Chapter IV.—Many Evils Have Already Flowed from This Source in Ancient Times.

For thus it is written:  “And it came to pass after certain days, that Cain brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice unto God; and Abel also brought of the firstlings of his sheep, and of the fat thereof.  And God had respect to Abel and to his offerings, but Cain and his sacrifices He did not regard.  And Cain was deeply grieved, and his countenance fell.  And God said to Cain, Why art thou grieved, and why is thy countenance fallen?  If thou offerest rightly, but dost not divide rightly, hast thou not sinned?  Be at peace:  thine offering returns to thyself, and thou shalt again possess it.  And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go into the field.  And it came to pass, while they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.”19    Gen. iv. 3–8.  The writer here, as always, follows the reading of the Septuagint, which in this passage both alters and adds to the Hebrew text.  We have given the rendering approved by the best critics; but some prefer to translate, as in our English version, “unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”  See, for an ancient explanation of the passage, Irenæus, Adv. Hær., iv. 18, 3.  Ye see, brethren, how envy and jealousy led to the murder of a brother.  Through envy, also, our father Jacob fled from the face of Esau his brother.20    Gen. xxvii. 41, etc.  Envy made Joseph be persecuted unto death, and to come into bondage.21    Gen. xxxvii.  Envy compelled Moses to flee from the face of Pharaoh king of Egypt, when he heard these words from his fellow-countryman, “Who made thee a judge or a ruler over us?  Wilt thou kill me, as thou didst kill the Egyptian yesterday?”22    Ex. ii. 14.  On account of envy, Aaron and Miriam had to make their abode without the camp.23    Num. xii. 14, 15.  Envy brought down Dathan and Abiram alive to Hades, through the sedition which they excited against God’s servant Moses.24    Num. xvi. 33.  Through envy, David not only underwent the hatred of foreigners, but was also persecuted by Saul king of Israel.25    1 Kings xviii. 8, etc.

ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝ ∆’. Γέγραπται γὰρ οὕτως· «Καὶ ἐγένετο μεθ' ἡμέρας ἤνεγκεν Κάϊν ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς θυσίαν τῷ θεῷ, καὶ Ἄβελ ἤνεγκεν καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπὸ τῶν πρωτοτόκων τῶν προβάτων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν στεάτων αὐτῶν. Καὶ ἐπεῖδεν ὁ θεὸς ἐπὶ Ἄβελ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς δώροις αὐτοῦ, ἐπὶ δὲ Κάϊν καὶ ἐπὶ ταῖς θυσίαις αὐτοῦ οὐ προσέσχεν. Καὶ ἐλυπήθη Κάϊν λίαν, καὶ συνέπεσεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεὸς πρὸς Κάϊν· Ἱνατί περίλυπος ἐγένου, καὶ ἱνατί συνέπεσεν τὸ πρόσωπόν σου; Oὐκ, ἐὰν ὀρθῶς προσενέγκῃς, ὀρθῶς δὲ μὴ διέλῃς, ἥμαρτες; Ἡσύχασον· πρὸς σὲ ἡ ἀποστροφὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ σὺ ἄρξεις αὐτοῦ. Καὶ εἶπεν Κάϊν πρὸς Ἄβελ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ· ∆ιέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πεδίον. Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ ἀνέστη Κάϊν ἐπὶ Ἄβελ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτόν.» Ὁρᾶτε, ἀδελφοί, ζῆλος καὶ φθόνος ἀδελφοκτονίαν κατειργάσατο. ∆ιὰ ζῆλος ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ἰακὼβ ἀπέδρα ἀπὸ προσώπου Ἠσαῦ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ. Ζῆλος ἐποίησεν Ἰωσὴφ μέχρι θανάτου διωχθῆναι καὶ μέχρι δουλείας εἰσελθεῖν. Ζῆλος φυγεῖν ἠνάγκασεν Μωϋσῆν ἀπὸ προσώπου Φαραὼ βασιλέως Aἰγύπτου ἐν τῷ ἀκοῦσαι αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὁμοφύλου· «Τίς σε κατέστησεν κριτὴν ἢ δικαστὴν ἐφ' ἡμῶν; μὴ ἀνελεῖν μέ συ θέλεις, ὃν τρόπον ἀνεῖλες ἐχθὲς τὸν Aἰγύπτιον;» ∆ιὰ ζῆλος Ἀαρὼν καὶ Μαριὰμ ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς ηὐλίσθησαν. Ζῆλος ∆αθὰν καὶ Ἀβειρὼν ζῶντας κατήγαγεν εἰς ᾅδου διὰ τὸ στασιάσαι αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὸν θεράποντα τοῦ θεοῦ Μωϋσῆν. ∆ιὰ ζῆλος ∆αυὶδ φθόνον ἔσχεν οὐ μόνον ὑπὸ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπὸ Σαοὺλ βασιλέως Ἰσραὴλ ἐδιώχθη.