Genesis 4:9
New International Version
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

New Living Translation
Afterward the LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?” “I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

English Standard Version
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”

Berean Standard Bible
And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

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

New King James Version
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

New American Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

NASB 1995
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

NASB 1977
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Amplified Bible
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he [lied and] said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Christian Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel? ” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?"” I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother's keeper?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And LORD JEHOVAH said to Qayn, “Where is Habyl your brother?” And he said, “I do not know, for am I my brother’s keeper?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord God said to Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? and he said, I know not, am I my brother's keeper?

Contemporary English Version
Afterwards the LORD asked Cain, "Where is Abel?" "How should I know?" he answered. "Am I supposed to look after my brother?"

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said to Cain: Where is thy brother Abel? And he answered, I know not: am I my brother's keeper?

English Revised Version
And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother's keeper?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD asked Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he answered. "Am I supposed to take care of my brother?"

Good News Translation
The LORD asked Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He answered, "I don't know. Am I supposed to take care of my brother?"

International Standard Version
Later, the LORD asked Cain, "Where's your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he answered. "Am I my brother's guardian?"

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the LORD said unto Cain: 'Where is Abel thy brother?' And he said: 'I know not; am I my brother's keeper?'

Literal Standard Version
And YHWH says to Cain, “Where [is] your brother Abel?” And he says, “I have not known; am I my brother’s keeper?”

Majority Standard Bible
And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

New American Bible
Then the LORD asked Cain, Where is your brother Abel? He answered, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

NET Bible
Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" And he replied, "I don't know! Am I my brother's guardian?"

New Revised Standard Version
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”

New Heart English Bible
Then God said to Cain, "Where is Abel, your brother?" He said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

World English Bible
Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?” He said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah saith unto Cain, 'Where is Abel thy brother?' and he saith, 'I have not known; my brother's keeper -- I?'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Cain Murders Abel
8Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10“What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.…

Cross References
Genesis 3:9
But the LORD God called out to the man, "Where are you?"

Genesis 4:10
"What have you done?" replied the LORD. "The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground.


Treasury of Scripture

And the LORD said to Cain, Where is Abel your brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

Where is.

Genesis 3:9-11
And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? …

Psalm 9:12
When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.

I know.

Genesis 37:32
And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no.

Job 22:13,14
And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud? …

Psalm 10:13,14
Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it

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Abel Brother's Cain Idea Keeper
Genesis 4
1. The birth, occupation, and offerings of Cain and Abel.
8. Cain murders his brother Abel.
11. The curse of Cain.
17. Has a son called Enoch, and builds a city, which he calls after his name.
18. His descendants, with Lamech and his two wives.
25. The birth of Seth,
26. and Enos.














(9) And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother?--It is the beauty of these early narratives that the dealings of the Deity with mankind are all clothed in an anthropomorphic form, for the reasons of which see Note on Genesis 2:7. It seems, then, that Cain at first went away, scarcely conscious of the greatness of his crime. He had asserted his rights, had suppressed the usurpation of his privileges by the younger son, and if he had used force it was his brother's fault for resisting him. So Jacob afterwards won the birthright by subtilty, and would have paid the same fearful penalty but for timely flight, and rich presents afterwards. But Cain could not quiet his conscience; remorse tracked his footsteps; and when in the household Abel came not, and the question was asked, Where is Abel? the voice of God repeated it in his own heart, Where is Abel, thy brother!--brother still, and offspring of the same womb, even if too prosperous. But the strong-willed man resists. What has he to do with Abel? Is he "his brother's keeper?"

Verse 9. - And the Lord said unto Cain. "Probably soon after the event, at the next time of sacrifice, and at the usual place of offering" (Bonar). Where is Abel thy brother? "A question fitted to go straight to the murderer's conscience, and no less fitted to rouse his wrathful jealousy, as showing how truly Abel was the beloved one" (ibid). Whether spoken by Adam (Luther), or whispered within his breast by the still small voice of conscience, or, as is most probable, uttered from between the cherubim, Cain felt that he was being examined by a Divine voice (Calvin). And (in reply) he said (adding falsehood, effrontery, and even profanity to murder), I know not: am I my brother's keeper? The inquiry neither of ignorance nor of innocence, but the desperate resort of one who felt himself closely tracked by avenging justice and about to be convicted of his crime. "He showeth himself alyer in saying, 'I know not; wicked and profane in thinking he could hide his sin from God; unjust in denying himself to be his brother's keeper; obstinate and desperate in not confessing his sin" (Willet; cf. Psalm 10.).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And the LORD
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

said
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Cain,
קַ֔יִן (qa·yin)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7014: Cain -- a city in southern Judah

“Where
אֵ֖י (’ê)
Interrogative
Strong's 335: Where?, how?

[is] your brother
אָחִ֑יךָ (’ā·ḥî·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )

Abel?”
הֶ֣בֶל (he·ḇel)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1893: Abel -- the second son of Adam

“I
אָנֹֽכִי׃ (’ā·nō·ḵî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 595: I

do not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

know!”
יָדַ֔עְתִּי (yā·ḏa‘·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3045: To know

he answered.
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“[Am] I my brother’s
אָחִ֖י (’ā·ḥî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )

keeper?”
הֲשֹׁמֵ֥ר (hă·šō·mêr)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to


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OT Law: Genesis 4:9 Yahweh said to Cain Where is Abel (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 4:8
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