Genesis 4:12
Genesis 4:12 in Multiple Translations
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.”
When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee its strength; a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth.
No longer will the earth give you her fruit as the reward of your work; you will be a wanderer in flight over the earth.
When you cultivate the ground, it won't produce crops for you. You'll be always on the run, wandering all over the earth.”
When thou shalt till the grounde, it shall not henceforth yeelde vnto thee her strength: a vagabond and a runnagate shalt thou be in the earth.
when thou tillest the ground, it doth not add to give its strength to thee — a wanderer, even a trembling one, thou art in the earth.'
From now on, when you till the ground, it won’t yield its strength to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth.”
When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield to thee its strength: A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
When thou shalt till it, it shall not yield to thee its fruit: a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be upon the earth.
You will till the ground to plant crops, but the ground will produce very few [HYP] crops. And you will continually wander around the earth, and not have any place to live permanently.”
If you try to grow plants in the ground, nothing will grow for you. You will go away from me. And you will walk around in lots of places, but you will not have a home.”
Berean Amplified Bible — Genesis 4:12
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Genesis 4:12 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
כִּ֤י
תַֽעֲבֹד֙
אֶת
הָ֣/אֲדָמָ֔ה
לֹֽא
תֹסֵ֥ף
תֵּת
כֹּחָ֖/הּ
לָ֑/ךְ
נָ֥ע
וָ/נָ֖ד
תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה
בָ/אָֽרֶץ
כִּ֤י
kîy
H3588
for
Conj
תַֽעֲבֹד֙
ʻâbad
H5647
to serve
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms
אֶת
ʼêth
H853
Obj.
DirObjM
הָ֣/אֲדָמָ֔ה
ʼădâmâh
H127
land
Art | N-fs
לֹֽא
lôʼ
H3808
not
Part
תֹסֵ֥ף
yâçaph
H3254
to add
V-Hiphil-Juss-3fs
תֵּת
nâthan
H5414
to give
V-Qal-Inf-a
כֹּחָ֖/הּ
kôach
H3581
reptile
N-ms | Suff
לָ֑/ךְ
Prep | Suff
נָ֥ע
nûwaʻ
H5128
to shake
V-Qal
וָ/נָ֖ד
nûwd
H5110
to wander
Conj | V-Qal
תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה
hâyâh
H1961
to be
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms
בָ/אָֽרֶץ
ʼerets
H776
land
Prep | N-cs
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Genesis 4:12
כִּ֤י
kîy
H3588
"for"
Conj
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Definition: 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
Usage: Occurs in 3910 OT verses. KJV: and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet. See also: Genesis 1:4; Genesis 26:16; Genesis 42:15.
תַֽעֲבֹד֙
ʻâbad
H5647
"to serve"
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms
To serve or work is the meaning of this verb, which can also imply slavery or bondage, as seen in the story of the Israelites in Egypt. It is used to describe various types of work or service, including serving God or other people. The word has different forms and meanings in different contexts.
Definition: : serve[someone] 1) to work, serve 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to labour, work, do work 1a2) to work for another, serve another by labour 1a3) to serve as subjects 1a4) to serve (God) 1a5) to serve (with Levitical service) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be worked, be tilled (of land) 1b2) to make oneself a servant 1c) (Pual) to be worked 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to serve 1d2) to cause to serve as subjects 1e) (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve
Usage: Occurs in 262 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, [phrase] husbandman, keep, labour(-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve(-ing, self), (be, become) servant(-s), do (use) service, till(-er), transgress (from margin), (set a) work, be wrought, worshipper, See also: Genesis 2:5; Deuteronomy 28:14; Psalms 2:11.
אֶת
ʼêth
H853
"Obj."
DirObjM
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.
הָ֣/אֲדָמָ֔ה
ʼădâmâh
H127
"land"
Art | N-fs
This Hebrew word refers to the earth or soil, often describing the ground as a source of sustenance. It is used to describe the physical earth, a plot of land, or even a whole country. The KJV translates it as 'country', 'earth', or 'land'.
Definition: : soil 1) ground, land 1a) ground (as general, tilled, yielding sustenance) 1b) piece of ground, a specific plot of land 1c) earth substance (for building or constructing) 1d) ground as earth's visible surface 1e) land, territory, country 1f) whole inhabited earth 1g) city in Naphtali
Usage: Occurs in 211 OT verses. KJV: country, earth, ground, husband(-man) (-ry), land. See also: Genesis 1:25; 1 Kings 8:40; Psalms 49:12.
לֹֽא
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
תֹסֵ֥ף
yâçaph
H3254
"to add"
V-Hiphil-Juss-3fs
To add means to increase or do something again, like adding more of something or continuing an action. This word is used in the Bible to describe growth or repetition.
