Krv brata tvoga vapije meni
Your brother’s blood cries to me

Summary/Abstract: The brotherhood, with its bright and dark sides, is an essential dimension of any human existence. The thrust of the present article is on the close analysis of the main moments of the passage under the consideration. This procedure reveals the powerful message of these biblical lines as well as their actuality. The close reading of the passage showed that some widely accepted interpretations are untenable being deprived of the textual support. The questions raised by this passage are put into the immediate context (the primeval history Gen 1—11) and the broader frame, including some New Testament passages as well. The New Testament interpretation of the figures of Cain and Abel has been briefly discussed against its rabbinic background. The article ends up with the future-oriented solution of the brotherhood problem contained in the teaching of Jesus. Whereas the passage Gen 4,1—16 is instructive and conveys primarily a preventive message regarding the potential bloodshed, Jesus stands for life by demanding from his followers an alternative behavior, which gives up the violence and exercises the forgiveness and love instead.

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