Person
Abel
The second son; the first martyr, whose acceptable blood-offering is faith's first witness, and whose blood “speaketh better things” in Christ (Heb 11:4; 12:24).
Biography
Key Data
- Era
- Primeval
Abel in Scripture
21 verses use this name, in 10 books. Open a book to read its mentions here. Text: Berean Standard Bible. Names repeat in Scripture — some of these verses may speak of another person called Abel.
First namedGenesis 4:2Later she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil.Last namedHebrews 12:24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Old Testament7 books · 17 mentions
Genesis6 mentions
- Genesis 4:2Later she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil.
- Genesis 4:4while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
- Genesis 4:8Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
- Genesis 4:9And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
- Genesis 4:25And Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another seed in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”
1 further mention in Genesis — read them in the book.
Numbers1 mention
Judges2 mentions
- Judges 7:22And when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded, the LORD set all the men in the camp against one another with their swords. The army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.
- Judges 11:33With a great blow he devastated twenty cities from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel-keramim. So the Ammonites were subdued before the Israelites.
2 Samuel3 mentions
- 2 Samuel 20:14Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel-beth-maacah and through the entire region of the Berites, who gathered together and followed him.
- 2 Samuel 20:15And Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel-beth-maacah and built a siege ramp against the outer rampart of the city. As all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to topple it,
- 2 Samuel 20:18Then the woman said, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Seek counsel at Abel,’ and that is how disputes were settled.
1 Kings3 mentions
- 1 Kings 4:12Baana son of Ahilud in Taanach, in Megiddo, and in all of Beth-shean next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah and on past Jokmeam;
- 1 Kings 15:20And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, conquering Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and the whole land of Naphtali, including the region of Chinnereth.
- 1 Kings 19:16You are also to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet.
2 Kings1 mention
New Testament3 books · 4 mentions
Matthew1 mention
Luke1 mention
Hebrews2 mentions
- Hebrews 11:4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
- Hebrews 12:24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Named alongside
Other people MannaFest has a page for whose name the text uses in Genesis 4, Genesis 50, Numbers 33, Judges 7, Judges 11, 2 Samuel 20, 1 Kings 4 and 1 Kings 15 (the chapters where this name lands most often). Each card shows the verse it came from. Scripture reuses names freely, so a page behind a name here may belong to another person who shares it.
JosephThe rejected-then-exalted son — Genesis's great Christ-type; preserver of his family and of Egypt; the bridge into Exod…Genesis 50:1Then Joseph fell upon his father’s face, wept over him, and kissed him.
GideonThe least of the least, threshing wheat in a winepress when the Angel called him mighty man of valor; he tore down Baal…Judges 7:1Early in the morning Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the men with him camped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh.
JudahJacob's fourth son who pledges himself for Benjamin; the tribe that carries the scepter to Shiloh (49:10) and the line…2 Samuel 20:2So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bichri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
SolomonDavid's son and the third king of Israel; the temple-builder and wisdom-king, to whom Psalms 72 and 127 are ascribed.1 Kings 4:1So King Solomon ruled over Israel,
CainAdam's firstborn; the first murderer, who killed his brother Abel out of jealousy and became the archetype of the way o…Genesis 4:1And Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man,” she said.
DavidSecond king of united Israel, shepherd-turned-monarch, ancestor of the Messiah, and traditional author of many Psalms.2 Samuel 20:1Now a worthless man named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there, and he blew the ram’s horn and shouted: “We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesse’s son. Every man to his tent, O Israel!”
Studies that meet Abel
These studies quote a verse that names Abel.
Studies working in the same chapters1
These do not quote a verse naming Abel; they open other passages in the same chapters.