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.”

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Cain speaks to the LORD immediately after his curse is pronounced, describing the immediate consequences of his expulsion. He addresses God at the precise moment the judgment of being driven from the ground takes effect.

The words — The Hebrew גֵּרַ֨שְׁתָּ (ge.Rash.ta) translates literally as "you have driven away," and פְּנֵ֣י (pe.Nei) means "the face" or "surface." These terms ground the verse in both physical displacement and the loss of God's visible presence.

The thread — The motif of God hiding His face runs to Psalms 143:7, while the fear of being slain connects to the avenger of blood in Numbers 35:19. The narrative thread closes in Genesis 4:15, where God explicitly overrides Cain's fear by placing a protective mark on him.

Why it lands — The text demands the reader acknowledge the concrete reality of being cut off from divine presence and human community. It requires accepting that divine judgment operates independently of human fear or the threat of blood vengeance.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

הֵן֩henhere!גֵּרַ֨שְׁתָּge.Rash.tayou have driven away אֹתִ֜י'o.T/i<obj.>/ me הַיּ֗וֹםhai./Yomthis/ day מֵעַל֙me./'Alfrom/ on פְּנֵ֣יpe.Nei[the] surface of הָֽאֲדָמָ֔הha./'a.da.Mahthe/ ground וּמִפָּנֶ֖יךָu./mi./pa.Nei./khaand/ from/ before/ you אֶסָּתֵ֑ר'e.sa.TerI will be hidden וְהָיִ֜יתִיve./ha.Yi.tiand/ I will be נָ֤עna'a wanderer וָנָד֙va./Nadand/ a fugitive בָּאָ֔רֶץba./'A.retzon the/ earth וְהָיָ֥הve./ha.Yahand/ it will be כָל־khol-every מֹצְאִ֖יmo.tze.'/I[one who] finds/ me יַֽהַרְגֵֽנִי׃Ya.har.Ge./nihe will kill/ me

King James Version

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.

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.
Job 15:20 A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.
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.
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.
Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
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,
Genesis 4:15 “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.
Genesis 9:5 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:
Numbers 35:21 or if in hostility he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death; he is a murderer. When the avenger of blood finds the murderer, he is to kill him.
Numbers 35:27 and the avenger of blood finds him outside of his city of refuge and kills him, then the avenger will not be guilty of bloodshed,