Chapter4shows the spread of sin from Adam"s family to the larger society that his descendants produced. Not only did sin affect everyone, but people became increasingly more wicked as time passed. Human self-assertion leads to violence. Genesis 4:1-16 show that the Fall affected Adam and Eve"s children as well as themselves. Genesis 4:17-26 trace what became of Cain and Seth and their descendants. Note that the chapter begins and ends with the subject of worship. [source][source][source]
God had warned Adam and Eve about sin. Even Song of Solomon , Cain murdered his brother, the beginning of sibling rivalry, because God accepted Abel"s offering but not his own. Sibling rivalry plagued each of the godly families in Genesis. Cain denied responsibility for his sin and objected to the severity of God"s punishment. God graciously provided protection for Cain in response to his complaint. Chapter3gives the cause and chapter4the effect. [source][source][source]
There are structural and conceptual parallels between this pericope (section of verses) and the previous one ( Genesis 2:4 to Genesis 3:24). [1][source]
AScene1 (narrative): Cain and Abel are active, Yahweh passive ( Genesis 4:2-5).BScene2 (dialogue): Yahweh questions Cain ( Genesis 4:6-7).CScene3 (dialogue and narrative): Cain and Abel are alone ( Genesis 4:8).B"Scene4 (dialogue): Yahweh confronts Cain ( Genesis 4:9-14).A"Scene5 (narrative): Yahweh is active, Cain passive ( Genesis 4:15-16). [source][source][source]
Both stories conclude with the sinners leaving God"s presence and going to live east of Eden ( Genesis 3:24; Genesis 4:16). [source][source][source]
". . . though the writer of Genesis wants to highlight the parallels between the two stories, he does not regard the murder of Abel simply as a rerun of the fall. There is development: sin is more firmly entrenched and humanity is further alienated from God." [2][source]