Genesis 4:14

Loneliness Fear Shame

¹² When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

¹³ But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.

Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”

¹⁵ “Not so!” replied the LORD. “If anyone slays Cain, then Cain will be avenged sevenfold.” And the LORD placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him.

¹⁶ So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
KJV: Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
WEB: Behold, you have driven me out today from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. Whoever finds me will kill me.”
ASV: Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the ground; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whosoever findeth me will slay me.
DARBY: Behold, thou hast driven me this day from the face of the ground, and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a wanderer and fugitive on the earth; and it will come to pass, [that] every one who finds me will slay me.
BLB: Behold, You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground, and from Your face I shall be hidden, and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. And it will come to pass [that] anyone finding me will kill me!”

ÅB: Se, du har idag drevet meg ut av landet, og jeg må skjule meg for ditt åsyn; og jeg vil bli omflakkende og hjemløs på jorden, og det vil gå så at hver den som finner meg, slår meg ihjel.
OTB: I dag har du drevet meg bort fra landet, og jeg vil være skjult fra ditt nærvær; jeg vil være en vandrer og en flyktning på jorden, og hvem som helst som finner meg vil drepe meg."
B1930: Se, du har idag drevet mig ut av landet, og jeg må skjule mig for ditt åsyn; og jeg vil bli omflakkende og hjemløs på jorden, og det vil gå så at hver den som finner mig, slår mig ihjel.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Numbers 35:19
The avenger of blood is to put the murderer to death; when he finds him, he is to kill him.
Read in context
Psalms 143:7
Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me, or I will be like those who descend to the Pit.
Read in context
Job 15:20–24
A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.
Read in context
Proverbs 28:1
The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 28:65
Among those nations you will find no repose, not even a resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a despairing soul.
Read in context
2 Thessalonians 1:9
They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His might,
Read in context
Jeremiah 52:3
For because of the anger of the LORD, all this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until He finally banished them from His presence. And Zedekiah also rebelled against the king of Babylon.
Read in context
Genesis 9:5–6
And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man:
Read in context