Definition: : add/more[amount] 1) to add, increase, do again 1a) (Qal) to add, increase, do again 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to join, join oneself to 1b2) to be joined, be added to 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to add, increase 1c2) to do more, do again
Usage: Occurs in 205 OT verses. KJV: add, [idiom] again, [idiom] any more, [idiom] cease, [idiom] come more, [phrase] conceive again, continue, exceed, [idiom] further, [idiom] gather together, get more, give more-over, [idiom] henceforth, increase (more and more), join, [idiom] longer (bring, do, make, much, put), [idiom] (the, much, yet) more (and more), proceed (further), prolong, put, be (strong-) er, [idiom] yet, yield. See also: Genesis 4:2; 2 Samuel 19:14; Psalms 10:18.
תֵּת
nâthan
H5414
"to give"
V-Qal-Inf-a
This word means to give, put, or set something, with a wide range of applications. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, describing God's actions and human interactions. The word is used to convey giving, selling, or exchanging something.
Definition: : give/deliver/send/produce 1) to give, put, set 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend 1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate 1a3) to make, constitute 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned 1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up 1c2) to be put upon
Usage: Occurs in 1816 OT verses. KJV: add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield. See also: Genesis 1:17; Genesis 40:21; Exodus 30:12.
כֹּחָ֖/הּ
kôach
H3581
"reptile"
N-ms | Suff
Koach means strength or power, referring to human, angelic, or God's might. It can also describe the strength of animals or the produce of soil.
Definition: 1) a small reptile, probably a kind of lizard, which is unclean 1a) perhaps an extinct animal, exact meaning is unknown
Usage: Occurs in 121 OT verses. KJV: ability, able, chameleon, force, fruits, might, power(-ful), strength, substance, wealth. See also: Genesis 4:12; Job 36:5; Psalms 22:16.
לָ֑/ךְ
""
Prep | Suff
נָ֥ע
nûwaʻ
H5128
"to shake"
V-Qal
To shake means to move back and forth, like trembling with fear, as described in the book of Isaiah. It can also mean to be unstable or to wander, like the Israelites in the wilderness.
Definition: 1) to quiver, totter, shake, reel, stagger, wander, move, sift, make move, wave, waver, tremble 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to wave, quiver, vibrate, swing, stagger, tremble, be unstable 1a2) to totter, go tottering 1a2a) vagabond (participle) 1b) (Niphal) to be tossed about or around 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to toss about 1c2) to shake, cause to totter 1c3) to shake, disturb 1c4) to cause to wander
Usage: Occurs in 36 OT verses. KJV: continually, fugitive, [idiom] make, to (go) up and down, be gone away, (be) move(-able, -d), be promoted, reel, remove, scatter, set, shake, sift, stagger, to and fro, be vagabond, wag, (make) wander (up and down). See also: Genesis 4:12; Psalms 109:25; Psalms 22:8.
וָ/נָ֖ד
nûwd
H5110
"to wander"
Conj | V-Qal
To wander means to move aimlessly, showing grief or sympathy, and is used to describe someone who is lost or in need of comfort, like a mourner or a fugitive.
Definition: 1) to shake, waver, wander, move to and fro, flutter, show grief, have compassion on 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to move to and fro, wander (aimlessly), take flight 1a2) to flutter 1a3) to waver, wave, shake 1a4) to show grief 1a4a) to lament, condole, show sympathy 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to wander (aimlessly) 1b2) to make a wagging, wag (with the head) 1c) (Hithpolel) 1c1) to move oneself to and fro, sway, totter 1c2) to shake oneself 1c3) to bemoan oneself
Usage: Occurs in 24 OT verses. KJV: bemoan, flee, get, mourn, make to move, take pity, remove, shake, skip for joy, be sorry, vagabond, way, wandering. See also: Genesis 4:12; Jeremiah 4:1; Psalms 11:1.
תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה
hâyâh
H1961
"to be"
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Definition: 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about 1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Usage: Occurs in 3131 OT verses. KJV: beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 17:4; Genesis 36:11.
בָ/אָֽרֶץ
ʼerets
H776
"land"
Prep | N-cs
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Definition: : soil 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth 1e) (almost wholly late in usage) 1e1) lands, countries 1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan
Usage: Occurs in 2190 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 42:13.
Study Notes — Genesis 4:12
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Genesis 4:12 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Genesis 4:12
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 4:12
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Genesis 4:12
- Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 4:12
- Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 4:12
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Genesis 4:12
- Cambridge Bible on Genesis 4:12
- Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 4:12
- Sermons on Genesis 4:12
Context — Cain and Abel
10“What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.
11Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
12When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”
13But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14Behold, 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.”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hosea 9:17 | My God will reject them because they have not obeyed Him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations. |
| 2 | Leviticus 26:36 | As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. And they will flee as one flees the sword, and fall when no one pursues them. |
| 3 | Leviticus 26:20 | and your strength will be spent in vain. For your land will not yield its produce, and the trees of the land will not bear their fruit. |
| 4 | Deuteronomy 28:23–24 | The sky over your head will be bronze, and the earth beneath you iron. The LORD will turn the rain of your land into dust and powder; it will descend on you from the sky until you are destroyed. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 20:3–4 | The next day, when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, “The LORD does not call you Pashhur, but Magor-missabib. For this is what the LORD says: ‘I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. They will fall by the sword of their enemies before your very eyes. And I will hand Judah over to the king of Babylon, and he will carry them away to Babylon and put them to the sword. |
| 6 | Romans 8:20 | For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope |
| 7 | Genesis 3:17–18 | And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. |
| 8 | Deuteronomy 28:65–66 | 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. So your life will hang in doubt before you, and you will be afraid night and day, never certain of survival. |
| 9 | Psalms 109:10 | May his children wander as beggars, seeking sustenance far from their ruined homes. |
| 10 | Genesis 4:14 | 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.” |
Genesis 4:12 Summary
This verse, Genesis 4:12, means that Cain will have to leave his home and family's farm and will not be able to grow food easily, and will have to wander and search for food, as a consequence of his sin. This is similar to how Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:23-24. It teaches us that our actions have consequences, and that we must obey God's commands, as seen in Exodus 20:1-17, to live a blessed life. By trusting in God's sovereignty and provision, as seen in Psalm 23:1-4, we can have hope and peace even in difficult circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for the ground to not yield its produce to Cain?
This means that Cain will no longer be able to farm or cultivate the land successfully, as stated in Genesis 4:12, and will have to wander and search for food, as seen in his later statement in Genesis 4:14.
Is Cain's punishment fair considering his actions?
Yes, Cain's punishment is fair because he murdered his brother Abel, as seen in Genesis 4:8, and the Bible teaches that the wages of sin is death, as stated in Romans 6:23.
How does this verse relate to the concept of stewardship of the earth?
This verse shows that our actions have consequences on the earth and our relationship with it, as seen in Genesis 4:12, and that we are to be good stewards of the earth, as taught in Psalm 24:1 and Genesis 1:28.
What can we learn from Cain's experience about the importance of obedience to God?
We can learn that disobedience to God's commands, such as the command not to murder in Exodus 20:13, can lead to severe consequences, as seen in Cain's punishment in Genesis 4:12, and that obedience to God is crucial for a blessed life, as stated in Deuteronomy 28:1-2.
Reflection Questions
- How do I respond to the consequences of my actions, and do I try to blame others or take responsibility like Cain tried to do in Genesis 4:13?
- In what ways can I be a good steward of the earth, as God commands in Genesis 1:28, and how can I use my resources wisely?
- What are some areas in my life where I need to obey God's commands, and how can I start making changes to be more obedient, as seen in Psalm 119:30-32?
- How can I trust in God's sovereignty and provision, even when faced with difficulties or uncertainties, as seen in Psalm 23:1-4 and Matthew 6:25-34?
Gill's Exposition on Genesis 4:12
When thou tillest the ground,.... Which was the business he was brought up in and followed, Genesis 4:2 it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; the earth had been cursed for Adam's sin,
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 4:12
When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Genesis 4:12
Or, that ground, which doth or shall fall to thy share, besides the first and general curse inflicted upon the whole earth, shall have this peculiar curse added to it, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength, i.e. its virtue and fruit, in such proportion as it hath hitherto done. A vagabond shalt thou be, banished from thy own land and kindred, and father’ s house, and from the whole society of the faithful, and wandering hither and thither. Others render the words mourning and trembling; or, trembling and wandering. These two words note both the unquietness and horror of his mind and conscience, and the unsettledness of his habitation and condition, and, as some add, the trembling of his body.
Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 4:12
Genesis 4:12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.Ver. 12. A fugitive and a vagabond, &c.] The patriarchs were pilgrims, and stayed not long in a place. The apostles also were hurried about, and had "no certain dwellingplace." But first, God numbered their wanderings. He kept just reckoning of therein his count-book. Secondly, Their hearts were fixed, trusting in the Lord. They could call their souls to rest, when they had no rest in their bones; and fly up to heaven with the wings of a dove, when hunted on earth as so many partridges. So could not Cain the prisoner. He was not more a fugitive in the earth, than in his own conscience; fain he would have fled from the terrors of it, but could not; he was prisoner to it, and must abide by it. Hence the Greek translates this text, Sighing and trembling shall you be on the earth; and so the word here used is applied elsewhere to the trembling of the heart, to the walking of the lips, to the shaking of the forest by a violent wind, to the leaping of the lintel at the presence of the Lord And this, in all probability, was that mark that God set upon him. Not a horn in his forehead, as the Jews feign, but a hornet in his conscience, such as God vexed the Hivites with, stinging them with unquestionable conviction and horror.
