In Genesis 4:14, who were those people Cain feared would kill him, since after he killed his brother Abel, he was left with only his father and mother on the face of the earth?
It is so sad to realize that the first person ever born was the first murderer. It truly shows the heart of man. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Cain had sought to sacrifice to the Lord, but he insisted in doing it HIS OWN WAY. Instead of being guilty of the ‘true worship of a false God’, Cain was guilty of the ‘false worship of the true God’. The Lord rejected Cain’s sacrifice because it was not what the Lord desired. Genesis 4:5 tells us, “But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.”
The Lord, in His magnificent grace went to Cain as we read in Genesis 4:6-7, “And Jehovah saith unto Cain, `Why hast thou displeasure? and why hath thy countenance fallen? Is there not, if thou dost well, acceptance? and if thou dost not well, at the opening a sin-offering is crouching, and unto thee its desire, and thou rulest over it.” (Young’s Literal Translation). The Lord provided Cain a sin offering so that he might take it and offer it to the Lord. Cain refused and in a jealous rage, killed his brother, Abel. In verses 11-12, the Lord pronounced judgment upon Cain. “And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.”
Now let’s read Genesis 4:13-16, “And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 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. And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.” Cain feared that he would be killed by others. Can we know who these people were? I believe we can.
Let’s read Genesis 5:1-5, “This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.” Here, in describing Adam’s years and the beginning of his genealogy, Cain and Abel aren’t even mentioned. Yet, we are told that he did have a son named Seth and that “he begat sons and daughters.” We read of Seth’s birth in Genesis 4:25, “And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.” It seems likely that Eve gave birth to Seth soon after Abel was killed for he was referred to as “another seed instead of Abel.” Since, in this portion, no child is mentioned prior to Seth, I think we can rightfully assume that Adam and Eve had children prior to and after Seth’s birth. In Adam’s lifespan (930 years) it is likely that he had many children. So, Cain feared being killed by his own family members.
To read about where Cain got his wife, please click on this Answers From the Book link:
https://answersfromthebook.net/where-did-cain-get-his-wife/ (319.6)