Cain and Abel were the first and second sons of Adam and Eve. Born after Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, Cain grew up to become a farmer, and Abel became a shepherd.
When it was time for the two men to present an offering to the Lord, Abel brought a few of the firstborn of his flock, including the best portions, and dedicated them to the Lord. Cain brought some of his produce to the Lord, but not his best offering from the fields. The Lord accepted Abel’s offering and was pleased – but Cain’s offering was rejected.
Cain was furious. He asked why he had been rejected, and the Lord reminded him that when he did something, he should do it right. Cain should have brought the best of what he had, just as Abel had done – anything less was allowing sin to “crouch at the door” and wait for entry into his less-than-wholesome heart.
Cain’s jealousy against his brother grew too big for him to control. He took Abel out into the fields with him and there, he killed him in a jealous, murderous rage.
Soon after, the Lord asked Cain, “What is your brother?” and Cain responded, “I know now. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
The Lord knew what had happened, and he said to Cain that Abel’s blood had called out to him from the ground, and since Cain had done such a wicked thing, he would be forever cursed. The ground upon which he had killed his brother would no longer bear fruit, and he could no longer be a farmer, cultivating the land. Instead, he would wander aimlessly for the rest of his life, having no place to rest.
And in order to make certain that Cain suffered throughout his days and remembered his crime, God put a mark upon him so that no one would harm him or kill him – so he would wander the earth until he died, and no one would be able to ease the pain in his soul.
Abel was believed to be the first murder victim, and Cain to be the first murderer. The story is sometimes seen as a continuation of the exodus from the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve sinned against God by eating from the forbidden Tree. It is also seen as the place where evil against fellow man began.
Meant to serve as a lesson to those who would be jealous of others, it reminds us to look at ourselves if we are jealous, and see what in us might be lacking. For Cain, it was the pride and arrogance of believing that giving only a small portion of his best was good enough – Abel, on the other hand, gave his all and then some, and he was the one who won God’s favor.