Genesis 4:1-16
1599 Geneva Bible
4 1 The generation of mankind. 3 Cain and Abel offer sacrifice. 8 Cain killeth Abel. 23 Lamech a tyrant encourageth his fearful wives. 26 True religion is restored.
1 Afterward the man knew Eve his wife which [a]conceived and bare Cain, and said, I have obtained a man [b]by the Lord.
2 And again she brought forth his brother Abel, and Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3 ¶ And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought an [c]oblation unto the Lord of the fruit of the ground.
4 And Abel also himself brought of the firstfruits of his sheep, and of the fat of them, and the Lord had respect unto (A)Abel, and to his offering,
5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had no [d]regard: wherefore Cain was exceedingly wroth and his countenance fell down.
6 Then the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance cast down?
7 If thou do well, shalt thou not be [e]accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the [f]door: also unto thee his [g]desire shall be subject, and thou shalt rule over him.
8 ¶ Then Cain spake unto Abel his brother. And (B)when they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
9 Then the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? Who answered, I cannot tell. [h]Am I my brother’s keeper?
10 Again he said, What hast thou done? the [i]voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me, from the earth.
11 Now therefore thou art cursed [j]from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thine hand.
12 When thou shalt till the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength: a [k]vagabond and a runagate shalt thou be in the earth.
13 Then Cain said to the Lord, [l][m]My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14 Behold, thou hast cast me out this day from [n]the earth, and from thy face shall I be hid, and shall be a vagabond, and a runagate in the earth, and whosoever findeth me shall slay me.
15 Then the Lord said unto him, Doubtless whosoever slayeth Cain, he shall be [o]punished seven fold. And the Lord set a [p]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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 4:1 Man’s nature, the estate of marriage, and God’s blessing were not utterly abolished through sin, but the quality or condition thereof was changed.
- Genesis 4:1 That is, according to the Lord’s promise, as Gen. 3:15, some read, To the Lord, as rejoicing for the son which she had born, whom she would offer to the Lord as the firstfruits of her birth.
- Genesis 4:3 This declareth that the father instructed his children in the knowledge of God, and also how God gave them sacrifices to signify their salvation, albeit they were destitute of the sacrament of the tree of life.
- Genesis 4:5 Because he was an hypocrite, and offered only for an outward show without sincerity of heart.
- Genesis 4:7 Both thou and thy sacrifice shall be acceptable to me.
- Genesis 4:7 Sin shall still torment thy conscience.
- Genesis 4:7 The dignity of the firstborn is given to Cain over Abel.
- Genesis 4:9 This is the nature of the reprobate when they are reproved of their hypocrisy, even to neglect God and despite him.
- Genesis 4:10 God revengeth the wrongs of his Saints, though none complain: for the iniquity itself crieth for vengeance.
- Genesis 4:11 The earth shall be a witness against thee, which mercifully received that blood which thou most cruelly sheddest.
- Genesis 4:12 Thou shalt never have rest: for thine heart shall be in continual fear and care.
- Genesis 4:13 He burdeneth God as a cruel judge because he did punish him so sharply.
- Genesis 4:13 Or, my sin is greater than can be pardoned.
- Genesis 4:14 Hebrew, from off the face of.
- Genesis 4:15 Not for the love he bare to Cain, but to suppress murder.
- Genesis 4:15 Which was some visible sign of God’s judgment, that others should fear thereby.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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