, crows flew into the field. One of the birds killed the other with a stone. Cain exactly repeated the behavior of the raven.

As punishment, God banished Cain to the land of Nod, a territory located east of Eden. Finally, the Lord placed a seal on Cain’s forehead, which depicted the first letter of the name of the Most High. Marked with a mark, Cain wandered the earth and met a woman who would later become the wife of a sinner. The name of Cain's beloved is unknown. Soon the man had a son. Cain, Enoch's father, founded a city in honor of his firstborn:

“And he built a city; and he named the city after the name of his son, Enoch.”

Theologians adhere to three options for the death of Cain. The first - a man died under the rubble of his own house. The second theory is that the first murderer on Earth died during the Great Flood.

A third theory states that Cain died at the hands of his own descendant. Blind Lamech (grandson in the seventh generation) went hunting with his son. The young man pointed his father’s hand towards the horns visible from behind the tree. Lamech shot an arrow and hit Cain in the head (God gave the man not only a seal, but also horns). Realizing his mistake, Lamech killed his own son.

Cain in religion

The story of the first murder on Earth is exploited in many religions, but has different interpretations. In Christianity and Islam, the cause of Abel's death is considered to be Cain's envy. Unlike his younger brother, the man made sacrifices formally. Cain did not experience a true sense of faith and righteousness, so the Lord preferred Abel's offerings.

The Jews believe that Abel deserved death for killing an animal. The herdsman who sacrificed a sheep acted no less disgustingly than Cain. In later versions, the interpretation of Abel’s death is considered more broadly - Cain was not only a fratricide, but also a deceiver. The murder was preceded by a fight in which Abel won. Humiliated Cain asked for help, and when he received it, he killed a relative. Another theory was put forward by Rabbi E. Essas:

“They were two brothers. And this meant that the world did not belong entirely to any of them. And Cain committed murder."

In addition to the classic options, there are more extravagant versions. It is theorized that the legend of Cain and Abel demonstrates the conflict between the agricultural and pastoral rhythms of life.

Radical-minded representatives of religious movements believe that Eve was the cause of the murder. The only representative of the opposite sex was not only a mother, but also a lover of men. Therefore, the name of Cain's wife is not mentioned anywhere. Torn by feelings of jealousy, Eve's firstborn got rid of his rival.

Film adaptations

The biography of a fratricide is an intriguing basis for a film. Screenwriters prefer to exploit the biblical motif, adding their own vision of the situation.

A striking example is the series “Supernatural”. In one of the episodes, the main characters encounter a biblical character. Only Cain appears to the audience as not a bad guy at all. A man killed his brother to save his soul. Abel goes to heaven, and the older brother becomes a powerful demon. The role of the servant of Lucifer went to actor Timothy Omundson.

The creators of the series "Lucifer" have their own vision of Cain's life after the death of Abel. Having wandered the Earth for hundreds of years, the fratricide occupies the post of police lieutenant in Los Angeles. A man fights crime, making amends for his sins before the Lord. The image of the immortal policeman was embodied on the screen.

The film Noah, released in 2014, reminds the viewer of a classic interpretation of the biblical story. Before telling the legend of, the director recalls Cain, who became the founder of human vices. The role of the fratricide was played by Johannes Høikur Johannesson.

• The meaning of the name of the first person on Earth is diverse. The word "Cain" may come from the verb "kana" and mean "to produce." Or the name of the fratricide comes from the word “blacksmith”.
• The legend claims that Cain is 3 years older than Abel. The first-born took up farming at the age of 12.
• According to researchers and philosophers, Cain’s wife (if we put aside thoughts about Eve) was the man’s own sister. The names most often mentioned are Sawa and Avana.

WHO IS CAIN IN THE BIBLE?

Cain- the first son of Adam and Eve, i.e. the first person born on Earth. Cain is the father of Enoch and the founder of his line. He became famous for becoming the first murderer on Earth in history(he took the life of his brother Abel).

The name Cain has become a household word for an evil, envious person, capable of meanness (not necessarily murder) towards those closest to him.

We learn the story of Cain from the Book of Genesis.

