Genesis 4:16 Commentary and Bible Study

The words ‘Cain went out from the presence of the Lord’ describe more than simply the end of the conversation. This was Cain’s final departure from the Lord. Now God’s protection was withdrawn from him and he was driven out from the face of the earth, the face of God, and the face of men. What he had in the way of God’s blessing was now taken away, though his life was spared.The land of Nod – the name Nod comes from a Hebrew word meaning to wander, the wandering of an aimless fugitive, and is related to the word used for vagabond in verses 12 and 14. No one has any idea of where that land was, except it was somewhere to the east of Eden. He is to be a nomad. He has got a little region there, where people live, but he has to roam about and find bits of pasture as he can, and pick up any work he can. But at first he tries to avoid the punishment God has allotted to him.