Internet Verse Search Commentaries Word Analysis ITL - draft

Genesis 4:9

NETBible	Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”¹ And he replied, “I don’t know! Am I my brother’s guardian?”²
NIV © biblegateway Gen 4:9	Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don’t know," he replied. "Am I my brother’s keeper?"
NASB © biblegateway Gen 4:9	Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" And he said, "I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?"
NLT © biblegateway Gen 4:9	Afterward the LORD asked Cain, "Where is your brother? Where is Abel?" "I don’t know!" Cain retorted. "Am I supposed to keep track of him wherever he goes?"
MSG © biblegateway Gen 4:9	GOD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "How should I know? Am I his babysitter?"
BBE © SABDAweb Gen 4:9	And the Lord said to Cain, Where is your brother Abel? And he said, I have no idea: am I my brother’s keeper?
NRSV © bibleoremus Gen 4:9	Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?"
NKJV © biblegateway Gen 4:9	Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?"
[+] More English


KJV	And the LORD <03068> said <0559> (8799) unto Cain <07014>_, Where <0335> [is] Abel <01893> thy brother <0251>_? And he said <0559> (8799)_, I know <03045> (8804) not: [Am] I my brother's <0251> keeper <08104> (8802)_?
NASB © biblegateway Gen 4:9	Then the LORD <03068> said <0559> to Cain <07014> , "Where <0335> is Abel <01893> your brother <0251> ?" And he said <0559> , "I do not know <03045> . Am I my brother's <0251> keeper <08104> ?"
LXXM	kai <2532> CONJ eipen {V-AAI-3S} o <3588> T-NSM yeov <2316> N-NSM prov <4314> PREP kain <2535> N-PRI pou <4225> ADV estin <1510> V-PAI-3S abel <6> N-PRI o <3588> T-NSM adelfov <80> N-NSM sou <4771> P-GS o <3588> T-NSM de <1161> PRT eipen {V-AAI-3S} ou <3364> ADV ginwskw <1097> V-PAI-1S mh <3165> ADV fulax <5441> N-NSM tou <3588> T-GSM adelfou <80> N-GSM mou <1473> P-GS eimi <1510> V-PAI-1S egw <1473> P-NS
NET [draft] ITL	Then the Lord <03068> said <0559> to <0413> Cain <07014> , “Where <0335> is your brother <0251> Abel <01893> ?” And he replied <0559> , “I don’t <03808> know <03045> ! Am I <0595> my brother’s <0251> guardian <08104> ?”
HEBREW	ykna <0595> yxa <0251> rmsh <08104> ytedy <03045> al <03808> rmayw <0559> Kyxa <0251> lbh <01893> ya <0335> Nyq <07014> la <0413> hwhy <03068> rmayw (4:9) <0559>

NETBible

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”¹ And he replied, “I don’t know! Am I my brother’s guardian?”²

NET Notes

¹sn Where is Abel your brother? Again the Lord confronts a guilty sinner with a rhetorical question (see Gen 3:9-13), asking for an explanation of what has happened.

²tn Heb “The one guarding my brother [am] I?”

²sn Am I my brother’s guardian? Cain lies and then responds with a defiant rhetorical question of his own in which he repudiates any responsibility for his brother. But his question is ironic, for he is responsible for his brother’s fate, especially if he wanted to kill him. See P. A. Riemann, “Am I My Brother’s Keeper?” Int 24 (1970): 482-91.