After being expelled from paradise, Adam and Eve had their first child. They believed that the promises of God given in paradise were coming true, when He said that from the seed of the woman they would be saved and that this seed of the woman would bruise the serpent “on the head” - that is, it would defeat the consequences of the Fall that happened to them. Therefore, Eve named her firstborn “Cain,” which means “a man from the Lord.”

But everything turned out to be much more complicated than they initially thought. And so after some time, when Eve gave birth to another boy, she named him Abel, which means “dust, crying,” that is, like smoke, like dust, her hopes, her dreams for a speedy deliverance dissipated. Perhaps it was only at that moment that they fully realized the enormity of the consequences that the Fall entailed.

Abel became a cattle breeder, and his brother Cain became a farmer.

The conflict began with a sacrifice to God (these were the first sacrifices mentioned in the Bible). Abel sacrificed the firstborn heads of his flock, and Cain sacrificed the fruits of the ground. (Gen. 4:2-4)

Abel was of a kind and meek disposition, he made a sacrifice from a pure heart, with love and faith in the promised Savior, with a prayer for mercy and hope for the mercy of God; and God accepted Abel’s sacrifice—the smoke from it rose to the sky.

Cain was of an evil and cruel disposition. He made a sacrifice only according to custom, without the love and fear of God. The Lord did not accept his sacrifice; smoke from it spread across the ground. (Gen. 4:4-5)

Here we see that not all sacrifices are pleasing to God. Sacrifice to God must be combined with the inner sacrifice of a good heart and a virtuous life. And drawing a parallel to us today, it must also be said that not everything that we sacrifice for God, for the temple, not all of it is accepted by God, not all of it is used for future use. Probably what matters is the heart with which we bring our gift, the state of our soul, why we do it, with what feeling we do it. This is probably what is meant as the main condition. And if something is not right in our hearts, then perhaps the Lord will not accept the gift from us either.

Seeing that his sacrifice was not accepted, Cain became angry with his brother and began to envy him. His face darkened. The Lord, seeing Cain’s embitterment, turns to him as to his own son, but standing on the edge of an abyss, warning him against the already planned fratricide. “And the Lord said to Cain: Why were you sad, and why did your face droop?”(Gen. 4:6)It feels like the Lord doesn’t know something... He knows everything. These are the questions the Lord asks Cain to ask himself: “Think about why you were upset, why did your face droop? think about it..."

“If you do good, you don’t raise your face. And if you do not do good, then sin lies at the door, it attracts you to itself, but you rule over it.” (Gen. 4:7)

Great words! “It (sin) attracts you to itself, but you rule over it.” Yes, sin will lie at the door, and for each of us, at some point in our lives, sin will definitely lie at the door, and it attracts us to itself. But "you rule over him" and don't let it dominate you, be the master of the situation, remain free from it.And the Lord directly addresses Cain, speaks directly to him, admonishes him, guides him, tries to somehow educate him.

But Cain did not heed God’s admonition and, calling Abel into the field, killed him. (Gen. 4:8)

Then the Lord turned to Cain, wanting him to repent, and asked him: “Where is your brother Abel?” But the devil finally took possession of Cain’s heart, and he boldly replied: "Don't know; Am I my brother’s keeper?”(Gen. 4:9) This denial of guilt no longer gave hope for correction.The answer is completely arrogant, completely unceremonious, rude and very indecent: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cynical answer. What does this mean? The fact that Cain’s soul has already become embittered to such an extent and is imbued with sin that, in general, it is no longer possible to cry out for his correction, for repentance. Just maybe, some difficult life conditions over a long period of time can force him to reconsider his attitude, his position, and change something.

Then God said to him: "What did you do? Your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground. For this you will be cursed, and the earth will not bear fruit for you, and you will wander the earth.”(Gen. 4:11-12)

This is such a harsh punishment - Cain was deprived of the fruits of the earth and doomed to continuous wandering.

“And Cain said to the Lord: My punishment is more than can be endured. "(Gen. 4:13) These are not words of repentance, these are not the words of a person who is sorry. These are the words of a man who believes: “Well, what have I done that You are punishing me like this? You are punishing me too much. I don’t see that I have sinned so badly that You would punish me so much. What have I done? That is, he does not understand, does not realize the extent of his terrible act.

This is how the story of two brothers - Cain and Abel - ended sadly.

