Illustration created for this project.
Abel
The second son of Adam and Eve, a shepherd whose offering pleased God; murdered by his brother Cain.
What we know — and how we know it
Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 1
Ancient writers — non-biblical testimony · 1
Scholarly — supported scholarly belief · 1
Family & lineage
Death & legacy
Scan by NYPL — Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Ancient writersJosephus narrates Abel's righteousness and his murder by Cain in the Antiquities of the Jews (Book 1).
Josephus, Antiquities 1.52-59 — a paraphrase of the Genesis account, so dependent tradition rather than independent evidence.
Name & titles
ScholarlyAbel renders the Hebrew Hevel (הֶבֶל), meaning 'breath, vapour, fleetingness' — the same word translated 'vanity' throughout Ecclesiastes. Many scholars read the name as an ironic foreshadowing of the brevity of his life.
Onomastic analysis of Hebrew hevel; a minority instead links it to Akkadian aplu, 'son.'
Where in scripture
GenesisMatthewLukeHebrews
Genesis 4:2Genesis 4:4Genesis 4:8Genesis 4:9Genesis 4:25Matthew 23:35Luke 11:51Hebrews 11:4Hebrews 12:24
Family
In art
