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Library / Commentaries and Disputations on Genesis, Volume I

Book Seven — Cain and Abel

Verses 13 and 14. And Cain said to the Lord: My iniquity is greater than that I may deserve pardon. Behold, you cast me out today from the face of the earth, and from your face I shall be hidden, and I shall be a wanderer and fugitive upon the earth: everyone therefore who finds me shall kill me

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Verses 13 and 14. And Cain said to the Lord: My iniquity is greater than that I may deserve pardon. Behold, you cast me out today from the face of the earth, and from your face I shall be hidden, and I shall be a wanderer and fugitive upon the earth: everyone therefore who finds me shall kill me.1

VERS. 13. & 14. Dixitque Cain ad Dominum: Maior est iniquitas mea, quam ut veniam merear. Ecce eiicis me hodie a facie terrae, & a facie tua abscondar, & ero vagus & profugus in terra: Omnis igitur qui invenerit me, occidet me.

HAEC VERBA dixit Cain perculsus, atque perterritus iis malis, quae ipsi eventura praedixerat Deus. Horum autem verborum Cain, triplex est lectio & interpretatio. Prima est Hebraeorum, qui verba haec legunt per interrogationem in hanc sententiam: Nunquid est maior iniquitas mea quam ut veniam merear? Et sunt verba Cain conquerentis de poena, qua Deus peccatum eius plectebat, quasi esset supra meritum peccati. Non tam immane fuit, inquit, scelus meum, ut non facile a te
THESE WORDS Cain said, struck and terrified by those evils which God had foretold would befall him. Of these words of Cain there is a threefold reading and interpretation. The first is that of the Hebrews, who read these words as a question, in this sense: 'Is my iniquity greater than that I may deserve pardon?' And they are the words of Cain complaining of the punishment with which God struck his sin, as if it were beyond the desert of the sin. 'My crime,' he says, 'was not so monstrous that pardon could not easily [be obtained] from you...'2
a te veniam mereri & impetrare possem. Immerito igitur tam severe ac dure peccatum meum punis.
...I could merit and obtain pardon from you. Undeservedly, therefore, do you punish my sin so severely and harshly.3
ALTERA interpretatio ducitur ex proprietate lectionis Hebraicae, quae ad verbum sic habet [גדול עוני מנשא] gadol Enoni minscho. Magna est iniquitas mea a portare, seu a levare, id est, maior est, quam ut eam viribus sustinere ac perferre possim. Pro Latina voce Iniquitas, Hebraice est [עון] Havon, proprie significans curvitatem. Incedit autem quis curvus, vel ob sensum & dolorem sceleris a se commissi: qualis incedebat David, qui de se dixit, Psalm. 37. Miser factus sum & curvatus sum usque in finem, tota die contristatus ingrediebar. Sed pulchre Baruch incessum & habitum hominis vehementer dolentis peccatum suum expressit, ca. 2 illis verbis: Anima quae tristis est super magnitudinem mali, & incedit curva & infirma, & oculi deficientes, & anima esuriens dat tibi gloriam & iustitiam Domino. Vel incedit aliquis curvus propter acerbum sensum non tam culpae, quam poenae: sicut rex Achab, ut scriptum est in 3. lib. Reg. cap. 21. tremefactus divinis comminationibus sibi per Eliam denunciatis, scidit vestimenta sua, & operuit cilicio carnem suam, ieiunavitque & dormivit in sacco: & humiliatus coram Domino ambulavit demisso capite. Hoc igitur loco, qui religiose student ex Hebraeo convertere & interpretari Sacras litteras, censent vocabulum [עון] Havon, significare non tam culpam quam poenam: quapropter Pagninus sic vertit hunc locum: Maior est punitio mea quam ut feram. Est igitur sensus: Maior est iniquitas mea, id est, iniquitatis meae punitio, quam ut possim eam vivus ferre. Iuvat hanc interpretationem, tum quae proxime antecesserunt de malis Caino praenunciatis, tum quae proxime subiungit ipse Cain. Ecce, inquit, eiicis me hodie a facie terrae, & a facie tua abscondar, & ero vagus & profugus in terra, omnis igitur qui invenerit me, occidet me.
The SECOND interpretation is drawn from the proper sense of the Hebrew reading, which word for word has thus: [גדול עוני מנשא] 'gadol Enoni minscho' — 'Great is my iniquity to bear, or to lift up' — that is, it is greater than that I could sustain and endure it by my strength. For the Latin word 'Iniquity,' in Hebrew it is [עון] 'Havon,' properly signifying curvature. Now one walks bent either from the sense and grief of a crime committed by himself — as David walked, who said of himself, Psalm 37, 'I am made wretched and am bent down to the end, all the day I went about mourning.' But Baruch beautifully expressed the gait and bearing of a man vehemently grieving his sin, in ch. 2, in those words: 'The soul that is sad for the greatness of the evil, and walks bent and infirm, and the failing eyes, and the hungry soul, give you glory and justice, O Lord.' Or one walks bent on account of the bitter sense not so much of guilt as of punishment: as king Ahab, as it is written in the third book of Kings, ch. 21, terrified by the divine threats denounced to him through Elijah, tore his garments, and covered his flesh with sackcloth, and fasted and slept in sack, and, humbled before the Lord, walked with lowered head. In this place, therefore, those who religiously strive to translate and interpret the Sacred writings from the Hebrew judge that the word [עון] 'Havon' signifies not so much guilt as punishment: wherefore Pagninus renders this place thus: 'My punishment is greater than that I may bear it.' The sense, therefore, is: 'My iniquity is greater' — that is, the punishment of my iniquity is greater — than that I could bear it alive. This interpretation is favored both by what immediately preceded concerning the evils foretold to Cain, and by what Cain immediately subjoins: 'Behold,' he says, 'you cast me out today from the face of the earth, and from your face I shall be hidden, and I shall be a wanderer and fugitive upon the earth; everyone therefore who finds me shall kill me.'4
