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Cain Murders Abel

Adam made love to his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have gotten the man that the Lord promised.” Then she gave birth to another child, Abel, Cain’s brother. Abel was a shepherd, and Cain was a farmer.

Later Cain brought some crops from the land as an offering to the Lord. Abel also brought some choice parts of the firstborn animals from his flock. The Lord approved of Abel and his offering, but he didn’t approve of Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry and was disappointed. Then the Lord asked Cain, “Why are you angry, and why do you look disappointed? If you do well, won’t you be accepted? But if you don’t do well, sin is lying outside your door ready to attack. It wants to control you, but you must master it.”

Cain talked to his brother Abel. Later, when they were in the fields, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

The Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

“I don’t know,” he answered. “Am I supposed to take care of my brother?”

10 The Lord asked, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground. 11 So now you are cursed from the ground, which has received the blood of your brother whom you killed. 12 When you farm the ground, it will no longer yield its best for you. You will be a fugitive, a wanderer on the earth.”

13 But Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can stand! 14 You have forced me off this land today. I have to hide from you and become a fugitive, a wanderer on the earth. Now anyone who finds me will kill me!”

15 So the Lord said to him, “Not so! Anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” The Lord gave Cain a sign so that anyone meeting him would not kill him.

16 Then Cain left the Lord’s presence and lived in Nod [The Land of Wandering], east of Eden.

Cain’s Ten Descendants—Cain to Lamech

17 Cain made love to his wife. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was building a city, and he named it Enoch after his son. 18 To Enoch was born Irad. Irad was the father of Mehujael. Mehujael was the father of Methushael. And Methushael was the father of Lamech.

19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal. He was the first person to live in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the first person to play the harp and the flute. 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubalcain, who made bronze and iron tools. Tubalcain’s sister was Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, listen to me!
Wives of Lamech, hear what I say!
I killed a man for bruising me,
a young man for wounding me.
24 If Cain is avenged 7 times,
then Lamech, 77 times.”

Adam’s Godly Descendants—Adam to Enosh

25 Adam made love to his wife again. She gave birth to a son and named him Seth, because ⌞she said,⌟ “God has given [a] me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”

26 A son was also born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to worship the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. 4:25 There is a play on words here between Hebrew sheth (Seth   ) and shath (given   ).

Cain and Abel

Adam[a] made love to his wife(A) Eve,(B) and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.[b](C) She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth[c] a man.” Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.(D)

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.(E) In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering(F) to the Lord.(G) And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions(H) from some of the firstborn of his flock.(I) The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,(J) but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry?(K) Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door;(L) it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.(M)

Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”[d] While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.(N)

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”(O)

“I don’t know,(P)” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

10 The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.(Q) 11 Now you are under a curse(R) and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you.(S) You will be a restless wanderer(T) on the earth.(U)

13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence;(V) I will be a restless wanderer on the earth,(W) and whoever finds me will kill me.”(X)

15 But the Lord said to him, “Not so[e]; anyone who kills Cain(Y) will suffer vengeance(Z) seven times over.(AA)” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence(AB) and lived in the land of Nod,[f] east of Eden.(AC)

17 Cain made love to his wife,(AD) and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city,(AE) and he named it after his son(AF) Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.

19 Lamech married(AG) two women,(AH) one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments(AI) and pipes.(AJ) 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged(AK) all kinds of tools out of[g] bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, listen to me;
    wives of Lamech, hear my words.
I have killed(AL) a man for wounding me,
    a young man for injuring me.
24 If Cain is avenged(AM) seven times,(AN)
    then Lamech seventy-seven times.(AO)

25 Adam made love to his wife(AP) again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth,[h](AQ) saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”(AR) 26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh.(AS)

At that time people began to call on[i] the name of the Lord.(AT)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 4:1 Or The man
  2. Genesis 4:1 Cain sounds like the Hebrew for brought forth or acquired.
  3. Genesis 4:1 Or have acquired
  4. Genesis 4:8 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Masoretic Text does not have “Let’s go out to the field.”
  5. Genesis 4:15 Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew Very well
  6. Genesis 4:16 Nod means wandering (see verses 12 and 14).
  7. Genesis 4:22 Or who instructed all who work in
  8. Genesis 4:25 Seth probably means granted.
  9. Genesis 4:26 Or to proclaim