After the murder, Cain is cursed by God and banished to the land of Nod (Gen. 4:11-14). And so that the first person he met would not kill the criminal - the first man born of a woman and the first murderer - God marked Cain with a special sign. In modern language, the expression “Seal of Cain” has the meaning of “seal of crime.” As a punished murderer, Cain should have served as a warning example to others. His drooping face, distorted by villainy, served as a sign so that no one would kill him, neither wild beast nor man.

Great was the crime of Cain and the insult inflicted on the purity and holiness of love. But, despite this, there were people who decided to follow Cain into exile. He had a wife who also followed him. According to the Bible, in the land of Nod (Gen. 4:16), Cain had a son, Enoch, and Cain’s offspring then also spread throughout the earth.

This story opens up two paths for us: the path with God and the path without God, the path of goodness and love and the path of evil, pride and tyranny. One leads to eternal life, the other to death...

Human life is a gift from God, therefore a person has no right either to take his own life or to take it from others. Taking the life of a neighbor is called murder and is one of the most serious sins.

...And God gave Adam and Eve another son. Their joy was immeasurable. In the hope that he would not be like Cain, but would replace Abel, he was named Sif, What means "base"- the foundation of a new humanity, peaceful, pious, in which there will be no fratricide and malice, which for centuries will, step by step, return to the path of the righteous, leading man through overcoming sin to God.

The material was prepared based on an article in the magazine "FOMA"

In just fifteen verses of the 4th chapter of the Biblical book of Genesis, Cain and Abel are described, the history of whose relationship is an ontological analysis of human psychology. The interaction of two brothers, devoid of any surroundings, shows the archetype of a person’s deviation from good.

What does the primary source say and how to understand it?

This picture shows the whole biblical story of Cain and Abel

From this source there are many interpretations. But you should only pay attention to explanations from authoritative sources who see this text in the spirit of Orthodoxy.

There is one axiom that greatly contributes to the correct understanding of Biblical texts, namely: “There is not a single extra point in the Bible. Every sign, and especially every word, has a meaning.”.

But before we begin to analyze this passage, we should tell you about a very interesting fact.

The Bible has several levels of understanding the text. For example:

1. Read the entire text in a row - one meaning;

2. Read every third word - a prophecy is obtained;

3. Read every seventh word - another level.

Biblical scholars count three dozen variants of reading the Bible, but no more than a dozen are currently known.

It is also important that you can correctly understand the story of Cain and Abel, and indeed the entire Bible, only by reading it in the context of the culture in which it was written.

Interpretations of the basics

First of all, the meaning of names should be discovered. The name Cain comes from the Hebrew verb " canna" - acquire and pronouns " Inna" And it literally means “I have acquired.” These were the words of Eve, who gave birth to a baby for the first time on Earth. After all, Cain was not only the first child of Adam and Eve, but he was:

· The first baby, since both Adam and Eve were created by God as adults;

· First born person;

· The first murderer.

So many incredible qualities came together in one person!

For Adam and Eve, who communicated face to face with God and lived in Paradise, the memory of their former life was very, very sad. After all, they themselves lost what was given to them for free. There can be nothing more than this. And in the birth of a child, Eve saw a gift from the Lord, which confirmed the prophecy given in Genesis 3:15.

But Cain was born with the transmission of original sin!

And in the words of Eve, “a man from the Lord,” all interpreters see the hope of the foremother that the newly-minted parents are now acting in unison with God. If the Lord himself created them (Adam and Eve), then now, with God’s Help, they can also give birth to children.

Abel - the name has no direct analogue in Russian. This word comes from the verb “gaval”, which means “to breathe, to blow”, and in meaning is closest to such concepts as: “haze, haze, ghostly”.

In other words, Eve no longer experienced the same inspiration as at the birth of her first child.

The second verse also talks about the professional affiliation of the brothers: Cain became a farmer, and Abel became a sheep shepherd.

From a modern perspective, Cain's occupation was more peaceful, because he grew plant foods. Abel was engaged in animal husbandry, and this, by any means, is work associated with blood.

But in reality, everything looks completely different.

