#100: Ishmael by David Quinn (Continued)

Book of Genesis:  Chapter 4:1 thru 4:16

King James Version

4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 

4:2 And she again bare his brother Abel.  And Abel was a keeper  of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 

4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. 

4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.  And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to  his offering: 

4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And  Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 

4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is  thy countenance fallen? 

4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou  doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 

4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass,  when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his  brother, and slew him. 

4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother?  And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? 

4:10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy  brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. 

4:11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened  her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; 

4:12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield  unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be  in the earth. 

4:13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 

4:14 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. 

4:15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth  Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. 

4:16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt  in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. 

Translation according to Ishmael: The agricultural revolution caused man to "plant his seed" with no regard for overpopulation.  He knew that the more land he took, the more enemies he killed, the more animals whose habitats he destroyed, allowed him to cultivate more land, and in turn, increase his population.  He could feed this giant population and did not have to take heed of the word of the gods.  His life was in his own hands.  This was his destiny.

Please read this book.