For assuredly a body is not so tormented with stings, or torn with stripes, as a mind with remembrance of wicked actions. Facti sunt a corde suo fugitivi. - Tertul. Cicer. Orat. pro Ros. Amer.
Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 4:12
(11, 12) And now (because of thy crime) art thou cursed from the earth.—Heb., from the adâmâh, or cultivated ground. Cain was the first human being on whom a curse was inflicted, and it was to rise up from the ground, the portion of the earth won and subdued by man, to punish him. He had polluted man’s habitation, and now, when he tilled the soil, it would resist him as an enemy, by refusing “to yield unto him her strength.” He had been an unsuccessful man before, and outstripped in the race of life by the younger son; for the future his struggle with the conditions of life will be still harder. The reason for this follows: “a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.” Restless and uneasy, and haunted by the remembrance of his crime, he shall become a wanderer, not merely in the adâmâh, his native soil, but in the earth. Poverty must necessarily be the lot of one thus roaming, not in search of a better lot, but under the compulsion of an evil conscience. Finally, however, we find that Cain’s feelings grew more calm, and being comforted by the presence of a wife and children, “he builded a city,” and had at last a home.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Genesis 4:12
Verse 12. A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be] Thou shalt be expelled from the presence of God, and from thy family connections, and shalt have no fixed secure residence in any place. The Septuagint render this στενωνκαιτρεμωνεση, thou shalt be groaning and trembling upon the earth - the horror of thy crime shall ever haunt thee, and thou shalt never have any well-grounded hope that God will remit the punishment thou deservest. No state out of endless perdition can be considered more awful than this.
Cambridge Bible on Genesis 4:12
12. when thou tillest, &c.] The meaning is, that when, or if, after this curse, Cain continues to till the ground, the ground will refuse to give a return for his labour. Therefore, he will not be able to live on the cultivated ground. He must leave it and wander forth. her strength] That is, “her fruits.” So the Vulg. “fructus suos.” The word “strength” is used in this sense for the produce of the soil in Job 31:39, “If I have eaten the fruits (marg. Heb. strength) thereof (i.e. of the land) without money.” a fugitive and a wanderer] The alliteration of the two words in the original (n‘β vβ-nβd) is difficult to reproduce in English. The word for “a fugitive” means “one who staggers, or reels,” from weakness, faintness, or weariness. “Weary and wandering,” or “staggering and straying” would be attempts at reproducing the original. The LXX στένωνκαὶτρέμως = “groaning and trembling,” is more of a comment than a translation; and the Lat. “vagus et profugus,” like the English version, is inexact. Two points are to be noticed in this sentence upon Cain: (1) He is sent forth from the cultivated soil: in other words, he is banished into the desert. He is to lead the life, neither of the shepherd, nor of the tiller of the soil, but of the roaming Bedouin of the desert. (2) His wandering is not the result of a guilty conscience, but of a Divine sentence. It is his penalty to lead the nomad life of the desert, homeless and insecure and restless.
Whereas Adam was banished from the garden to till the soil (Genesis 3:17), now that soil is to refuse its fruits to Cain, and he must fly into the desert.
Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 4:12
12. Not henceforth yield — Not add, or continue to yield, so abundantly as in the past. How much has righteousness in man to do in securing bountiful harvests, and averting pestilence and famine!
Sermons on Genesis 4:12
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The Way of Cain by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of relying on God's defense rather than trying to defend oneself. He refers to the story of Moses and the rebellion of Korah, |
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The Last Day Return to Discernment - Part 2 by Carter Conlon | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of unity and agreement among believers. He quotes from Psalm 50:22, warning those who forget God that they will face conseque |
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(Genesis) Genesis 4-5:10 by Joe Focht | In this sermon, the speaker reflects on the early days of the earth after the fall, describing a pristine state with 50-foot ferns and a sense of safety for children. The speaker i |
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(A Spiritual Leader) 6. Broken Through Submission by Zac Poonen | Zac Poonen emphasizes that a true spiritual leader is a broken man, shaped through submission to authority, much like Jesus who submitted to Joseph and Mary. He explains the import |
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Christ and His Children by C.H. Spurgeon | The preacher delves into the concept of timidity, exploring its various facets such as lack of mental or moral strength, reticence, cowardice, and shameful fear. Drawing from bibli |
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(1 Kings) Elijah's Early Ministry by David Guzik | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of Elijah and the widow's son from the Bible. The preacher highlights how the widow's faith in God deepens after witnessing the mir |
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Life of Tyndale and the Reformation by Ian Murray | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the life and work of William Tyndale, a key figure in the Reformation. Tyndale was a scholar who translated the New Testament into English in |