The first family had problems. First, they eat from the forbidden tree. Then their children start fighting. And Cain kills Abel.
How did this happen? The answer is an often mistranslated
verse.
Genesis 4:8 reads, "Cain said to his brother Abel, and while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him."
This verse seems to be missing something. What did Cain say to Abel?
Well, most translations add a phrase telling us that Cain said, "Let's go into the
field."
But in the original Hebrew, Cain says nothing. There is no verse that "let's go into the field." And that's revealing.
Cain does not communicate. He stops talking. He can't verbalize his anger. So he turns to violence. He attacks his brother.
The Bible is teaching—as history has so often
proven— that when words fail, violence begins.
Communicating not only saves lives. It can save marriages, sibling relationships, and the bond between parents and children.