TERTIA interpretatio est congruens cum translatione LXX. interpretum, quae Latine hoc sonat, Maius delictum meum, quam ut remittatur mihi. Quam lectionem haud dubie secutus Latinus interpres, sic vertit: Maior est iniquitas mea, quam ut veniam merear. Hanc lectionem secuti omnes Patres Graeci & Latini, verba haec Cain fere interpretati sunt verba fuisse hominis plane desperantis de misericordia & venia Dei, putantisque peccatum suum esse prorsus irremissibile: quod maius fratricidio scelus fuit, nam illud fuit adversus proximum: hoc autem directe contra infinitam Dei misericordiam & clementiam, quae, ut inquit Scriptura, praestabilis est super malitiam. CAIETANUS non prorsus assentitur huic de Caini desperatione omnium pene consensu firmatae interpretationi probataeque sententiae. Explanans enim hunc locum, Quo, inquit, affectu Cain dixerit, scriptum non est: quisque interpretetur prout suggerit ei Spiritus sanctus, contextus tamen nihil aliud porrigit, quam ut Cain agnoscens gravitatem peccati sui ex ipsa gravitate peccati dubitaverit licitum fore cuilibet ipsum occidere, ad hoc enim tendunt, quae subiungit: Ecce eiicis me, &c. videtur
The THIRD interpretation agrees with the translation of the Seventy interpreters, which in Latin sounds thus: 'My offense is greater than that it should be remitted to me.' Which reading the Latin translator, doubtless following it, rendered thus: 'My iniquity is greater than that I may deserve pardon.' Following this reading, all the Fathers, Greek and Latin, interpreted these words of Cain as having been almost the words of a man plainly despairing of God's mercy and pardon, and thinking his sin utterly irremissible: which was a greater crime than the fratricide, for that was against a neighbor, but this directly against God's infinite mercy and clemency, which, as Scripture says, is prevailing above malice. CAJETAN does not entirely assent to this interpretation and approved opinion about Cain's despair, confirmed by the consensus of almost all. For, explaining this place, he says: 'With what affect Cain said [it], is not written: let each interpret as the Holy Spirit suggests to him; the context, however, offers nothing else than that Cain, recognizing the gravity of his sin, from that very gravity of the sin doubted whether it would be lawful for anyone to kill him — for to this tend the words he subjoins: "Behold, you cast me out," etc.' It seems...5
igitur Caietanus (quantum ex verbis eius licet coniicere) ad secundam interpretationem huius loci magis quam ad tertiam fuisse propensior.
It seems, therefore, that Cajetan (as far as one may conjecture from his words) was more inclined to the second interpretation of this place than to the third.6
S. CHRYSOSTOMUS homil. 19. in Genesim tantum abest, ut putet hanc orationem Caini fuisse desperationem divinae veniae, ut contra affirmet fuisse plenam & absolutam sceleris ab ipso commissi confessionem, sed propterea tamen non fuisse ei utilem, quod intempestiva nimisque sera fuerit, qualis erit in hominibus damnatis tartareo supplicio post diem iudicii peccatorum confessio & poenitentia, quae describitur in lib. Sap. cap. 5. Si autem Cain ea confessione usus fuisset in tempore, tunc scilicet cum Deus interrogans eum de fratre Abel, voluit eum ad confessionem patrati sceleris & poenitentiam adducere, proculdubio veniam a Deo impetrasset. Verum haud scio, an haec Chrysostomi interpretatio & sententia sit probanda, tum quod minime congruit cum antecedentibus & consequentibus huius loci: tum quod nulli mortalium, quoad hanc vitam degit, vera peccatorum confessio & poenitentia, sera & inutilis esse potest. Neque enim Deus illis verbis: Nunc igitur maledictus eris super terram, & caeteris quae sequuntur extremam sententiam adversus Cain, aeternae videlicet reprobationis & condemnationis eius pronunciavit, ut post eam confessio Cain irrita fuerit, sicut putavit Chrysostomus, sed praedixit tantum mala, quae ipsi eventura erant. Neque enim supremum Dei iudicium & sententia, reprobationis & condemnationis hominum fertur in hac vita, sed post mortem.
St Chrysostom (homily 19 on Genesis) is so far from thinking this speech of Cain was a despair of divine pardon, that on the contrary he affirms it was a full and absolute confession of the crime committed by him, but that nevertheless it was not useful to him, because it was untimely and too late — such as, in men damned to the tartarean punishment after the day of judgment, will be the confession and penitence of sins, which is described in the book of Wisdom, ch. 5. But if Cain had used that confession in time — namely, when God, interrogating him about his brother Abel, wished to lead him to confession of the perpetrated crime and to penitence — he would doubtless have obtained pardon from God. But I do not know whether this interpretation and opinion of Chrysostom is to be approved: both because it agrees least with the antecedents and consequents of this place; and because to no mortal, while he passes this life, can true confession and penitence of sins be too late and useless. For God did not, by those words 'Now therefore you shall be cursed upon the earth,' and the rest that follow the extreme sentence against Cain, pronounce his eternal reprobation and condemnation, such that after it Cain's confession was void, as Chrysostom thought; but he only foretold the evils which were going to befall him. For neither is the supreme judgment and sentence of God, of the reprobation and condemnation of men, passed in this life, but after death.7

