Genesis 4: How Long Did Cain Hate His Brother?

As long as he was Abel.

Summary: Cain and Abel are born to Adam and Eve. Cain is a farmer. Abel is a shepherd. Cain is warned by the Lord to do good or else he will have a bad end. Cain kills Abel, tries to hide his crime, and is cast out. Cain's posterity is set forth. Adam and Eve have another son, Seth, who is righteous.

Personal Reflection: I find this story truly sad. It is the first account of pure hatred in the Bible (though there are many more to come). It is hard for me to fathom how someone could become depraved enough to despise their own brother, but there it is.

Once again we run into the theme of the Lord asking questions that he already knows the answer to. I'm not sure whether Cain could ever have redeemed himself even if he guilelessly answered the Lord's question about where Abel was, but as it turned out, Cain condemned himself even further. Where in Adam's case Adam's answer to God's questions showesAdam's good intentions in general, Cain's answer condemns him further.

Another thing that I want to bring up is the fact that Abel seems to be a type of Christ in the Bible. Abel is a shepherd; Christ is referred to as the good shepherd. Abel offers an acceptable sacrifice; Christ is the acceptable sacrifice. Abel is innocent of a wrong worthy of death; Christ is innocent of any wrong. Abel is killed by his brother; Christ is "wounded in the house of [his] friends" (Zechariah 13:6). Abel may be the first really close tie-in to Christ that can be found in the Bible. It might be worth bearing in mind throughout how the Bible points to the coming of Christ.

Perhaps it would be a good thing to note here that Enoch, son of Cain and all-around bad guy with a city named after him, is not the same person as Enoch, son of Jared and all-around good guy with a city named after him, who is eventually translated for his righteousness.

Note: One of these days I really will get around to consulting commentaries, but for now, you'll just have to do your own commentary readings on the side. The references I have listed are really very good sources that you can go to.