Genesis 4:8-16
English Standard Version
8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother.[a] And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and (A)killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, (B)“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 (C)is crying to me from the ground. 11 And now (D)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 (E)punishment is greater than I can bear.[b] 14 Behold, (F)you have driven me today away from the ground, and (G)from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, (H)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 (I)sevenfold.” And the Lord (J)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,[c] east of Eden.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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 4:8-16
New King James Version
8 Now Cain [a]talked with Abel his [b]brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and (A)killed him.
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”
He said, (B)“I do not know. Am I (C)my brother’s keeper?”
10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood (D)cries out to Me from the ground. 11 So now (E)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 [c]punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; (F)I shall be (G)hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that (H)anyone who finds me will kill me.”
15 And the Lord said to him, [d]“Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him (I)sevenfold.” And the Lord set a (J)mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.
The Family of Cain
16 Then Cain (K)went out from the (L)presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of [e]Nod on the east of Eden.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