I WILL SET DOWN here the words of Chrysostom, that from them the reader may plainly know and judge what we have said. He writes thus: 'And Cain said, My sin is greater than that I should be dismissed [pardoned]. Behold, an absolute confession: for he so confessed his crime that it exceeded all diligence, but he got no profit from it, for the confession was untimely; for this ought to be done at the fitting time, when mercy could still be obtained from the judge. Be mindful now, I pray, of what I said a short time ago, that on that terrible day, that judgment cannot be corrupted, and each one of us will despair for [his] sins, seeing before his eyes those terrible torments and inevitable punishments, getting no use thence, destitute of time. For penitence, before the punishment is inflicted, has time and ineffable force. Therefore I beseech, while this wonderful medicine is still effective, let us receive the advantages and fruits thence; and while we are still in the present life, let us not spurn the medicine of penitence, knowing clearly that repentance will then profit us nothing, when the spectacle is dissolved and the time of the contests taken away. But let us return to the subject. For Cain ought then, when he was interrogated by the Lord, "Where is Abel your brother?", to have confessed his sin, and fallen down, and prayed, and sought pardon. And then indeed he rejected the medicine; but now, after the sentence, after the end, after everything, after being accused with a clear voice by the blood lying on the ground, he confesses, and gains nothing thereby — whence the Prophet said, "The just man is the accuser of himself in the beginning of his speech." And here too, if he had anticipated the Lord's rebuke, [he would] altogether [have obtained] mercy...'8

