In brief
Abel is the second son of Adam and Eve, brother of Cain. He is a shepherd and offers Yahweh the firstborn of his flock. God looks favorably on him and on his offering. Out of jealousy, Cain kills him in the field. The letter to the Hebrews explains that by faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice, that he was commended as righteous and that he still speaks, though dead. He is remembered for a living faith and the gravity of hatred between brothers.
What does the name Abel mean?
The name Abel is generally linked to a Hebrew word evoking breath or vapor, which may suggest the brevity of his life. Genesis gives no direct explanation of the name. It only says that Eve bore his brother Abel as well (Genesis 4:2).
The story of Abel
Two brothers, two trades
Genesis 4:1-2Adam knows Eve, who bears Cain and says she has gotten a man with Yahweh's help. She then bears his brother Abel. Abel becomes a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. The two brothers grow up in the same home, with different trades but the same God to honor.
Two offerings
Genesis 4:3-5In the course of time, Cain brings an offering of the fruit of the ground to Yahweh. Abel, for his part, brings some of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. Yahweh looks favorably on Abel and his offering, but not on Cain and his. Cain is very angry and his face falls.
The murder
Genesis 4:6-8Yahweh speaks to Cain and warns him that sin crouches at the door and that its desire is for him, but that he must rule over it. Cain does not change. He speaks with his brother, and in the field he rises up against Abel and kills him. It is the first murder recounted in the Bible.
The blood that cries out
Genesis 4:9-11God asks Cain where his brother Abel is. Cain answers that he does not know and asks whether he is his brother's keeper. God tells him that the voice of his brother's blood cries to him from the ground. Abel is dead, but God hears his voice. Cain is cursed from the ground.
Abel, an example of faith
Hebrews 11:4 and 12:24The New Testament comes back to Abel to make him the first example of faith. By faith he offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, was commended as righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and he still speaks, though dead. The blood of Jesus speaks even better.
What Abel teaches us
- Give God your best, like Abel who offered the firstborn of his flock.
- Faith pleases God: it is faith that gives an offering its value, not its appearance.
- Do not let jealousy or anger rule you: sin crouches at the door.
- God hears the voice of the victims of injustice and does not forget their blood.
- The testimony of a life of faith keeps speaking long after death.
Key verses
Abel offers the firstborn of his flock and their fat, and Yahweh looks favorably on him and on his offering. God looks at the person before the gift.
God says to Cain: “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground.” Abel can no longer speak, but God hears him. This verse reminds us that divine justice watches over the innocent.
By faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, was commended as righteous and still speaks, though dead. The verse gives the key to the story: faith, and not only the act.
Sermons about Abel
Frequently asked questions
Who was Abel in the Bible?
Abel was the second son of Adam and Eve, brother of Cain. A shepherd, he offered God the firstborn of his flock and God accepted his offering. Cain, out of jealousy, killed him. The New Testament presents him as a man of faith, commended as righteous.
What does the name Abel mean?
The name Abel is generally linked to a Hebrew word evoking breath or vapor, which may recall the brevity of his life. Genesis gives no direct explanation of the name, so this is a cautious interpretation.
Where can I find the story of Abel in the Bible?
The story of Abel is found in Genesis 4:1-16. He is then cited in the letter to the Hebrews: in 11:4 as an example of faith, and in 12:24 where the blood of Jesus is compared to that of Abel. Jesus also mentions him in Matthew 23:35.