Mark of Cain

Origin of: Mark of Cain

Mark of Cain

According to the Bible, this was the mark that God put on Cain to protect him, from Genesis 4:15, “And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.” The Bible does not give any further information on what the mark was. Some Christians from the 17th century onwards believed it to be black skin, perhaps only to salve their conscience for engaging in the slave trade.