PONAM hic verba Chrysostomi, ut ex his quod diximus plane lector cognoscat, & iudicet. Sic autem scribit: Et dixit Cain, Maius est peccatum meum, quam ut dimittar ego. Ecce absoluta confessio: sic enim confessus est crimen suum, ut omnem excederet diligentiam, sed nihil inde lucri cepit, intempestiva enim confessio fuit: hoc enim facere oportebat tempore congruo quando adhuc impetrari poterat a iudice misericordia. Memores nunc estote, oro, quod ante breve tempus dixi, quod terribili illo die & iudicium illud non poterit depravari, & unusquisque nostrum ob peccata desperabit, videns ante oculos terribilia illa tormenta, & inevitabiles poenas, nullam inde habiturus utilitatem, tempore destitutus. Poenitentia enim priusquam poena inferatur, tempus habet & ineffabilem vim. Proinde obsecro, cum adhuc efficax est mirificum hoc pharmacum, commoda & fructus inde percipiamus: & cum adhuc sumus in praesenti vita, poenitentiae medicamen non aspernemur, scientes liquido, quod nihil tunc nobis paenitudo proderit, cum solutum fuerit spectaculum, & tempus certaminum ablatum. Verum ad institutum redeamus. Oportebat enim tunc Cain cum interrogaretur a Domino: Ubi est Abel frater tuus? confiteri peccatum, & procidere, & orare, & veniam petere. Et tunc quidem medicinam reiecit, nunc autem post sententiam, post finem, post omnia, postquam clara voce accusatus a sanguine in terra iacentis, confitetur, nihilque inde lucrifacit, unde Propheta dicebat: Iustus sui ipsius accusator est in principio sermonis. Et hic quoque si praevenisset Domini reprehensionem, omnino misericordiam

...mercy would he have obtained, on account of the Lord's immense benignity. For there is no sin, however grave it be, that overcomes his mercy, provided at the due time we do penitence and seek pardon. And Cain said, My sin is greater than that I should be dismissed — a sufficient confession, but untimely.' Thus Chrysostom.9

cordiam consecutus fuisset, propter immensam Domini benignitatem. Nullum enim peccatum est quantumcumque grave sit, quod illius misericordiam vincat, modo tempore debito poenitentiam agamus, & veniam petamus. Et dixit Cain, Maius est peccatum meum, quam ut dimittar ego, sufficiens confessio, sed intempestiva. Haec Chrysostomus.

Cuius fortasse sententiam non incommode posset quispiam interpretari de remissione peccati, non quidem quantum ad culpam & poenam aeternam, sed quantum ad poenam temporalem quam Deus ab eo qui peccavit in hac vita luendam, absoluta & immutabili voluntate constituit.
Whose opinion perhaps someone could not inconveniently interpret concerning the remission of sin — not indeed as to the guilt and eternal punishment, but as to the temporal punishment which God, by an absolute and immutable will, appointed to be paid in this life by him who sinned.10

