Genesis 4:10 kjv

And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

Genesis 4:10 nkjv

And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground.

Genesis 4:10 niv

The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.

Genesis 4:10 esv

And the LORD said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.

Genesis 4:10 nlt

But the LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground!

Genesis 4 verses

Genesis 4 10 Meaning

Genesis 4:10 records God's confrontation with Cain after Abel's murder. God's rhetorical question, "What hast thou done?" highlights His omniscience and Cain's undeniable guilt. The powerful imagery of "thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground" signifies the shedding of innocent life as an atrocity that God inherently perceives and demands justice for. It emphasizes the inherent sanctity of human life and that bloodshed creates a spiritual cry for divine intervention and retribution from the very earth that receives it.

Genesis 4 10 Context

Genesis chapter 4 details the first human family outside the Garden of Eden, following the expulsion of Adam and Eve. It introduces their sons, Cain and Abel, farmers and shepherds respectively. The chapter establishes themes of sin, divine acceptance, divine rejection, human rebellion, jealousy, and ultimately, murder. Prior to verse 10, Cain's offering is rejected by God while Abel's is accepted, leading to Cain's wrath, a divine warning to master sin, and Cain's subsequent luring of Abel into the field and murdering him. God's confrontation in verse 10 immediately follows this act, setting the stage for the first judicial proceeding in human history and the unfolding consequences of humanity's deepest sin.

Genesis 4 10 Word analysis

• And he said, What hast thou done?
  • And he said (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyō’mer): Indicates divine speech, direct communication from God. God is initiating the interrogation.
  • What hast thou done? (מֶה עָשִׂיתָ - meh ‘āsîtā): This is not an informational query but a rhetorical question by an omniscient God. It serves to elicit confession, highlight the severity of the act, and underscore Cain's responsibility. It mirrors God's earlier question to Adam: "Where art thou?" (Gen 3:9), demonstrating God's consistent approach in seeking acknowledgment of sin before declaring consequences. It is an indictment.
• the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
  • the voice (קוֹל - qōl): This Hebrew word means sound, voice, cry. Here, it personifies the blood, giving it an active agency. It is not just the silence of death, but an active, audible protest to God. It indicates a clear, undeniable appeal.
  • thy brother's blood (דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ - d’mê ‘āḥîḵā): "Bloods" is plural. While some interpret it as merely stylistic, many scholars view it as signifying the complete destruction of Abel's life (plural of intensity/magnitude), or possibly the multitude of his descendants that were not born. It also highlights that the blood, the very life force, is what is communicating. Biblically, blood is intrinsically linked to life (Lev 17:11).
  • crieth (צֹעֲקִים - tsō‘ăqîm): A strong verb, "to cry out," often used for a desperate plea for justice or help in times of distress (e.g., Exod 2:23 - Israel's cry under oppression; Pss 142:1 - a desperate prayer). Here, the blood itself is acting as an insistent, inescapable witness and accuser before the divine court.
  • unto me (אֵלַי - ’ēlay): Directly to God. Emphasizes that the crime is against God's divine order and sanctity of life. God is the ultimate judge and arbiter of justice.
  • from the ground (מִן־הָאֲדָמָה - min-hā’ăḏāmāh): "The ground" or "the earth." The very element that absorbed the life of Abel now becomes a witness and an agent of accusation. This connects to Adam's origin from the ground (Adamah) and the subsequent curse on the ground. It signifies that even nature testifies to gross sin.

Genesis 4 10 Bonus section

The Hebrew word for "ground," adamah, shares its root with Adam (man), indicating a deep connection between humanity and the earth. When Cain sheds Abel's blood upon the adamah, he pollutes the very source from which humanity sprang, effectively corrupting creation. This intimate connection elevates the gravity of the murder beyond a mere personal offense, making it an offense against the Creator and the created order. The land is no longer merely inert ground but becomes an active participant in revealing human sin.

Genesis 4 10 Commentary

Genesis 4:10 marks a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative, revealing God's absolute commitment to justice and the profound significance of human life. God's question to Cain is not due to ignorance but serves as an invitation for repentance and an affirmation of divine awareness. The most striking element is the personification of Abel's blood, which does not simply spill but actively "cries out" from the ground. This imagery underscores the belief that shedding innocent blood creates an injustice so grievous that it pollutes the land and demands divine attention and retribution. The life, contained in the blood, becomes a voiceless yet powerful witness that compels God's judgment.

This cry for justice echoes throughout Scripture, establishing a precedent that acts of violence and injustice will not go unheard by God (e.g., the cry of the oppressed, Jas 5:4; the martyrs' cry, Rev 6:9-10). While Abel's blood cries for justice and implicitly for vengeance, its spiritual parallel and ultimate contrast is found in Hebrews 12:24. There, the blood of Jesus "speaks a better word" than that of Abel. Abel's blood signifies condemnation and separation due to sin, leading to a curse, while Christ's blood speaks of forgiveness, atonement, and reconciliation, bringing forth a new covenant grounded in mercy rather than retribution for the redeemed.

This verse teaches humanity that even the most hidden transgressions are known to God and that all life, uniquely created in God's image, is sacred and its wanton destruction carries an eternal weight and consequence, forever registering with the divine.