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If Adam and Eve were the first people that God created and Cain and Abel were their offspring, why does Cain say in Genesis 4, verse 14, that he was scared to go to the wilderness when God cast him out if there were no other people created at that time other than Cain, Adam, and Eve. Did Cain really know the depth of his sin when he killed his brother. That was the first murder in human history. Some might call it an accident. How did Cain know how to kill another human?

The Holy Book of Genesis, Chapter 4, reveals the conception and birth of the three most important children of Adam and Eve. Cain was the first born, Abel was the first martyr of the Old Testament, and the Lord Jesus Christ came through the lineage of Seth. It is evident that Adam and Eve had many more children as mentioned in Genesis 5:1-4. Thus, Cain knew that the world would populate, but he would no longer have shelter in his father's house. In addition, Cain also understood his own rage, and knew that strife, envy, violence, and death would always exist in this world. Cain feared God's curse and retribution, but showed no remorse; yet, God showed him mercy and sent him into exile rather than death by another's man hand.

"Death entered into the world through the envy of the devil" (St. Basil's Divine Liturgy Prayer of Reconciliation). Until Adam and Eve took from the forbidden tree, all that they knew was purity and joy. However, when they disobeyed and sinned, their eyes were opened to good and evil (Genesis 3). When God perceived the strife building up in Cain's heart against his brother Abel, He spoke to him and counseled him: "So the Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.'" (Genesis 4:6-7). It was clear that Cain understood the magnitude of the evil that he had committed as he revealed when he spoke directly to God: "And Cain said to the Lord, 'My punishment is greater than I can bear! Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.'" (Genesis 4:13-14). As for the act of killing, Adam and his sons may have killed animals in order to provide clothing, sandals, furniture, shelter, etc. Adam and Eve learned this from God when He sacrificed an animal to clothe them: "Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them" (Genesis 3:21). Abel presented God with an acceptable oblation: "As You have received the gifts of the righteous Abel" (Sunday Matins, Litany of the Oblations). Cain had witnessed life and death first-hand. Humanity was gifted with a free will. What steers this will is the conscience. Thus, Joseph the righteous knew right from wrong and what would please or displease God even before the prophet Moses received the Ten Commandments.