Cain
was a wilderness wanderer, exiled for the sin of murdering his brother Abel. But—did he wander with a dog by his side?
Cain, frightened at the prospect of being alone and vulnerable, cries out to God, “My punishment is more than I can bear . . . . Whoever finds me will kill me” (Gen. 4). Then God, in mercy, swears that anyone who harms Cain will be punished sevenfold. And to ensure his safety, God gives the man a protective “mark.” Do Not Harm.
What was this “mark”? We don’t know. The Hebrew word can mean “mark” or “sign” or “token.” I love the freedom of Jewish interpreters to do midrash, imagining when the silence of the text seems to demand it, reading between the lines. The midrash surrounding Cain tends to interpret whatever God gave him as a token, and my favorite of these speculations is—a dog. The Midrash Rabbah teaches that when Cain cried out to God in fear of murderers or wild beasts who might kill him for his crime, God gave Cain a dog to accompany him. God could not spare him his wilderness wandering, but God would not make Cain go it alone.
Perhaps the dog protected Cain, dogs can do that. But it must be that God knew Cain’s worst fear and direst punishment would be a rambling form of solitary confinement. If God would not let even Cain walk alone, we can be sure a divine companion lopes alongside us whenever we walk the wilderness.
COMPANIONS ON THE WAY
Introduction
Stories of Turning
Week One
Stories of Wild Places
Week Two
Stories of Dogged Faith
Week Three
Stories of Mercy & Forgiveness
Week Four
Stories of Simplicity & Joy
Week Five
Stories of Prayer & Surrender
Week Six
Stories of Transforming Love
Matt Edwards says
When all else had deserted me back in early 2012 my dog Dixie stood by my side..she was just a puppy but would just sit beside me quietly..knowingly.
David Anderson says
That was your God given token of consolation and hope.
Cathy H. says
That last sentence! Thank you for your hopeful and interesting (never would have thought a dog) reflections.
David Anderson says
Me neither, which is why that midrash really grabbed my attention and my heart.