So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Parallel translations
- WEB Cain left Yahweh’s presence, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
- KJV And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
- NKJV Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden.
- NASB Then Cain left the presence of the Lord, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
- NLT So Cain left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Cain departs from the Lord's presence and settles in the land of Nod, east of Eden. It pictures life lived in self-chosen separation from God.
Overview
Cain goes out from God's presence into a land whose name suggests wandering, settling further east, away from Eden. His departure marks a deepening estrangement, the trajectory of a line that lives apart from God. The movement away from Eden traces humanity's growing alienation that only God's redemptive plan will reverse.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Jer 23:39therefore I will surely forget you and will cast you out of My presence, both you and the city that I gave to you and your fathers.
- Job 2:7So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and infected Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.
- Exod 20:18When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sounding of the ram’s horn, and the mountain enveloped in smoke, they trembled and stood at a distance.
- Gen 4:14Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
- Gen 3:8Then the man and his wife heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the breeze of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
- 2 Kgs 24:20For because of the anger of the LORD, all this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until He finally banished them from His presence. And Zedekiah also rebelled against the king of Babylon.
- Jer 52:3For because of the anger of the LORD, all this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until He finally banished them from His presence. And Zedekiah also rebelled against the king of Babylon.
- 2 Kgs 13:23But the LORD was gracious to Israel and had compassion on them, and He turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day, the LORD has been unwilling to destroy them or cast them from His presence.
- John 1:3Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.
- Luke 13:26Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’
- Job 20:17He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream.
- Ps 5:11But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever shout for joy. May You shelter them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.
- 1 Th 1:9For they themselves report what kind of welcome you gave us, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God
- Matt 18:20For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them.”
- John 1:10He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.
- Job 1:12“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
- Ps 68:2As smoke is blown away, You will drive them out; as wax melts before the fire, the wicked will perish in the presence of God.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 4:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.