13
AndוַCainקַיִןsaidיֹּאמֶרto YHWH,אֶל יְהוָה“My iniquityעֲוֺנִיistoo greatגָּדוֹלto bear.מִנְּשֹׂא
Genesis 4:13
Study it in the app“And Cain said to YHWH, “My iniquity is too great to bear.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 4:13, word by word
- Cainקַיִןkayin
Cain
Cain, the first son of Adam and Eve, who killed his brother Abel. In Hebrew "Qayin" sounds like "I have gotten" (Genesis 4:1). Also a place, and the tribe of the Kenites.
Where else “kayin” appears- saidיֹּאמֶרyomer
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomer” appears- to YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- “My iniquityעֲוֺנִavoni
iniquity
A serious wrong.
Where else “avoni” appears- too greatגָּדוֹלgadol
great
Of great size, amount or importance: a river, a city, a king.
Where else “gadol” appears- to bearנְּשֹׂאneso
carry
To put something on oneself and carry it, on the shoulders or in the arms.
Where else “neso” appears
The context
12When you work the ground, it will no longer give its strength to you; a wanderer and a drifter you will be on the earth.”
13 · This verse (above)
14Look, you have driven me out today from the face of the ground, and from your presence I will be hidden; and I will be a wanderer and a drifter on the earth, and it will happen that whoever finds me will kill me.”
To study Genesis 4 in a group
1. What it says
How did Cain feel when YHWH did not look with favor on his offering, and what did YHWH say to him (vv. 5-7)?
2. What it means
What does Cain mean by his question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (v. 9)?
3. How I live it
How can you deal with anger or envy toward someone today before it grows?