David Robinson Army 1SG, firefighter, consultant (CFPS) - retired from all!

While scripture does not specifically state that the brothers Cain and Abel were twins, there is ample evidence to draw that conclusion. The evidence is found primarily in the wording of the text that records their birth (Gen 4:1-2). The clear pattern of speech for recording such events in scripture is to state that the man "knew" (or had relations with) his wife and she bore a son or daughter. If there was a subsequent child, the scripture then tells us that the man knew his wife again and she bore another child (see Gen 4:17, Gen 4:25, and others).

In the record of the births of Cain and Abel this pattern is noticeably absent. After referencing the marital relations between Adam and Eve in verse 1, the birth of Cain is recorded. However, there is no mention of a future sexual encounter resulting in another pregnancy. Unlike some have said, there is no indication of a long pause or time period before the birth of Abel. Eve apparently had just enough time to make the observation that she had "gotten a man with the help of the Lord" before Abel was born.

Some have mistakenly claimed that she named her first child Cain "before" Abel was born indicating that Cain was weaned before she bore Abel. The text neither says that nor supports that theory by inference. In fact, the clear inference from the text is that she bore Cain, then bore Abel in essentially the same birthing event making the boys twins by definition.

Others have mistakenly concluded that even though the boys were born in the same birthing event, Cain's father was Satan (or the serpent from the Garden) while Abel's father was Adam. While I understand that it is theoretically possible (though extremely rare) for a woman to become pregnant with two embryos as a result of sex with two different men, there is absolutely no scriptural reason to draw that conclusion in this case.

To begin with, Satan is a spirit being with no creative power. "Rosemary's Baby" notwithstanding, he has no physical body, nor can he become a man so that he could have sex with a woman. He cannot impregnate anyone with his tricks and illusions ("lying signs and wonders"). If he could, I'm sure there would be billions of little “demonoids” running around down here with physical bodies. Although there are some about whom we may have our suspicions, Satan does not have children in the natural sense!

When the New Testament writers refer to Cain as evil or “of the evil one” (Heb 11:4, 1 John 3:12, Jude 11), they are referring to his spiritual condition as evidenced by his behavior, not to his physical lineage. Jesus often uses the same linguistic device when referring to the Scribes, the Pharisees, Judas Iscariot, and others saying they were of their father the devil, sons of Satan, sons of perdition, devils, etc. The Pharisees boasted in being “sons of Abraham,” which was, indeed, their physical lineage. Jesus changed the narrative by pointing out their spiritual affiliation. Their father was Satan because they followed him and rejected Jesus.

Likewise, Cain’s physical father was Adam, but his spiritual and metaphorical father was Satan because he followed the ways of Satan and rejected the ways of God. Even though Cain was not a righteous man, he was still the son of Adam and Eve and (most likely the twin) brother of righteous Abel as the Bible clearly states.

February 13 2015 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Ezekiel Kimosop

There is no clear biblical evidence to support the view that Cain and Abel may have been twins. Genesis 4:1-2 describes the birth of the two saying (KJV):

"And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 

It appears from Genesis 4:2a that Abel was born long after Cain, given the description in the passage. The Bible here states that she bare again. The Hebrew word "yalad" for bear also means to conceive, bring forth, beget or travail." If the context of "travail" is considered then one may argue that she went into a second labor to give birth to Abel after Cain came first.

However given the break notable in 4:1 after the begetting of Cain and where she gives a name to the Cain, it may be appropriate to suggest that she weaned him first before she conceived again and bore Abel. The Young Literal Translation (YLT) [which is a literal text] states in Genesis 4:2 "and she addeth to bear his brother, even Abel. And Abel is feeding a flock, and Cain hath been servant of the ground."

None of the translations conclusively suggests that the two were twins. 

In the case of Esau and Jacob the Bible clearly describes that they were twins even though Esau came first, with Jacob holding his heel (Gen 25:26).

October 22 2014 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Darenstafford0923@gmail com Stafford

The word again taken back to the Hebrew is continued eve continues in labor so yes they were twin.. That's why they came to God at the same time with there offering.. but in my opinion they had different fathers Christ tells us in st John Chpt 44 vs 7 Who is Cains father..Also God told the serpent I will put enmity between thy seed and the woman seed.

October 23 2014 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Steven Scott Grader for the Ontario Jail Ministry

The Bible doesn't say, so we don't know. It is possible for babies to be born, but not be twins. There are cases of superfetation, in which one baby is conceived, then the other. I know of other conditions where two babies are born, but they are not twins. Again, since the Bible doesn't say, we don't know.

October 28 2014 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Kenneth Heck

The frequency of twin births is so small (currently about 3 per 100 births) that it is a spiritually significant event which the Bible should have recorded if Cain and Abel were actually twins. 

Two sets of twins are recorded in Gen 25: 24 and Gen 38:27, indirectly supporting the position that Abel and Cain were not twins, since they are not specified as such. 

We have to say that absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. The absence of a second statement that Adam knew his wife doesn't mean that he didn't know her. For instance, Gen 29:31-35 records four successive conceptions of Leah, but only mentions once in verse 23 that he "went in unto her."

The long-held traditional view that Abel and Cain were not twins is most likely, in my view.

February 13 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report