Knowing The Word in Genesis 4:13-16, East of Eden

13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face [like Adam and Eve] I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” [Cain has a fear of retribution, but from whom? There is no one else around but his parents.] 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold [a turn of speech for full divine retribution].” [Cain’s premature death would cut short his sentence, so God won’t let it happen.] And the Lord put a mark on Cain [Cain sounds like “shall be punished” in Hebrew, which hints at divine retribution], lest any who found him should attack him. 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. [The story begins with Cain and Able trying to get close to God through worship and ends with Cain being banished from the presence of God. Sin separates man from God. “Nod” means “wandering,” which is Cain’s future. Note: in this section “Able” and “brother” occur 7 times and “Cain” 14 times when v. 17 is included. The last verse of chapter 4 contains the 70th mention of God.]