According to the Bible, eating meat was allowed by the Lord only after the Flood (Genesis 9:3); until then, everyone ate only plant foods. And the sheep were precisely intended for sacrifice! That is, Cain was only involved in organizing the earthly world, and Abel worked taking care of sacrificial animals.

The reason for envy

Verses 3 to 5 talk about the sacrifice that Cain and Abel performed. The history of the Old Testament clearly states that the best is chosen for sacrifice to the Lord. And in these verses you can read that Cain brought from the fruits of the earth. Abel brought: of the firstlings of the flock and of their fat. That is, Abel chose the best, the firstborn. Yes, and I took fat from them. Cain simply made a sacrifice, indiscriminately for the best and the worst.

The Lord alone knows the heart, he knows what was in the thoughts and what the heartfelt aspirations of the brothers were about. Therefore, seeing the purity of Abel, at his sacrifice looked upon, but did not honor Cain’s sacrifice with attention.

And this is where envy arose - Cain became very sad and his face fell. The word “distressed” has a more precise before from the Hebrew – “angry.” It is obvious that the desire to be more loved by God was present in Cain. But he wanted to achieve His mercy in an easier way - by eliminating his brother.

Verses 6-7, this is admonition from God. The Lord already sees what is in Cain’s heart and directly asks him: If you did good, then why aren’t you happy??

After all, his face was lowered. He does not rejoice at his brother’s success, and does not grieve over his mistakes! It was anger and envy that changed the features of his face and forced his gaze to rest on the ground.

And further: If you do not do good, then sin lies at your door. He attracts you, but don't let him go. This passage is easier to understand if you read it in Church Slavonic. The Lord seems to be saying that the face is a mirror of what nests in the human soul. And if the face is drooping, then the person’s thoughts are dark. He (the person) seems to be looking at the sin lying at the door.

But the most important thing is Don't let him in!

That is, a person always voluntarily makes a choice between good and evil. Every second of his life, a person makes this choice. Sin itself cannot dwell in the human soul. A person must voluntarily give consent for sin to enter his heart.
Confirming these words, the psalmist David says: " Blessed is the man who dashes your babies against the stone" (Ps. 137:9). In other words, sin must be destroyed when it is still in its infancy.

It is this verse that analyzes human psychology, based on the artistic representation of the struggle between good and evil, which manifests itself on a person’s face.

Fratricide: sin, reproof and punishment

Verses 8-15 reveal the details of the first murder.

Cain called his brother into the field. He needed an excuse to be alone with Abel. The Midrash gives details of this crime. After all, in fact, there is no history of contention between Cain and Abel as such. Abel had no enmity against his brother.

Cain did not know how to kill, so he struck and injured Abel until he fell silent.

In the next verse, the Lord speaks to Cain and asks him about his brother. And Cain, having completely lost his mind, begins, like his parents, to hide from God, subconsciously saying to Him in reproach: “ I don't know if I'm my brother's keeper».

But God first gave the murderer the opportunity to repent! But Cain's heart had already turned to stone.

And then the Lord denounces, showing His power: What did you do? Your brother's blood cries out from the ground.

Please note that if the serpent (Satan) and the earth were cursed for the sin of Adam and Eve, then in the case of Cain, the earth becomes an instrument of retribution in the hands of God: You will be an exile and a wanderer.

In response, Cain expresses cowardice: The punishment is more than I can bear, and anyone I meet can kill me.

Interpreters understood the word “earth” as the Garden of Eden. That is, the place where the first people lived after being expelled from Paradise. And the children and grandchildren of Adam could have killed him, because according to biblical scholars, the inhabited earth was already inhabited by the descendants of Adam and Eve.

But at the end of the story of Cain and Abel, the Lord makes a sign to the criminal and promises to take sevenfold revenge on his murderer.

There is no consensus regarding the visible manifestation of this sign. Some theologians are sure that Cain grew a horn, some claim that an inscription (sign) appeared on his forehead. Jewish Midrashim claim that God assigned a dog to Cain so that it would always accompany him.

Bottom line

The story of Cain and Abel comes down to the anatomy of the origin of sin in man, without the participation of the Devil. After Adam's fall, man became susceptible to sin.

But old age and predestination are different concepts.

The simplest example you can try on yourself.

What could be easier than holding your tongue? This is a very small organ, and completely under human control.

