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 (1 Ki. 11$29$).—9. Yahwe opens the inquisition, as in 3$9$, with a question, which Cain, unlike Adam, answers with a defiant repudiation of responsibility. It is impossible to doubt that here the writer has the earlier scene before his mind, and consciously depicts a terrible advance in the power of sin.—10. ''Hark! Thy brother's blood is crying to me, etc.''] denotes strictly the cry for help, and specially for redress or vengeance (Ex. 22$22. 26$, Ju. 4$3$, Ps. 107$6. 28$ etc.). The idea that blood exposed on the ground thus clamours for vengeance is persistently vivid in the OT (Jb. 16$18$, Is. 26$21$, Ezk. 24$7. 8$, 2 Ki. 9$26$): see RS$2$, 417$5$. In this passage we have more than a mere metaphor, for it is the blood which is represented as drawing Yahwe's attention to the crime of Cain.—II. And now cursed art thou from (off) the ground] i.e., not the earth's surface, but the cultivated ground (cf. v.$14$, and see on 2$5$). To restrict it to the soil of Palestine (We. Sta. Ho.) goes beyond the necessities of the case.—which has opened her mouth, etc.] a personification of the ground similar to that of Sheol in Is. 5$14$ (cf. Nu. 16$32$). The idea cannot be that the earth is a monster greedy of blood; it seems rather akin to the primitive superstition of a physical infection or poisoning of the soil, and through it of the murderer, by the shed blood (see Miss Harrison, Prolegomena, 219 ff.). The ordinary OT conception is that the blood remains uncovered (cf. Eurip. Electra, 318 f.). The relation of the two notions is obscure.—12. The curse 'from off the ground' has two sides: (1) The ground will no longer yield its strength (Jb. 31$39$) to the murderer, so that even if he wished he will be unable to resume his husbandry; and

not recognised by the Mass., supports this view of the text. To emend (Ols. al.) or, (Gk.) is less satisfactory.—9. ] [E] .—10. On the interjectional use of, see G-K. § 146 b; Nö. Mand. Gr. p. 482.—] [E], agreeing with (?).—11. ] pregnant constr., G-K. § 119 x, y, ff. This sense of is more accurately expressed by in v.$14$, but is quite common (cf. esp. 27$39$). Other renderings, as from (indicating the direction from which the curse comes) or by, are less appropriate; and the compar. more than is impossible.—12. ] juss. form with (G-K. § 109 d, h; Dav. §§ 63, R. 3, 66, R. 6); fol