Bible Names

Cain: meaning of the name

Cain means “possession, or possessed.”
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869)boy name

Cain in Hebrew and Greek

קַיִן H7014

Qayin (kah'-yin) — Kajin, the name of the first child, also of a place in Palestine, and of an Oriental tribe

the same as H7013 (קַיִן) (with a play upon the affinity to H7069 (קָנָה));

Κάϊν G2535

Káïn — Cain, (i.e. Cajin), the son of Adam

of Hebrew origin (H07014);

Who named Cain in the Bible

Cain in Scripture

“Cain” appears in 17 verses of the King James Version; here are the first 8.

  • Genesis 4:1

    And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.

  • Genesis 4:2

    And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

  • Genesis 4:3

    And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.

  • Genesis 4:5

    But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

  • Genesis 4:6

    And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

  • Genesis 4:8

    And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

  • Genesis 4:9

    And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?

  • Genesis 4:13

    And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.