Category:Abel (subject)

According to Jewish (Christian, and Islamic) traditions, Abel was the son of Adam and Eve, and was murdered by his brother Cain.

< Life of Abel : Sacrifice of Abel -- Murder of Abel -- Mourning for Abel -- Cain the Accursed >

< Related Characters : Adam -- Eve -- Cain >

• This page is edited by Gabriele Boccaccini, University of Michigan.

Little is said in the ancient tradition of Israel about Abel apart from his role as victim of murder by his own brother Cain. Abel is introduced by the Book of Geneses as the second son of Adam and Eve, and a shepherd whose sacrifice pleased God. The Genesis narrative does not further elaborate on the righteousness of Abel, nor on the motives of Cain's action, as later texts would do.

The episode of the Mourning for Abel by his parents is first introduced by the Book of Dream Visions and the Book of Jubilees.

The Book of the Watchers and the Testament of Abraham, give Abel some role in heaven. In the Book of the Watchers the soul of Abel cries out until God's vengeance is completed. In the Testament of Abraham, Abel acts in heaven as one of the judges of the dead

References

• Cain and Abel / Johannes Tromp / In: The Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism (2010 Collins / Harlow), dictionary, 456-457

• Abel / Richard S. Hess / In: The Anchor Bible Dictionary (1992 Freedman), dictionary, 1:9-10

External links

• Wikipedia

Book of Genesis

Genesis 4:1 (NIV) -- [1] Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain... [2] Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil... [4] Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering... [8] Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. [9] Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"...

Genesis 4:25 (NIV) -- Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, "God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him."

Book of the Watchers

1 Enoch 22 -- [4] " ...I saw (the spirit of) a dead man making suit, [5] and his voice went forth to heaven and made suit. And I asked Raphael the angel who was [6] with me, and I said unto him: 'This spirit which maketh suit, whose is it, whose voice goeth forth and maketh suit to heaven ' [7] And he answered me saying: 'This is the spirit which went forth from Abel, whom his brother Cain slew, and he makes his suit against him till his seed is destroyed from the face of the earth, and his seed is annihilated from amongst the seed of men.'

Book of Dream Visions

1 Enoch 85 -- ...and behold a bull came forth from the earth, and that bull was white; and after it came forth a heifer, and along with this (latter) came forth two bulls, one of them black and 4 the other red. And that black bull gored the red one and pursued him over the earth, and thereupon 5 I could no longer see that red bull. But that black bull grew and that heifer went with him, and 6 I saw that many oxen proceeded from him which resembled and followed him. And that cow, that first one, went from the presence of that first bull in order to seek that red one, but found him 7 not, and lamented with a great lamentation over him and sought him. And I looked till that first 8 bull came to her and quieted her, and from that time onward she cried no more. And after that she bore another white bull, and after him she bore many bulls and black cows.

Book of Jubilees

Jub 4:1-8 -- [1] ... and in the fourth <week in the second jubilee> she (<i.e. Eve> gave birth to Abel... [2] And in the first (year) of the third jubilee, Cain slew Abel because (God) accepted the sacrifice of Abel, and did not accept [3] the offering of Cain. And he slew him in the field: and his blood cried from the ground to heaven, [4] complaining because he had slain him. And the Lord reproved Cain because of Abel, because he had slain him, and he made him a fugitive on the earth because of the blood of his brother... [7] ...And Adam and his wife mourned for Abel four weeks of years, and in the fourth year of the fifth week they became joyful, and Adam knew his wife again, and she bare him a son, and he called his name Seth; for he said 'GOD has [8] raised up a second seed unto us on the earth instead of Abel; for Cain slew him.'

4 Maccabees

4 Macc 18:11 -- [The mother of seven sons said to her children: "Your father] read to you about Abel slain by Cain...

Testament of Abraham

TestAbr 13 -- ...Do you see, most holy Abraham, the terrible man sitting upon the throne? This is the son of the first created Adam, who is called Abel, whom the wicked Cain killed, and he sits thus to judge all creation, and examines righteous men and sinners...

Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 23:35 (NIV) -- And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Gospel of Luke

Luke 11:51 (NIV) -- ...from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.

Letter to the Hebrews

Hebrews 11:4 (NIV) -- By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

Hebrews 12:24 (NIV) -- ...to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Josephus' Antiquitates Iudaicae

Ant 1, 2, 1 -- Adam and Eve had two sons: the elder of them was named Cain; which name, when it is interpreted, signifies a possession: the younger was Abel, which signifies sorrow. They had also daughters. Now the two brethren were pleased with different courses of life: for Abel, the younger, was a lover of righteousness; and believing that God was present at all his actions, he excelled in virtue; and his employment was that of a shepherd. But Cain was not only very wicked in other respects, but was wholly intent upon getting; and he first contrived to plough the ground. He slew his brother on the occasion following : - They had resolved to sacrifice to God. Now Cain brought the fruits of the earth, and of his husbandry; but Abel brought milk, and the first-fruits of his flocks: but God was more delighted with the latter oblation, when he was honored with what grew naturally of its own accord, than he was with what was the invention of a covetous man, and gotten by forcing the ground; whence it was that Cain was very angry that Abel was preferred by God before him; and he slew his brother, and hid his dead body, thinking to escape discovery.