Just try for one day without uttering a single reproach, curse, or condemnation against anyone. Try to set aside just one day for this experiment.

The results will not keep you waiting even until noon.

Cain and Abel is a story that has since been repeated countless times, in a wide variety of versions. There will be a long line of endless lines of murderers and their victims. If you think about it, you can call victims both those who fell at the hands of a criminal and those who committed this crime. The latter, as a rule, are victims of their dark spiritual passions. The greed, anger, envy and other creations of Satan seething in them are the true culprits of crimes.

Expelled from Paradise

But let's return to the pages of the Bible, on which the story of Cain and Abel appears before us. After Adam and Eve were expelled from paradise, they found themselves in a world that was very similar to the one where we all live. The similarity was that, like us, its inhabitants became mortal, subject to disease and old age, and for the first time learned what suffering is. Besides, there was nothing free in this world; everything had to be earned through hard work. Soon their sons were born - Cain and Abel.

The story told in the Bible begins with each of them choosing his own career in life. The eldest, Cain, became a farmer, and his younger brother Abel became a shepherd. The brothers had no doubts in matters of faith, since the existence of God seemed to them an obvious reality, and when the time came for the sacrifice, each of them began it with a sincere desire to please the Almighty. Both laid the fruits of their labors on the altar: Cain - the firstfruits of the harvest, and Abel - the firstborn lamb from his flock.

Abel and Cain: the story of a rejected victim

It is not possible for us to comprehend the motives why the Lord preferred Abel’s sacrifice to the sacrifice made by his elder brother, but this is exactly what happened. Cain, instead of humbly bowing before the will of God, was filled with envy and a feeling of wounded pride. He even darkened his face and changed in appearance. The Holy Scripture says that the Lord tried to reason with him and turn away evil thoughts. He literally warns him that sin awaits a person who does not do good, but even in this case he must find the strength to refrain from it.

Abel and Cain - the story of man's responsibility for his actions. Temptations await each of us at some point in our lives, but it is one thing to desire something, and quite another to give free rein to our desires. Cain allowed the sin that had arisen in his soul to completely take control of him. Choosing a moment when, in his opinion, there were no witnesses, he killed Abel.

Any murder is a sin, but shedding the blood of a brother is doubly sinful. Apparently, the feeling of anger clouded Cain’s mind so much that it did not even occur to him that there was no place in the world where he could hide from the eyes of the all-seeing God. There were no people nearby at that terrible moment, but the Spirit of God was invisibly present.

The crime was committed, but the all-merciful Lord does not deprive the unfortunate Cain of his last hope for forgiveness. With your question: “Where is Abel, your brother?” - he gives him the opportunity to admit what he did and repent. But sin had already completely taken possession of the murderer. Answering that he does not know where his brother is, he lies to God himself, thereby finally breaking with him. Abel and Cain is the story of two brothers, related by blood, but so different in their mental structure. Half-brothers who became symbols of righteousness and sin. This storyline will find endless continuation in the world.

Punishment is severe and inevitable

As punishment, the Lord curses Cain and dooms him to eternal wanderings on earth and eternal rejection. He even marks the killer with a special mark, which is called the seal of Cain, so that everyone he meets knows who is in front of him and does not dare to take his despicable life from him. The biblical story of Cain and Abel carries deep philosophical meaning. Who killed whom is a vulgar simplification of the problem inherent in this passage of Scripture. In this case, the motivating reasons that prompted the crime, the consciousness of responsibility for one’s actions and the duty of resistance to sin, as well as the inevitability of retribution for one’s actions are important.

The most famous brothers in the Christian religion, Cain and Abel, are familiar to every person. Their story gave me a lot to think about while reading the bible. About the lesson they taught humanity, how fratricide affected the fate of their descendants. In this article I will talk about the story of the two brothers and its different interpretations.

There is probably no person who has not read or heard about this biblical story. Just in case, I’ll remind you what happened between the two legendary brothers and tell you about the details.

Cain and Abel are two brothers, children of the ancestors of the entire population of the Earth, sons of Eve and Adam. They were born after they ate the forbidden fruit, and God expelled the couple from the Garden of Eden.

The Creator instructed his sinful children to engage in heavy physical labor, to obtain food themselves, and to take care of food. Cain was engaged in agriculture, and Abel grazed cattle in the meadows.

