Lesson 03 – Cain and Abel—Genesis 4:1–5:32

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Genesis 4:1–5:32 (ESV – brief excerpt + 3 parallels each)

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Genesis 4

Gen 4:1 — “Now Adam knew Eve his wife…”
Parallels: Gen 1:28; Gen 3:16; Ps 127:3

Gen 4:2 — “Abel was a keeper of sheep…”
Parallels: Gen 3:23; Heb 11:4; Luke 11:51

Gen 4:3 — “Cain brought… an offering…”
Parallels: Lev 2:1; Heb 11:4; 1 Jn 3:12

Gen 4:4 — “The LORD had regard for Abel…”
Parallels: Heb 11:4; Prov 15:8; Ps 20:3

Gen 4:5 — “For Cain… he had no regard…”
Parallels: Prov 14:29; Jas 1:20; 1 Jn 3:12

Gen 4:6 — “Why are you angry?”
Parallels: Jon 4:4; Eph 4:26; Ps 4:4

Gen 4:7 — “Sin is crouching at the door…”
Parallels: Rom 6:12; 1 Pet 5:8; Jas 1:15

Gen 4:8 — “Cain rose up… and killed him.”
Parallels: Matt 23:35; 1 Jn 3:12; Heb 12:24

Gen 4:9 — “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Parallels: Gen 3:9; Ezek 3:18; Luke 10:29

Gen 4:10 — “Your brother’s blood…”
Parallels: Heb 12:24; Num 35:33; Rev 6:9–10

Gen 4:11 — “You are cursed from the ground…”
Parallels: Gen 3:17; Deut 28:15; Gal 3:10

Gen 4:12 — “You shall be a fugitive…”
Parallels: Deut 28:65; Ps 109:10; Amos 9:4

Gen 4:13 — “My punishment is greater…”
Parallels: Matt 27:4; 2 Cor 7:10; Prov 28:13

Gen 4:14 — “Whoever finds me will kill me.”
Parallels: Gen 9:6; Exod 21:12; Num 35:19

Gen 4:15 — “The LORD put a mark on Cain…”
Parallels: Ezek 9:4; Rev 7:3; Ps 59:11

Gen 4:16 — “Cain went away from the presence…”
Parallels: Gen 3:24; 2 Kgs 17:18; Ps 51:11

Gen 4:17 — “Cain knew his wife…”
Parallels: Gen 5:4; Gen 11:4; Heb 11:10

Gen 4:18 — (Genealogy of Cain)
Parallels: Gen 5:1; 1 Chr 1:1; Luke 3:38

Gen 4:19 — “Lamech took two wives…”
Parallels: Gen 2:24; Matt 19:5; Mal 2:15

Gen 4:20 — “Father of those who dwell in tents…”
Parallels: Gen 9:27; Heb 11:9; Gen 25:27

Gen 4:21 — “Father of all who play the lyre…”
Parallels: Ps 150:3–5; 1 Sam 16:23; 2 Chr 5:13

Gen 4:22 — “Forger of instruments of bronze…”
Parallels: Gen 11:6; Exod 31:3–5; 1 Sam 13:19

Gen 4:23 — “I have killed a man…”
Parallels: Gen 4:8; Matt 5:21–22; Rom 12:19

Gen 4:24 — “Seventy-sevenfold.”
Parallels: Matt 18:22; Prov 20:22; Rom 12:17

Gen 4:25 — “God has appointed… Seth…”
Parallels: Gen 5:3; Gen 3:15; Luke 3:38

Gen 4:26 — “People began to call upon…”
Parallels: Joel 2:32; Rom 10:13; Ps 116:17

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Genesis 5

Gen 5:1 — “Book of the generations…”
Parallels: Gen 1:26; Matt 1:1; Luke 3:38

Gen 5:2 — “Male and female he created them…”
Parallels: Gen 1:27; Mark 10:6; Gen 2:7

