We do not know how much time elapsed between the sacrifice and what we read in these verses. Cain and Abel had been talking to each other. When they were in the field together, something terrible happened—something that shows that the power of sin had come to dominate Cain’s life. Cain could no longer control himself. He could not stand it that Abel was accepted by the Lord and he was not. Here we find the first description of hatred that leads to murder.
Cain attacked his brother and killed him. Abel is the first human being to die as a result of the fall. The first man who dies, dies through murder. That is how deeply sin has intervened in the life of mankind.
The Lord came to Cain. He asked, Where is your brother Abel?
Then Cain lied. It shows that people who are controlled by sin just live for themselves. The love for God has been lost and thus also the love for their neighbour (see Matthew 22:37–40).
The apostle John recalls this history in his first letter when he writes, By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous
(1 John 3:10–12).
The Lord shows Cain that he knows what happened. He let it be known that Abel’s blood was crying out. His blood cried out to God in heaven. There are other examples of people who were in great need and where the Lord let it be known that he had heard them (e.g., Exodus 3:7; Exodus 22:21–24).
The Lord did not let Cain go unpunished. He did not let him off the hook. He would experience that the Lord rewards those who seek him
(see Hebrews 11:6). People who do not seek God and go their own way will be punished. Abel actually sought the Lord in faith while Cain refused. And he still refused to do so, even now (see Hebrews 11:4).
The punishment for Cain is that the ground will yield even less for him than what he was used to until now. He would have to keep looking for new ground in order to survive. As a result, he would become a wanderer on this earth. It would be necessary for him to move on again and again. He would become a refugee who cannot find rest anywhere. Fear of others would dominate his life. Fear that someone may arise to punish him for what he had done to Abel. Cain’s life would be devoid of comfort and peace.
We can also read about Cain and Abel in the New Testament, in the following places: Matthew 23:35; Hebrews 12:24; and Jude 1:11.
8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.