The Meaning of Genesis 4:14 Explained

Genesis 4:14

KJV: Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

YLT: lo, Thou hast driven me to-day from off the face of the ground, and from Thy face I am hid; and I have been a wanderer, even a trembling one, in the earth, and it hath been -- every one finding me doth slay me.'

Darby: Behold, thou hast driven me this day from the face of the ground, and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a wanderer and fugitive on the earth; and it will come to pass, that every one who finds me will slay me.

ASV: Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the ground; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whosoever findeth me will slay me.

What is the context of Genesis 4:14?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold, thou hast driven me out  this day  from the face  of the earth;  and from  thy face  shall I be hid;  and I shall be a fugitive  and a vagabond  in the earth;  and it shall come to pass,  [that] every one that findeth me  shall slay me. 

What does Genesis 4:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 4:9-26 - Cain's Career
God's first question to the soul is, "Adam, where art thou?" The next, "Where is thy brother?" We are our brother's keepers. All related to us, within our reach, or needing our help have a claim. We must not take advantage of them. Their well-being and our own are inseparable. God keeps an inventory of His saints, and will avenge them. Their blood will cry to God against those who have wronged them. There is only one cry in the world which is stronger-"the blood of Jesus." See Hebrews 12:24. It cries for mercy and pardon. A numerous family sprang from our first parents, and as these intermarried a large population began to people the early seat of human life. Cain founded a city, dedicated to all that ministered to sensuous enjoyment. This was "the way of Cain," brilliant but godless, away from the presence of the Lord. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 4

1  The birth, occupation, and offerings of Cain and Abel
8  Cain murders his brother Abel
11  The curse of Cain
17  Has a son called Enoch, and builds a city, which he calls after his name
18  His descendants, with Lamech and his two wives
25  The birth of Seth,
26  and Enos

What do the individual words in Genesis 4:14 mean?

surely You have driven out me today from the face of the ground and from Your face I shall be hidden and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth and it will come to pass [that] anyone who finds me will kill me
הֵן֩ גֵּרַ֨שְׁתָּ אֹתִ֜י הַיּ֗וֹם מֵעַל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה וּמִפָּנֶ֖יךָ אֶסָּתֵ֑ר וְהָיִ֜יתִי נָ֤ע וָנָד֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וְהָיָ֥ה כָל־ מֹצְאִ֖י יַֽהַרְגֵֽנִי

הֵן֩  surely 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
גֵּרַ֨שְׁתָּ  You  have  driven  out 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: גָּרַשׁ 
Sense: to drive out, expel, cast out, drive away, divorce, put away, thrust away, trouble, cast up.
אֹתִ֜י  me 
Parse: Direct object marker, first person common singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַיּ֗וֹם  today 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
פְּנֵ֣י  the  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה  of  the  ground 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.
וּמִפָּנֶ֖יךָ  and  from  Your  face 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֶסָּתֵ֑ר  I  shall  be  hidden 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: סָתַר  
Sense: to hide, conceal.
וְהָיִ֜יתִי  and  I  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
נָ֤ע  a  fugitive 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נוּעַ  
Sense: to quiver, totter, shake, reel, stagger, wander, move, sift, make move, wave, waver, tremble.
וָנָד֙  and  a  wanderer 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נוּד  
Sense: to shake, waver, wander, move to and fro, flutter, show grief, have compassion on.
בָּאָ֔רֶץ  on  the  earth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְהָיָ֥ה  and  it  will  come  to  pass  [that] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כָל־  anyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מֹצְאִ֖י  who  finds  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
יַֽהַרְגֵֽנִי  will  kill  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: הָרַג  
Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.