Gen 5:3 — “Adam… in his likeness…”
Parallels: Rom 5:12; 1 Cor 15:22; Ps 51:5

Gen 5:4 — “Other sons and daughters.”
Parallels: Gen 4:17; Gen 6:1; 1 Chr 1:1

Gen 5:5 — “And he died.”
Parallels: Rom 6:23; Heb 9:27; Gen 2:17

Gen 5:6 — “Seth lived 105 years…”
Parallels: Luke 3:38; 1 Chr 1:1; Gen 4:25

Gen 5:7 — “Seth… fathered sons…”
Parallels: Gen 5:4; Gen 9:19; Ps 127:3

Gen 5:8 — “And he died.”
Parallels: Rom 5:14; Heb 11:13; Eccl 3:2

Gen 5:9–20 — (Enosh to Jared)
Parallels: Luke 3:37–38; 1 Chr 1:1–3; Rom 5:12

Gen 5:21 — “Enoch lived 65 years…”
Parallels: Luke 3:37; Heb 11:5; Jude 14

Gen 5:22 — “Enoch walked with God.”
Parallels: Mic 6:8; Amos 3:3; Gen 6:9

Gen 5:23 — “All the days of Enoch…”
Parallels: Ps 90:10; Jas 4:14; Eccl 3:2

Gen 5:24 — “God took him.”
Parallels: Heb 11:5; 2 Kgs 2:11; Jude 14–15

Gen 5:25–27 — (Methuselah)
Parallels: Luke 3:37; 1 Chr 1:3; Gen 6:3

Gen 5:28–29 — “Noah… shall bring us relief…”
Parallels: Gen 3:17; Gen 6:8; Rom 8:20–21

Gen 5:30–31 — (Lamech’s years)
Parallels: Ps 90:10; Eccl 1:4; Heb 9:27

Gen 5:32 — “Noah… Shem, Ham, Japheth.”
Parallels: Gen 6:10; Gen 9:18; 1 Pet 3:20

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Pages 1–2: Questions + Answers from the Scripture Citations (Genesis 4:1–5:32)

1) What do you think is the most powerful emotion and why?

Reflection question (no scripture citation attached). Consider fear, love, anger, grief, joy, etc., and explain why.

Ref: —

2) What did Eve say when Cain was born? (Gen 4:1)

Eve acknowledged the LORD’s help in acquiring/bearing a man/son (Cain).

Ref: Gen 4:1

3) What sins were committed for the first time at this point in history? (Gen 4:1–5:32)

This section records the first murder (Cain killing Abel), escalating violence/vengeance (Lamech), and widening rebellion patterns in family and society.

Ref: Gen 4:8; Gen 4:23–24

4) How did the author describe Cain and Abel? (Gen 4:2)

Abel was a keeper of sheep; Cain was a worker of the ground.

Ref: Gen 4:2

5) What did Cain and Abel offer to the Lord? (Gen 4:3–4)

Cain brought an offering from the fruit of the ground; Abel brought firstborn of his flock (and their fat portions).

Ref: Gen 4:3–4

6) How did the Lord react to Cain’s and Abel’s offerings? (Gen 4:4–5)

The LORD regarded Abel and his offering, but did not regard Cain and his offering; Cain became angry.

Ref: Gen 4:4–5

7) What did the Lord tell Cain he needed to do? (Gen 4:6–7)

God warned Cain about sin’s desire and called him to do what is right and rule/master sin rather than be ruled by it.

Ref: Gen 4:6–7

8) What did Cain do? (Gen 4:8)

Cain rose up against Abel and killed him.

Ref: Gen 4:8

9) How did the Lord punish Cain for his sin? (Gen 4:10–16)

Cain was cursed from the ground, his labor would fail, and he would be a wanderer; yet God also warned against vengeance and marked/protected him.

Ref: Gen 4:10–16

10) How did the author describe Lamech? (Gen 4:23–24)

Lamech is depicted as violent and boastful, escalating vengeance (“seventy-sevenfold”).

Ref: Gen 4:23–24

11) With whom did God replace Abel? (Gen 4:25–26)

God gave Seth as another offspring in place of Abel; then people began to call on the name of the LORD.

Ref: Gen 4:25–26

12) How did the author summarize God’s creation of people? (Gen 5:1–2)

Humankind was made in God’s likeness; male and female were created, blessed, and named “Man/Adam” on the day of creation.

Ref: Gen 5:1–2

13) What unique facts do we know about Enoch? (Gen 5:21–24)

Enoch “walked with God,” and he was taken by God (the text does not report a normal death for him).

Ref: Gen 5:21–24

14) What did the author say about Noah? (Gen 5:28–30)

Noah’s name is tied to hope for comfort/relief from painful toil connected to the cursed ground.

Ref: Gen 5:28–30

15) Why did God accept Abel’s offering but not Cain’s?

Reflection question (no scripture citation attached). Compare the posture/priority of the offerings in Gen 4:3–4 and God’s counsel in Gen 4:6–7.

Ref: —

16) Why are family relationships more intense than other relationships?

Reflection question (no scripture citation attached). Discuss shared history, expectations, vulnerability, and sin’s impact in Gen 4.

Ref: —

17) What temptation will you ask God to help you resist?

Application question (no scripture citation attached). Name one temptation and form a simple prayer request for help to resist it.

Ref: —

ANNOTATIONS in Extra Study