Cain
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m (Some people think that Cain wasn't Adam's son, but the serpent's son. Added it in. Also fixed up an inaccurate phrase in the section "Offspring", which is renamed.) |
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| − | '''Cain''' is the mythical first son of the equally mythical [[Adam]] and [[Eve]] in [[Genesis]]. He is best known as the "first" murderer for having killed his brother [[Abel]], which makes him the first '''[[human]]''' killer in the Bible.<ref>The first killing of '''any life form''' recorded in the bible was by God himself, when he provided furs for Adam and Eve to wear on their way out the gate to the east of Eden.</ref> | + | '''Cain''' is the mythical first son of the equally mythical [[Adam]]<ref>...according to some. Some people believe that [http://heidelberg.wikia.com/wiki/Eve Eve] and the serpent [[Sex|had an affair]], resulting in Cain's birth. Confusing, I know. Check out [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serpent_seed the other wiki] for more.</ref> and [[Eve]] in [[Genesis]]. He is best known as the "first" murderer for having killed his brother [[Abel]], which makes him the first '''[[human]]''' killer in the Bible.<ref>The first killing of '''any life form''' recorded in the bible was by God himself, when he provided furs for Adam and Eve to wear on their way out the gate to the east of Eden.</ref> |
God had cursed the very soil, which caused it to grow thorny weeds. When Adam's firstborn son, Cain, was old enough, he joined his father in working in the fields. Adam's second-born son, Abel, preferred to just walk around the hills with his [[sheep]], which could not even be eaten because God did not authorize a meat diet for humanity until after the Flood (Genesis 9:3). The only thing Abel could do with his sheep is offer them to God as a burnt offering. | God had cursed the very soil, which caused it to grow thorny weeds. When Adam's firstborn son, Cain, was old enough, he joined his father in working in the fields. Adam's second-born son, Abel, preferred to just walk around the hills with his [[sheep]], which could not even be eaten because God did not authorize a meat diet for humanity until after the Flood (Genesis 9:3). The only thing Abel could do with his sheep is offer them to God as a burnt offering. | ||
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To save Cain from being murdered by vengeful persons ''(though who they would have been is not clear as Cain and Abel were the first children of Adam and Eve, the first humans)'', "God" placed a "mark" on Cain. The nature of this mark is nowhere specified but is taken to be a '''dark skin complexion''' by white [[racism|racists]] seeking justification for their attitude. | To save Cain from being murdered by vengeful persons ''(though who they would have been is not clear as Cain and Abel were the first children of Adam and Eve, the first humans)'', "God" placed a "mark" on Cain. The nature of this mark is nowhere specified but is taken to be a '''dark skin complexion''' by white [[racism|racists]] seeking justification for their attitude. | ||
| − | == | + | ==Descendants== |
| − | Cain's grandsons | + | Cain's great×4-grandsons Jabal, Jubal, and Tubalcain are respectively named in Genesis as the founders of pastoralism, [[music]], and metalworking. [[Biblical literalism|Biblical literalists]] have used this section of Genesis 4 as "proof" that cultures practicing pastoralism bear the mark of God's disapproval.<ref>Music and metalworking, however, are apparently just fine.</ref> Of course, several respected [[Old Testament]] figures like [[Abraham]], [[Jacob]], [[Old Testament Joseph|Joseph]], [[Moses]] after [[Exodus]] were also pastoralists. It should be noted that most pastoralist groups are traditionally [[polygamy|polygynous]]. |
==Known hobbies and pop culture== | ==Known hobbies and pop culture== | ||
Revision as of 14:54, 12 November 2011
| Hey kids, it's time for some |
| Remember them from Sunday school? |
Cain is the mythical first son of the equally mythical Adam[1] and Eve in Genesis. He is best known as the "first" murderer for having killed his brother Abel, which makes him the first human killer in the Bible.[2]
God had cursed the very soil, which caused it to grow thorny weeds. When Adam's firstborn son, Cain, was old enough, he joined his father in working in the fields. Adam's second-born son, Abel, preferred to just walk around the hills with his sheep, which could not even be eaten because God did not authorize a meat diet for humanity until after the Flood (Genesis 9:3). The only thing Abel could do with his sheep is offer them to God as a burnt offering.
One day, Cain brought, in good faith, some of the fruit of the ground he had managed to grow (despite the soil being cursed) to God to offer in thanksgiving, but God didn't respect his offering, despite Cain being the first-born and natural heir to Adam's ministry, because it didn't involve killing at all. So Cain decided to kill his brother. As punishment, God told soil not to yield anything for him.
To save Cain from being murdered by vengeful persons (though who they would have been is not clear as Cain and Abel were the first children of Adam and Eve, the first humans), "God" placed a "mark" on Cain. The nature of this mark is nowhere specified but is taken to be a dark skin complexion by white racists seeking justification for their attitude.
Contents |
Descendants
Cain's great×4-grandsons Jabal, Jubal, and Tubalcain are respectively named in Genesis as the founders of pastoralism, music, and metalworking. Biblical literalists have used this section of Genesis 4 as "proof" that cultures practicing pastoralism bear the mark of God's disapproval.[3] Of course, several respected Old Testament figures like Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses after Exodus were also pastoralists. It should be noted that most pastoralist groups are traditionally polygynous.
Known hobbies and pop culture
According to those strange, cult-like roleplayers, Cain was also the world's first vampire. Elsewhere, Cain also lends himself to wrestler Kane, the once-masked-but-now-largely-naked half-brother of The Undertaker. In the increasingly bizarre Command & Conquer franchise, arch-villain Kane was eventually revealed to be several thousand years old and implied to actually be the Biblical Cain himself. Cain's brother, Abel, probably doesn't receive as many pop culture nods because, frankly, Cain is a much more badass name.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ ...according to some. Some people believe that Eve and the serpent had an affair, resulting in Cain's birth. Confusing, I know. Check out the other wiki for more.
- ↑ The first killing of any life form recorded in the bible was by God himself, when he provided furs for Adam and Eve to wear on their way out the gate to the east of Eden.
- ↑ Music and metalworking, however, are apparently just fine.