Cain and Abel

Cultural  

1. The first children of Adam and Eve, born after the Fall of Man. Once, when they were grown men, both Cain and Abel offered sacrifices to God. When Cain saw that Abel's pleased God whereas his did not, Cain murdered his brother out of jealousy. For his crime, Cain was exiled by God to a life of wandering in a distant land.

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God “set a mark upon Cain” to protect him in his wanderings. The “mark of Cain” now refers to an individual's or humankind's sinful nature.

Example Sentences

Instead of a modern reworking of the Cain and Abel story, this revival offers something more subdued — a TV movie pleading for sympathy.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2025

What might the references to Moses and Cain and Abel tell us about Quran’s early audience?

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

Exactly as you said, it will be a Cain and Abel story that is essentially the senior brother gets the money, the title, basically the job, that is to say the king.

From Salon • Dec. 8, 2022

Dr. Bito, who was raised Catholic, was particularly interested in Old Testament stories — such as those of Adam and Eve, and Cain and Abel — and how they might be reinterpreted.

From Washington Post • Dec. 6, 2021

In the morn of creation, men had light by direct revelation, for Adam, Cain and Abel talked with the Lord.

From A Voice of Warning An introduction to the faith and doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Pratt, Parley P.