Genesis 3:22-4:18

English Standard Version

²² Then the Lord God said, ^(A)“Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand ^(B)and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” ²³ therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden ^(C)to work the ground from which he was taken. ²⁴ He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the ^(D)cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

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 ^(E)the fruit of the ground, ⁴ and Abel also brought of ^(F)the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord ^(G)had regard for Abel and his offering, ⁵ but ^(H)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 (I)If you do well, will you not be accepted?^[b] And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. ^(J)Its desire is contrary to^[c] you, but 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 ^(K)killed him. ⁹ Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, ^(L)“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 ^(M)is crying to me from the ground. ¹¹ And now ^(N)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 ^(O)punishment is greater than I can bear.^{[e] 14} Behold, ^(P)you have driven me today away from the ground, and ^(Q)from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, ^(R)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 ^(S)sevenfold.” And the Lord ^(T)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.