is assumed that Yahwe's presence is confined to the cultivated land; in other words, that He is the God of settled life, agricultural and pastoral. To conclude, however, that He is the God of Canaan in particular (cf. 1 Sa. 2619), is perhaps an over-hasty inference. (2) The reign of right is coextensive with Yahwe's sphere of influence: the outer desert is the abode of lawlessness; justice does not exist, and human life is cheap. That Cain, the convicted murderer, should use this plea will not appear strange if we remember the conditions under which such narratives arose.
15. What follows must be understood as a divinely
appointed amelioration of Cain's lot: although he is not
restored to the amenities of civilised life, Yahwe grants
him a special protection, suited to his vagrant existence,
against indiscriminate homicide.—Whoso kills Ḳayin (or
'whenever any one kills Ḳ'), it (the murder) shall be avenged sevenfold] by the slaughter of seven members of the
murderer's clan. See below.—appointed a sign for Ḳayin]
or set a mark on Ḳ. The former is the more obvious
rendering of the words; but the latter has analogies, and
is demanded by the context.
The idea that the sign is a pledge given once for all of the truth of
Yahwe's promise, after the analogy of the prophetic (
Hebrew characters), is certainly
consistent with the phrase (Hebrew characters) . . . (Hebrew characters): cf. e.g. Ex. 1525, Jos. 2425 with
Ex. 102 etc. So some authorities in Ber. R., IEz. Tu. al. But Ex. 411a
proves that it may also be something attached to the person of Cain
(Calv. Ber. R., De. and most); and that (Hebrew characters) may denote a mark appears
from Ex. 139. 16 etc. Since the sign is to serve as a warning to all and
sundry who might attempt the life of Cain, it is obvious that the second
view alone meets the requirements of the case: we must think of something
about Cain, visible to all the world, marking him out as one
whose death would be avenged sevenfold. Its purpose is protective
and not penal: that it brands him as a murderer is a natural but
mistaken idea.—It is to be observed that in this part of the narrative
Ḳayin is no longer a personal but a collective name. The clause
(Hebrew characters) (not (Hebrew characters), or (Hebrew characters)) has frequentative force (exx. below), implying
that the act might be repeated many times on members of the tribe
Ḳayin: similarly the sevenfold vengeance assumes a kin-circle to
which the murderer belongs. See, further, p. 112.
necessary to avoid confusion between subj. and obj.—15. (Hebrew characters)] (Greek characters)
(GΣΘ) implies (Hebrew characters): so SV; but this would require to be followed
by (Hebrew characters).—(Hebrew characters)] see G-K. § 116 w; cf. Ex. 1215, Nu. 3530, 1 Sa. 213 311
etc.—(Hebrew characters)] The subj. might be (Hebrew characters) (as v.24) or (more probably) impers.
(Ex. 2121), certainly not the murderer of Cain.—(Hebrew characters)] = '7 times':
G-K. § 134 r. Vns.: G (Greek characters); Aq. (Greek characters)
