Texts in Conversation
The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Greek Septuagint translation of Genesis 4:8 add the phrase “Let us go to the field” to fill a narrative gap in the Hebrew version, which describes Cain speaking without actually including what he said.
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Samaritan Genesis 4:8
Samaritan Penteteuch
Samaritan
6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 8 And Cain told his brother Abel – let's go to the field: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. 9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? 10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
Date: 130-120 B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
LXX Genesis 4:8
Septuagint
6 And the Lord God said to Kain, “Why have you become deeply grieved, and why has your countenance collapsed? 7 If you offer correctly but do not divide correctly, have you not sinned? Be still; his recourse is to you, and you will rule over him.” 8 And Kain said to his brother Habel, “Let us go through into the plain.” And it came about when they were in the plain, that then Kain rose up against his brother Habel and killed him. 9 And God said to Kain, “Where is your brother Habel?” And he said, “I do not know; surely I am not my broth- er’s keeper?” 10 And God said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the earth!
Date: 3rd Century B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Within the interval of silence between God and Cain, the narrative unfolds in a moment of conversation between Cain and his brother, which culminated in the murder of Abel. Several ancient versions (such as the Septuagint [LXX], Vulgate [Vg.], Syriac, Samaritan Pentateuch) provide the textual gap in the Masoretic Text’s rendering of Genesis 4:8, ‘And Cain said to his brother Abel …’ Modern versions such as New Jerusalem Bible (NJB), New International Version (NIV), and New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), insert ‘Let us go out to the field’ to verse 8 ..."
Boloje, B.O.
Rethinking Violence Through the Narrative of Genesis 4:1-16
(pp. 1-8) In die Skriflig 55(1), 2021
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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