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Afterward, the man knew Eve, his wife. Who conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have obtained a man by the LORD.”

And again, she brought forth his brother, Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep; and Cain was a tiller of the ground.

And in process of time, it happened that Cain brought an oblation to the LORD from the fruit of the ground.

And Abel also brought one from the firstfruits of his sheep (and from the fat of them). And the LORD had respect toward Abel, and to his offering.

But to Cain and to his offering He had no regard. Therefore, Cain was exceedingly angry; and his face was cast down.

Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why is your face cast down?

“If you do well, shall you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. Also, his desire shall be subject to you; and you shall rule over him.”

Then Cain spoke to Abel, his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.

Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?” He answered, “I cannot tell. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

10 Again He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the earth.

11 “Therefore, you are now cursed from the earth, which has opened her mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

12 “From now on, when you shall till the ground, it shall not yield her strength to you. A vagabond and a fugitive shall you be on the Earth.”

13 Then Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.

14 “Behold, You have cast me out from the Earth today. And I shall be hidden from Your face and shall be a vagabond and a fugitive on the Earth. And whoever finds me shall kill me.”

15 Then the LORD said to him, “Doubtless, whoever kills Cain, he shall be punished sevenfold.” And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any man finding him should kill him.

16 Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and dwelt in the land of Nod, toward the east side of Eden.

17 Cain also knew his wife, who conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city and called the name of the city by the name of his son, Enoch.

18 And to Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begat Mehujael; and Mehujael begat Methushael; and Methushael begat Lamech.

19 ¶ And Lamech took to him two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

20 And Adah bore Jabal, who was the father of those who dwell in the tents, and of those who have cattle.

21 And his brother’s name was Jubal, who was the father of all who play on the harp and organs.

22 And Zillah also bore Tubal-Cain, who wrought cunningly every craft of brass and of iron. And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.

23 Then Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah, “Hear my voice, you wives of Lamech. Listen my speech. For I would kill a man for wounding me, and a young man who hurts me.

24 “If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy times sevenfold.”

25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son. And she called his name Seth. “For God,” said she, “has appointed another seed to me, to replace Abel, because Cain killed him.”

26 And to the same Seth there was also born a son. And he called his name “Enosh”. Then men began to call upon the Name of the LORD.

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