Lives of Scripture

Abel is Adam and Eve's second son, a keeper of flocks alongside his older brother Cain's work tilling the ground (Genesis 4:2). When the brothers each bring an offering to the LORD, Abel brings "of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions" -- the best of what he has -- and the LORD looks with favor on Abel's offering but not on Cain's (4:3-5). Scripture does not fully explain the distinction in the moment, but Hebrews 11:4 supplies the reason retrospectively: "By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous... and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks." Abel's righteousness draws his brother's jealousy rather than admiration; Cain lures him into a field and kills him, making Abel the first human being to die and the first martyr for righteousness in Scripture (4:8; Matthew 23:35 later calls him "righteous Abel"). His blood cries out to God from the ground (4:10) -- and the book of Hebrews draws a striking contrast between that cry and the "sprinkled blood" of Jesus, "which speaks better than the blood of Abel" (Hebrews 12:24): Abel's blood cried out for justice against his killer, while Christ's blood speaks a better word, securing mercy for sinners instead of vengeance against them. Abel's brief life ends in violence, but Scripture treats his faith, not his death, as what still speaks.