Cain and Abel as a (post)colonial tale

• In Event: Bible and its Aftermaths

Abstract

In this lecture I would like I propose to read the Cain and Abel story of Genesis 4 while reflecting on how it could have resonated in Jerusalem of the late Persian period. My starting point is a teaching attributed to Rashbi in Genesis Rabbah, which intriguingly compares Cain and Abel to two “athletes fighting in front of a king”, implicating the divine protagonist who, though capable, chose not to prevent the tragic murder. Building upon this comparison, I intend to draw parallels with the account of Amnon's murder by Absalom in the second book of Samuel, and the implied suggestion of the narrators there that David could have prevented the murder (as well as the rape of Tamar that caused it). Through this comparative analysis, I aim to uncover intertextual links and their potential implications in the context of Jerusalem's socio-political landscape towards the end of the Persian period.
Drawing on insights from scholars like Robert Cover, who highlighted the subversive nature of Genesis, I will propose interpreting the narrative as a form of political critique. This reading, I suggest, offers a lens through which to explore themes relevant to contemporary discourse, potentially qualifying as a postcolonial critique when viewed through a modern lens.

Author

• Ron Naiweld, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)