The plot of Cain and Abel describes the legendary fratricide committed on Earth. The planet was still young then, although it had undergone many changes and felt all the negative power of the first sin of Adam and Eve. The elder brother was the first to be born on this planet, and the younger brother was the first to die on it.

This story is told in the fourth chapter of Genesis.

Why did the murder happen?

The brothers were required to sacrifice the fruits of their labor to God. The younger brother gave these gifts sincerely, with a pure heart. He did not feel greed and was grateful to the Creator, despite his difficult lot. Therefore, God received him with gratitude and bestowed his favor on him.

The elder brother gave away the fruits of his labors out of obligation. He felt no love for the Creator, and his gifts were rejected. Full of indignation and envy, in a fit of anger Cain killed his younger brother. This act became the first terrible crime to desecrate the earth.

After committing fratricide, Cain tried to cover up the traces of the crime; he did not admit to God what he had done. When asked where Abel had disappeared, he replied that he was not watching or guarding his brother, so he did not have the slightest idea of ​​where he had disappeared.

God hoped to receive a confession and make Cain repent, but he chose to hide his sin and wanted to avoid punishment. For this monstrous offense, the creator cursed the killer, saying that the earth would no longer give him fruit and strength. Cain was banished and doomed to eternal wandering in the land of Nod.

From that moment on, a period of wandering and suffering began for the elder brother, which he was unable to bear. He cried out to God asking that any person he met along the way would kill him.

In response, God commanded that no one could kill Cain, lest he receive seven times more vengeance than he deserved. Therefore, the life of the elder brother continued in torment and suffering.

How did Cain's wanderings end? Here are the main points of history as told in the Bible:

• Cain gave birth to a son named Enoch and became the founder of his family, as well as the city of the same name.
• There is no clear information about Cain's wife. In various sources one can see opinions that his wife was his sister, named Avan, or a girl named Sava.
• The clan of Cain has seven tribes. It ceased to exist after the Great Flood, in which the descendants of the fratricide failed to escape.

It is also indicated that the innocent soul of Abel led a horde of other martyrs who spent their entire lives persecuting members of the elder brother's clan. His soul could not rest until the clan was completely wiped off the face of the earth.

Meaning of brothers' names

Cain's name symbolizes envy in all its forms. Currently, it has become a household word, personifying a person full of evil, meanness, capable of committing a crime against members of his family.

Abel is translated from Hebrew as breath, a powerful positive life energy. Other sources give a translation from the Akkadian language - “son”.

Other interpretations

The story of two brothers became known to modern society through the study of ancient manuscripts. The most famous of them was presumably published in 250 BC and is called the “Dead Sea Scrolls.”

In this and other historical manuscripts, Abel is presented as the first person to become a victim of a brutal murder, a martyr who atoned for the sin of his parents before God. The image of Cain is presented as a monstrous killer, the personification of evil, its first manifestation in the human world.

There is another opinion among researchers: some of them believe that the legend of two brothers came from the Sumerians, who wrote about the conflict between farmers and shepherds. Kabbalah states that the elder brother was not the son of Adam, but the fruit of the love of Eve and the angel Samael. In other sources - the devil's offspring, which was born after Eve's adultery with Satan himself.

Watch a video about the biblical story of two brothers:

Notable Facts

This biblical story did not leave researchers and scientists alone. Therefore, over time, many interpretations and interpretations of the first fratricide appeared.

Here are the most interesting of them:

1. In biblical stories, the story of Cain and Abel is not the only one in which God gave preference to the youngest of the brothers. This event was repeated at least three times - with David, Joseph and Esau.
2. This story has become an archetypal example of fratricide, envy and betrayal. Various interpretations can be found in works of art in almost any art form.
3. In the Middle Ages, there was a legend that the Creator sent his older brother into exile on the Moon, so that from there he would watch earthly life, yearn for it, but would not be able to return. Therefore, during the full moon, people can look closely and see the image of an older brother threatening the younger one.

There is another interesting opinion that the sin committed by Cain became the prerequisite for various wars, the cause of which was blood feud. The author of the opinion believes that the reason for the strife is the inequality of people before God and the battle for justice.