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Genesis 4 has Cain cry that his punishment is too great to endure. The Greek Septuagint changes this to a confession, saying his guilt is too great to be forgiven, transforming a complaint into repentance.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Genesis 4:13
Hebrew Bible
13 Then Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to endure! 14 Look, you are driving me off the land today, and I must hide from your presence. I will be a homeless wanderer on the earth; whoever finds me will kill me!” 15 But the Lord said to him, “All right then, if anyone kills Cain, Cain will be avenged seven times as much.” Then the Lord put a special mark on Cain so that no one who found him would strike him down.
LXX Genesis 4:13
Septuagint
13 And Kain said to the Lord, “My guilt is too great for me to be forgiven! 14 If today you are driving me out from off the earth and I shall be hidden from your face, then I shall be groaning and trembling on the earth, and it will be that anyone who finds me will kill me.” 15 And the Lord God said to him, “Not so! Anyone who kills Kain will let loose seven acts of vengeance.” And the Lord God allocated a sign to Kain so that no one who found him would do away with him.
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Notes and References
"... And Cain said to the Lord God: My guilt is too great for me to be forgiven. -- Septuagint Gen. 4:13 / My sins are too great to bear ... -- Targum Neophyti 4:13 / My iniquity is too great for me to merit forgiveness. -- (Vulgate) Gen. 4:13"
* 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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