The Deeper Read – S1E3: The Blood Feud

Every great drama needs a murder.

Jun 20, 2025

You open the next episode of The Bible expecting a family drama. Maybe some sibling tension.

But within five lines, it’s a murder mystery. The firstborn child in human history becomes the first killer. The second-born becomes the first corpse.

And the motive? Jealousy… over God’s approval. Or so that’s what the established narrative claims.

But here’s the twist: the script feels rushed. Motivations are vague. The Lord is playing favorites.

And Cain—yes, Cain—starts to feel like the character who maybe just got the worst edit.

Missed the previous assignment? No problem.
We’re discussing Genesis 4, where jealousy turns deadly,
and the first family drama ends in exile.
You can read that section here: https://biblehub.com/niv/genesis/4.htm

The Sacrificial Edit

Cain and Abel both make offerings. Abel’s is accepted. Cain’s is not.
No explanation given.

Cue audience confusion: Was Cain’s offering actually bad? Or was this a setup? Producer favoritism, maybe? God as the showrunner giving Abel the hero edit?

Or maybe this isn’t about quality… it’s about genre.

Cain brought produce. Abel brought blood.

What if Cain showed up with romcom set dec to a slasher flick—when the script called for gore?

Does God Want Blood?
This moment sets a disturbing tone: blood is rewarded, fruit is rejected.
That choice echoes through the entire Old Testament — from animal sacrifices to Abraham’s near-sacrifice of Isaac. It raises a chilling question: Is this God fueled by love… or blood?
And if so, what exactly is this entity demanding sacrifice really after?
More on that in future episodes…

Cain’s Confessional

Cain starts looking less like a villain… and more like a supporting character who just got sidelined in his own show.

His conversation with God reads like a therapy session—or a producer trying to talk down an actor who’s about to walk off set.

“Sin is crouching at your door,” says the Lord.

But Cain walks out anyway. Was that a warning… or bait?

Listen to the podcast episode here.

The Original Cancelation

Cain kills Abel. No witnesses. No bodicam. Just a field.
And a question from God: “Where is your brother?”

Cain shrugs: “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

“There’s no way he’s pitting us against each other.”

Maybe it’s snark. Or maybe… it’s sincere. Maybe he’s asking:
“Was that supposed to be my job?”

Then comes the twist: God doesn’t kill Cain. He marks him.
And declares: Anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance sevenfold.

The number 7 shows up everywhere in the Hebrew Bible. It means completion. Structure. Divine order.

So this isn’t just a threat—it’s a seal.

Cain may be exiled… but he’s still under contract.

Translation Trouble: A Word Can Kill
Genesis 4:7 is a prime example of how one line can shift meaning:
KJV: “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?”
NIV: “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?”
ESV: “If you do well, will you not be accepted?”
The tone jumps from ominous to encouraging to passive-aggressive dad.
And the image of “sin crouching at your door?” Is it a metaphor? Or could something literally be crouching at the door, awaiting an invitation?

Time Jumps & Ghost Writers

Next thing you know, Cain has a wife. A city. A whole genealogy.

Wait—where did these people come from?

This is the first real break in continuity. A time jump. Or maybe a merge of scripts from different traditions.

Genesis doesn’t slow down to explain. It keeps moving.

One moment we’re in the fallout of a murder. The next, we’re in the spin-off: Cain’s Lineage.

Maybe Genesis is stitching together two competing myths—Cain’s line vs. Seth’s line—like rival studio canons fighting for screen time.

Final Take — The First Murder Was a Rewrite

Cain’s story doesn’t read like pure villainy.

It reads like someone trying to make sense of why violence showed up in the human story so soon.

Maybe the first murder was more than a tragedy. Maybe it was a rewrite.

And if the firstborn child of humanity was edited into a scapegoat… What else is being edited?

We’ll keep reading.

This Week’s Reading Assignment

Genesis 5–6

Giants walk the earth, the heavens start whispering, and the floodgates of judgment creak open.

Link to: Genesis 5-6 (NIV)

Why this version? We’re reading from the NIV — New International Version because it’s easy to read, still close to the original, and basically the industry standard.

See you next week!

The Deeper Read – S1E3: The Blood Feud

Every great drama needs a murder.

The Sacrificial Edit

Does God Want Blood?

Cain’s Confessional

The Original Cancelation

Translation Trouble: A Word Can Kill

Time Jumps & Ghost Writers

Final Take — The First Murder Was a Rewrite

This Week’s Reading Assignment

Genesis 5–6

Further Reading & Receipts

Cain & Abel — Interpretations and Symbolism

Blood Sacrifice & Divine Favoritism

Symbolism of the Number 7 in the Hebrew Bible

Translation Variants & Interpretive Impact

Cain’s Wife & Ancient Genealogy Gaps

🎬 Continue the Series

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