The Bloods of the Victim and the Curse on the Ground

Rabbi Yudan said: "His blood and the blood of his descendants." (2 Kings 9:26) It is not written here "the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons," but rather "the bloods of Naboth and the bloods of his sons," his blood and the blood of his descendants. The Rabbis say: It is not written "and he died for the blood of the son of Jehoiada," but rather "for the bloods of the son of Jehoiada," his blood and the blood of his descendants. "They cry out to Me." Rabbi Shimon ben Yohai said: The matter is hard to express and the mouth cannot fully explain it. A parable of two athletes who were standing and wrestling before the king. Had the king wished, he could have separated them, but the king did not wish to separate them. One overpowered his fellow and killed him, and the dying man cried out and said, "Who will plead my case before the king?" So "the voice of your brother's bloods," and so forth. To ascend above the blood could not, for the soul had not yet gone up there; and below it could not remain, for no man had yet been buried there; and so his blood was scattered upon the trees and upon the stones. (Genesis 4:11) "And now you are cursed." Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: In three places the Scriptures spoke in abbreviated language: "And now you are cursed"; (Numbers 16:30) "But if the LORD creates a creation"; (Judges 1:35) "And I opened my mouth to the LORD." (verse 12) "When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you." Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yose bar Hanina differed. Rabbi Elazar said: To you it does not give, but to another it gives. Rabbi Yose bar Hanina said: Neither to you nor to another. Similarly, "the field shall bring forth abundant seed," Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Nehemiah differed. Rabbi Yehudah says: One sows a se'ah and gathers a se'ah. Rabbi Nehemiah said: If so, where is sustenance to come from? Rather, that which was fit to produce twenty produces sixteen. (Genesis 4:13-15) "My iniquity is greater than I can bear." To the upper worlds and the lower worlds You bear, yet my transgression You will not bear? Another interpretation: "My iniquity is greater than I can bear," my father, my father, transgressed a light commandment and was banished from the Garden of Eden; this which is a grave transgression, the shedding of blood, how much more so. "Behold, You have driven me out." Yesterday You drove out my father, and now You drive me out; perhaps from before You I shall be hidden.