Génesis 4
Palabra de Dios para Todos
Caín y Abel
4 El hombre tuvo relaciones sexuales con su mujer Eva. Ella quedó embarazada y dio a luz a Caín[a]. Ella dijo: «¡He tenido un hijo con ayuda del SEÑOR!» 2 Después dio a luz a Abel, el hermano de Caín.
Abel se convirtió en pastor de ovejas y Caín en agricultor.
3 Después de algún tiempo, Caín le llevó al SEÑOR algunos frutos de la tierra como ofrenda. 4 Abel también llevó las mejores crías de sus ovejas.[b] El SEÑOR aceptó a Abel y a su ofrenda que le trajo, 5 pero no aceptó a Caín ni a su ofrenda. Entonces Caín se enojó mucho y se entristeció. 6 El SEÑOR le preguntó: «¿Por qué estás enojado y te ves tan triste? 7 Si tú haces lo bueno yo te aceptaré, pero si haces lo malo, entonces el pecado te estará esperando para atacarte; te quiere dominar pero tú debes dominarlo a él».
8 Caín le dijo a su hermano Abel: «Vayamos al campo».[c] Cuando llegaron, Caín atacó a Abel y lo mató. 9 Luego el SEÑOR le dijo a Caín:
—¿Dónde está tu hermano Abel?
Caín respondió:
—No sé. ¿Acaso es mi deber vigilar a mi hermano?
10 Luego el SEÑOR dijo:
—¿Qué has hecho? La sangre de tu hermano grita desde el suelo pidiendo justicia. 11 Ahora quedarás maldito y expulsado de la tierra que ha bebido la sangre de tu hermano, que tú derramaste. 12 Cuando trabajes la tierra, ya no te dará frutos. Serás un fugitivo y vagarás por el mundo.
13 Caín le dijo al SEÑOR:
—Mi castigo es más de lo que puedo soportar. 14 Hoy me has echado de la tierra y voy a tener que ocultarme de tu presencia. Tendré que ser un fugitivo que vaga por el mundo, ¡pero cualquiera que me vea me matará!
15 Pero el SEÑOR dijo:
—No, quiero que eso ocurra.
Así que proclamó: «El que mate a Caín hará que como pago de su crimen pierdan la vida siete de su pueblo». El SEÑOR hizo esta advertencia para proteger a Caín y así quien lo encontrara no lo matara.
La familia de Caín
16 Caín salió de su encuentro con el SEÑOR y se fue a vivir en una tierra llamada Nod[d], al oriente del Edén. 17 Caín tuvo relaciones sexuales con su mujer, ella quedó embarazada y dio a luz a Enoc. Caín estaba construyendo una ciudad y la llamó igual que a su hijo. 18 Enoc fue el padre de Irad, Irad fue el padre de Mejuyael, Mejuyael fue el padre de Metusael y Metusael fue el padre de Lamec. 19 Lamec se casó con dos mujeres: una llamada Ada y la otra Zila. 20 Ada dio a luz a Jabal, que fue el primero en vivir[e] en carpas y criar ganado. 21 Su hermano se llamaba Jubal, que fue el primero que tocó el arpa y la flauta. 22 Zila dio a luz a Tubal Caín, que fue el primero en trabajar el cobre y el hierro. La hermana de Tubal Caín era Noamá.
23 Lamec les dijo a sus mujeres:
«Ada y Zila, escúchenme:
Mujeres de Lamec, oigan lo que tengo que decir.
Mataré al hombre que me hiera,
y al niño que me lastime.
24 Si por matar a Caín siete perderían la vida,
por matar a Lamec la perderían 77».
Adán y Eva tienen otro hijo
25 Adán volvió a tener relaciones sexuales con su mujer y ella dio a luz a un hijo y lo llamó Set[f], ya que dijo: «Dios me ha dado[g] otro hijo en remplazo de Abel, al que Caín mató». 26 Set también tuvo un hijo al que llamó Enós. En ese tiempo la gente comenzó a invocar al SEÑOR.[h]
Footnotes
- 4:1 Caín En hebreo este nombre se parece a la palabra que significa hacer o conseguir.
- 4:4 Abel […] sus ovejas Textualmente Abel llevó algunas de las primeras crías de sus ovejas, especialmente la grasa.
