Original Word: הֶבֶל
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Hebel
Pronunciation: HEH-bel
Phonetic Spelling: (heh'-bel)
KJV: Abel
NASB: Abel
Word Origin: [the same as H1892 (הֶבֶל הֲבֵל - vanity)]

1. Hebel, the son of Adam

Abel

The same as hebel; Hebel, the son of Adam -- Abel.

see HEBREW hebel

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
the second son of Adam
NASB Translation
Abel (8).

II. הֶ֫בֶל, הָ֑בֶל proper name, masculine (perhaps id quod Assyrian ablu, son, COT^Gloss; compare also We^{Skizzen iii.70}: derivation from I. הֶבֶל not probable) second son of Adam Genesis 4:2 (twice in verse); Genesis 4:4 (twice in verse); Genesis 4:8 (twice in verse); Genesis 4:9,25.

Identity and Family Context

Abel is the second son of Adam and Eve and the younger brother of Cain. His life is sketched entirely within Genesis 4, where every occurrence of his name appears. Though his narrative span is brief, Abel’s account establishes foundational themes of worship, faith, martyrdom, and divine justice.

Canonical Appearances

Genesis 4:2, 4:2, 4:4, 4:4, 4:8, 4:8, 4:9, 4:25. Outside the Hebrew canon, Abel is referenced as a paradigm of righteousness in Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51; Hebrews 11:4; 12:24; and 1 John 3:12.

Occupation and Daily Life

“Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil” (Genesis 4:2). Abel’s vocation as a shepherd positions him as the prototype pastoralist in Scripture. The domestication of flocks supplied meat, milk, wool, and animals suitable for sacrifice—an occupation that foreshadows Israel’s later pastoral culture and the imagery of the Good Shepherd.

Worship and Sacrifice

“And Abel brought the finest portions of the firstborn of his flock, and the Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering” (Genesis 4:4). Abel’s offering is the earliest recorded animal sacrifice. Scripture highlights its quality (“the finest portions” and “firstborn”), indicating wholehearted devotion. Hebrews 11:4 affirms that Abel’s sacrifice was “offered in faith,” underscoring the primacy of motive over mere ritual.

Divine Acceptance and Rejection

God “looked with favor on Abel and his offering,” but not on Cain’s. The narrator stresses the close link between the worshiper and the offering: acceptance or rejection of the gift corresponds to acceptance or rejection of the giver. This principle shapes later sacrificial theology, culminating in the necessity of a perfect, acceptable sacrifice in the person of Jesus Christ.

Murder and Bloodguilt

“Then Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let us go out to the field.’ … Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him” (Genesis 4:8). Abel becomes the first human victim of murder and the first martyr for righteousness. The Lord’s ensuing interrogation (“Where is your brother Abel?”) and verdict establish the sanctity of human life and the concept of blood crying out for justice (Genesis 4:10). Abel’s blood becomes a perpetual testimony against violence and injustice, later contrasted with “the blood of sprinkling that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel” (Hebrews 12:24).

Theological Themes

1. Faith and Worship: Abel prefigures salvific faith—approaching God on His terms with an acceptable sacrifice.
2. Righteous Suffering: His violent death introduces the motif of the righteous sufferer, later embodied supremely in Jesus Christ.
3. Divine Justice: God’s response illustrates His vigilance over innocent blood and His right to avenge wrongdoing, themes revisited throughout the Law and the Prophets.
4. Brotherhood and Human Solidarity: Cain’s failure to be his brother’s keeper contrasts with Christ, the true Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep.

Historical and Cultural Resonance

Early Jewish and Christian literature viewed Abel as the archetypal martyr. Rabbinic tradition sometimes links his death with the institution of burial. Church Fathers saw in Abel a type of Christ: a shepherd slain by the envy of the wicked, whose blood cried for justice, while Christ’s blood secures mercy.

Ministry and Discipleship Application

• Authentic Worship: Abel reminds believers that God values faith-filled sacrifice above formality.
• The Cost of Righteousness: Leaders preparing God’s people must reckon with potential suffering for truth.
• Pastoral Care: The shepherd vocation of Abel invites ministers to model vigilant, sacrificial care.
• Justice and Mercy: Abel’s blood calls for justice; Christ’s blood satisfies it. The church must proclaim both divine justice against sin and the mercy available through the gospel.

Legacy in Redemptive History

Abel’s brief life casts a long shadow: his accepted sacrifice sets a standard, his blood inaugurates the biblical witness to martyrdom, and his memory anticipates a greater Shepherd whose death would not merely cry for justice but would secure eternal redemption.

הֶ֔בֶל הֶ֖בֶל הֶ֙בֶל֙ הֶ֣בֶל הֶ֥בֶל הָ֑בֶל הבל וְהֶ֨בֶל והבל hā·ḇel hāḇel Havel he·ḇel heḇel hevel veHevel wə·he·ḇel wəheḇelInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts