Abstract:
Genesis 4:1–16 is a well-known narrative following the ejection of Adam and Eve from the
garden. It is an essential aspect of Genesis’ theological unity that consists of a combination of
stories that show separation within family and state. The narrative is rich in alternating
developmental plot and served as a significant pointer to the divine-human relationship.
Obviously, at a time and in settings in which it has become increasingly painful to look at life, as
individuals and communities witness the collapse of the pillars of social life, this article identified
values and principles, and offered perspectives for dealing with the sequence of violence in
order to create possibilities for communal solidarity. In view of the fact that the narrative is rich
in its developmental plot, this article exegetically highlighted the textual sub-units in the
narrative and theologically attempted to rethink violence from the perspectives ofthe perpetrator
and the victim in God’s creation. The theological datum of the article is that violence in the
narrative of Genesis 4:1–16 is an offshoot of perceived divine arbitrariness in which the
perpetrator is unable to acknowledge divine prerogative. Consequently, the failure of people to
manage their dissatisfaction and to control their impulses in the face of incomprehensible divine
arbitrariness, hides the inevitability of violent conflict in daily human experiences.
CONTRIBUTION : The article drew theological and moral implications that will challenge
contemporary readers of the Cain-Abel narrative, who are faced with the most profound
existential issues of human relationship and thus struggle with violent behaviours of
individuals and groups, to embrace its instructive potential for faith and life.
