What was the mark of Cain in
Genesis 4:15?
By
Jack Kettler
In
this
study, what was God’s mark on Cain (Genesis 4:15)?
“And
the LORD said
unto him, therefore whosoever slayeth Cain,
vengeance shall be taken on him
sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest
any finding him should kill
him.” (Genesis 4:15)
Theories about what the mark was:
A
horn
tattoo on his forehead, dark skin, leprosy on his
face, a wild ghastly look,
and others, shaking and trembling in all his limbs.
Some believe the mark was
inward and not visible, while others believe it was
an outward visible mark.
Strong’s
Lexicon:
“a
mark
א֔וֹת
(’ō·wṯ)
Noun
- common
singular
Strong's
Hebrew
226: 1) sign, signal 1a) a distinguishing mark 1b)
banner 1c) remembrance 1d)
miraculous sign 1e) omen 1f) warning 2) token,
ensign, standard, miracle, proof.”
Strong's
Concordance:
“oth: a sign
Original
Word: אוֹת
Part
of Speech:
Noun Feminine
Transliteration:
oth
Phonetic
Spelling:
(oth)
Definition:
a sign.”
The American Standard Version
renders the
verse:
“And
Jehovah
said unto him, therefore whosoever slayeth Cain,
vengeance shall be
taken on him sevenfold. And Jehovah appointed a sign
for Cain, lest any finding
him should smite him.” (Genesis 4:15)
Ellicott's
Commentary
for English Readers
clears up the mystery of this mark:
“(15)
The Lord
said unto him, Therefore. — Most of the versions
have Not so, which requires
only a slight and probable change of the Hebrew
text.”
“Sevenfold.
— Cain’s
punishment was severe, because his crime was the
result of bad and violent
passions, but his life was not taken because the act
was not premeditated.
Murder was more than he had meant. But as any one
killing him would mean murder,
therefore the vengeance would be sevenfold: that is,
complete, seven being the
number of perfection. Others, however, consider that
Cain’s life was under a
religious safeguard, seven being the sacred number
of creation. In this we have
the germ of the merciful law which set cities of
refuge apart for the
involuntary manslayer.”
“The
Lord set a
mark upon Cain. — This rendering suggests an utterly
false idea. Cain was not
branded nor marked in any way. What the Hebrew says
is, “And Jehovah set,” that
is, appointed, “unto Cain a sign, that no one
finding him should slay him.” In
a similar manner God appointed the rainbow as a sign
unto Noah that mankind
should never again be destroyed by a flood. Probably
the sign here was also
some natural phenomenon, the regular recurrence of
which would assure Cain of
his security, and so pacify his excited feelings.” (1)
In closing:
Was
the
sign literal or figurative? Those who believe the
sign was a mark and
literal have never gotten beyond speculation as to
what the mark was. There is
a place for conjecture, but endless speculations are
unfruitful. In any regard,
God placed this sign on Cain as a pledge of God's
protection, not forgiveness.
Moreover, if the Scriptures are silent, the believer
would follow the same.
“Study
to
shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy
2:15)
Notes:
1.Charles
John
Ellicott, Bible
Commentary for
English Readers, Genesis, Vol.1, (London,
England, Cassell and Company), p.
30.
Mr.
Kettler
has previously published articles in the Chalcedon
Report and Contra
Mundum. He and his wife Marea attend the
Westminster, CO, RPCNA Church. Mr.
Kettler is the author of books defending the
Reformed Faith. Books can be
ordered online at www. Jack Kettler .com