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Genesis 4 – Chiasm
Abbreviated Chiasm
A – ADAM IS INTIMATE WITH HIS WIFE (1a)
B – CAIN ENTERS (1b)
C – CAIN AND THE GROUND (2-3)
D – ABEL AND BLOOD (4)
E – GOD REJECTS CAIN (5a)
F– CAIN CONTROLLED BY EMOTIONS (5b-6)
G – MORAL OF THE STORY (7a)
G’ – MORAL OF THE STORY (7b)
F’ – CAIN CONTROLLED BY EMOTIONS (8)
E’ – CAIN REJECTS ABEL (9)
D’ – ABEL AND BLOOD (10)
C’ – CAIN AND THE GROUND (11-15)
B’ – CAIN LEAVES (16)
A’ – CAIN IS INTIMATE WITH HIS WIFE (17)
Rearranged Chiasm
A – ADAM IS INTIMATE WITH HIS WIFE (1) Adam was intimate with his wife Eve,
A’ – CAIN IS INTIMATE WITH HIS WIFE (17) Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son.
B – CAIN ENTERS and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have had a male child with the LORD’s help.”
B’ – CAIN LEAVES (16) Then Cain went out from the LORD’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
C – CAIN AND THE GROUND (2) Then she also gave birth to his brother [ach] Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground. (3) In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the LORD.
C’ – CAIN AND THE GROUND (11) So now you are cursed, alienated, from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s [ach] blood you have shed. (12) If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” (13) But Cain answered the LORD, “My punishment is too great to bear! (14) Since You are banishing me today from the soil, and I must hide myself from Your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.” (15) Then the LORD replied to him, “In that case, whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” And He placed a mark on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him.
D – ABEL AND BLOOD (4) And Abel also presented an offering — some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The LORD had regard for Abel and his offering,
D’ – ABEL AND BLOOD (10) Then He said, “What have you done? Your brother’s [ach] blood cries out to Me from the ground!
E – GOD REJECTS CAIN (5) but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering.
E’ – CAIN REJECTS ABEL (9) Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother [ach] Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s [ach] guardian?”
F– CAIN CONTROLLED BY EMOTIONS Cain was furious, and he looked despondent. (6) Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent?
F’ – CAIN CONTROLLED BY EMOTIONS (8) Cain said to his brother [ach] Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother [ach] Abel and killed him.
G – MORAL OF THE STORY (7a) If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted?
G’ – MORAL OF THE STORY (7b) But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”
Original Chiasm
A – ADAM IS INTIMATE WITH HIS WIFE (1) Adam was intimate with his wife Eve,
B – CAIN ENTERS and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have had a male child with the LORD’s help.”
C – CAIN AND THE GROUND (2) Then she also gave birth to his brother [ach] Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground. (3) In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the LORD.
D – ABEL AND BLOOD (4) And Abel also presented an offering — some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The LORD had regard for Abel and his offering,
E – GOD REJECTS CAIN (5) but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering.
F– CAIN CONTROLLED BY EMOTIONS Cain was furious, and he looked despondent. (6) Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent?
G – MORAL OF THE STORY (7a) If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted?
G’ – MORAL OF THE STORY (7b) But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”
F’ – CAIN CONTROLLED BY EMOTIONS (8) Cain said to his brother [ach] Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother [ach] Abel and killed him.
E’ – CAIN REJECTS ABEL (9) Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother [ach] Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s [ach] guardian?”
D’ – ABEL AND BLOOD (10) Then He said, “What have you done? Your brother’s [ach] blood cries out to Me from the ground!
C’ – CAIN AND THE GROUND (11) So now you are cursed, alienated, from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s [ach] blood you have shed. (12) If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” (13) But Cain answered the LORD, “My punishment is too great to bear! (14) Since You are banishing me today from the soil, and I must hide myself from Your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.” (15) Then the LORD replied to him, “In that case, whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” And He placed a mark on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him.
B’ – CAIN LEAVES (16) Then Cain went out from the LORD’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
A’ – CAIN IS INTIMATE WITH HIS WIFE (17) Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son.
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