- 4:8 Vayamos al campo Según versiones antiguas y algunos textos hebreos. TM no tiene estas palabras.
- 4:16 Nod Significa vagando.
- 4:20 el primero en vivir Textualmente padre de los que viven.
- 4:25 Set Esta nombre en hebreo es similar a la palabra que significa dar.
- 4:25 dado En hebreo esta palabra hace alusión al nombre Set.
- 4:26 al SEÑOR Textualmente el nombre de YAVÉ. En las religiones primitivas los dioses necesitan de los hombres para que les hagan sacrificios, y por eso eligen un lugar para sus templos. En el Génesis, el ser humano es quien necesita a Dios y lo busca.
Genesis 4
New King James Version
Cain Murders Abel(A)
4 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore [a]Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.” 2 Then she bore again, this time his brother [b]Abel. Now (B)Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And [c]in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit (C)of the ground to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought of (D)the firstborn of his flock and of (E)their fat. And the Lord (F)respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
6 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is [d]for you, but you should rule over it.”
8 Now Cain [e]talked with Abel his [f]brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and (G)killed him.
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”
He said, (H)“I do not know. Am I (I)my brother’s keeper?”
10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood (J)cries out to Me from the ground. 11 So now (K)you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.”
13 And Cain said to the Lord, “My [g]punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; (L)I shall be (M)hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that (N)anyone who finds me will kill me.”
15 And the Lord said to him, [h]“Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him (O)sevenfold.” And the Lord set a (P)mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.
The Family of Cain
16 Then Cain (Q)went out from the (R)presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of [i]Nod on the east of Eden. 17 And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, (S)and called the name of the city after the name of his son—Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lamech.
19 Then Lamech took for himself (T)two wives: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah. 20 And Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and [j]flute. 22 And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.
23 Then Lamech said to his wives:
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech!
For I have [k]killed a man for wounding me,
Even a young man [l]for hurting me.
24 (U)If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,
Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
A New Son
25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and (V)named him [m]Seth, “For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.” 26 And as for Seth, (W)to him also a son was born; and he named him [n]Enosh. Then men began (X)to call on the name of the Lord.
Footnotes
- Genesis 4:1 Lit. Acquire
- Genesis 4:2 Lit. Breath or Nothing
- Genesis 4:3 Lit. at the end of days
- Genesis 4:7 Lit. toward
- Genesis 4:8 Lit. said to
- Genesis 4:8 Sam., LXX, Syr., Vg. add “Let us go out to the field.”
- Genesis 4:13 iniquity
- Genesis 4:15 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. Not so;
- Genesis 4:16 Lit. Wandering
- Genesis 4:21 pipe
- Genesis 4:23 slain a man for my wound
- Genesis 4:23 for my hurt
- Genesis 4:25 Lit. Appointed
- Genesis 4:26 Gr. Enos, Luke 3:38
Genesis 4
English Standard Version
Cain and Abel
4 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten[a] a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of (A)the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of (B)the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord (C)had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but (D)for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 (E)If you do well, will you not be accepted?[b] And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. (F)Its desire is for[c] you, and you must rule over it.”
8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother.[d] And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and (G)killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, (H)“I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?” 10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood (I)is crying to me from the ground. 11 And now (J)you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My (K)punishment is greater than I can bear.[e] 14 Behold, (L)you have driven me today away from the ground, and (M)from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, (N)and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him (O)sevenfold.” And the Lord (P)put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod,[f] east of Eden.
17 Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives:
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say:
I have killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for striking me.
24 (Q)If Cain's revenge is sevenfold,
then Lamech's is seventy-sevenfold.”
25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed[g] for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26 To (R)Seth also a son was born, and he called his name (S)Enosh. At that time people began (T)to call upon the name of the Lord.
Footnotes
- Genesis 4:1 Cain sounds like the Hebrew for gotten
- Genesis 4:7 Hebrew will there not be a lifting up [of your face]?
- Genesis 4:7 Or to, or toward, or against (see 3:16)
- Genesis 4:8 Hebrew; Samaritan, Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate add Let us go out to the field
- Genesis 4:13 Or My guilt is too great to bear
- Genesis 4:16 Nod means wandering
- Genesis 4:25 Seth sounds like the Hebrew for he appointed
© 2005, 2015 Bible League International
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