Translator’s notes

  1. New lemma: Genesis 4:13-14 (marginal 'VERS. 13. & 14.'), Cain's response to his sentence. ↩
  2. Cain speaks struck and terrified by the foretold evils. THREEFOLD reading of his words; the FIRST (the Hebrews'): read as a question — 'Is my iniquity greater than that I may deserve pardon?' — Cain complaining that the punishment exceeds the sin's desert. Marginal gloss: 'Triplex interpretatio huius loci.' Catchword 'a te' (continues on the next page). ↩
  3. Conclusion of the first (Hebrew, interrogative) interpretation: Cain, on this reading, protests that his sin is not so great as to be beyond pardon, and that God punishes it too harshly. Odd-side running head 'IN GENESIM, LIB. VII.' number '739'; true printed page 749. ↩
  4. The SECOND interpretation, from the literal Hebrew. GLYPH 4 (Gen 4:13) verified: גדול עוני מנשא (gadol avoni minneso, 'my iniquity is greater than can be borne'; translit. 'gadol Enoni minscho') — greater than my strength can sustain. GLYPH 5 verified: עון (avon / 'Havon,' 'iniquity'), properly signifying 'curvature/bentness' — one walks bent from grief of sin (David, Ps 38:6 'curvatus sum'; Baruch 2:18) or from sense of punishment (Ahab humbled in sackcloth, 1 Kgs 21:27). The Hebraists take 'Havon' as punishment rather than guilt; hence Pagninus: 'My punishment is greater than I may bear.' Sense: the punishment of my iniquity is greater than I can bear alive — favored by the foretold evils and by Cain's next words. Marginal glosses: 'Secunda interpretatio'; 'Translatio huius loci secundum Pagninum.' ↩
  5. The THIRD interpretation, agreeing with the LXX/Vulgate ('My iniquity is greater than that I may deserve pardon'). On this reading, followed by all the Fathers (Greek and Latin), Cain's words are those of a man despairing of God's mercy, thinking his sin irremissible — a graver crime than the fratricide (that against a neighbor, this against God's infinite mercy, which 'is prevailing above malice,' Joel 2:13). CAJETAN dissents from this near-universal reading of despair: with what affect Cain spoke is not written; the context yields only that Cain, recognizing his sin's gravity, doubted whether anyone might lawfully kill him — as his next words ('Behold, you cast me out,' etc.) suggest. Marginal glosses: 'Ioel 2.'; 'Tertia interpretatio'; 'Ambigit Caietanus, dixerit haec verba Cain desperans veniam, necne.' Page footer signature 'BBBB 3'; catchword 'igitur'. ↩
  6. Conclusion of the Cajetan discussion: Cajetan leaned to the SECOND reading (Cain fearing lest anyone might lawfully kill him) rather than the third (despair). Verso running head 'COMMENTARIORVM' number '740'; true printed page 750. ↩
  7. Chrysostom (hom. 19 on Genesis): Cain's words were NOT despair but a full confession — yet useless because too late, like the confession of the damned after judgment (Wisd 5); had he confessed in time (at God's 'Where is Abel?'), he would have obtained pardon. Pererius DISPUTES this: it fits neither the context, nor the truth that no mortal's true penitence is ever too late in this life; God's words to Cain were not a final sentence of eternal reprobation (so a later confession would still avail), but only foretold temporal evils — for God's supreme sentence of reprobation is passed not in this life but after death. Marginal gloss: 'Animadversio in singularem quandam & miram interpretationem & sententiam quam super hoc loco habet Chrysostomus.' ↩
  8. Pererius sets down Chrysostom's own words verbatim (so the reader may judge): Cain's 'My sin is greater than that I should be dismissed' was an absolute but profitless confession, because untimely — like the damned's at judgment. Chrysostom's exhortation: use the 'medicine' of penitence now, in this life, while it avails. Cain ought to have confessed at God's 'Where is Abel?'; instead he confesses only after the sentence, gaining nothing (Prov 18:17, 'the just is his own accuser at the outset'); had he anticipated the rebuke, he would have obtained mercy... Marginal gloss: 'Proverb. 18.' Catchword 'cordiam' (misericordiam; continues on the next page). ↩
  9. End of the Chrysostom quote: Cain would have obtained mercy, for no sin, however grave, overcomes God's mercy if we repent in time; his confession was sufficient but untimely. Marginal gloss: 'Peccatum nullum irremissibile' (no sin is irremissible). Odd-side running head 'IN GENESIM, LIB. VII.' number '741'; true printed page 751. ↩
  10. Pererius's charitable re-reading of Chrysostom: his view could apply not to remission of guilt/eternal punishment, but of the temporal punishment God had fixed by immutable will for Cain to pay in this life (which no later penitence would lift). ↩