Genesis 4
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.
17 Cain also knew his wife, which conceived and bore Enoch: and he built a [q]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 [r]two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
20 And Adah bare Jabal, who was the [s]father of such as dwell in the tents, and of such as have cattle.
21 And his brother’s name was Jubal, who was the father of all that play on the harp and [t]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 unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice, ye wives of Lamech; hearken unto my speech: [u]for I would slay a man in my wound, and a young man to mine hurt.
24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech [v]seventy times sevenfold.
25 ¶ And Adam knew his wife again, and she bare a son, and she called his name Seth: for God, said she, hath appointed me another seed for Abel, because Cain slew him.
26 And to the same Seth also there was born a son, and he called his name Enosh. Then began men to [w]call upon the name of the Lord.
Footnotes
- 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.
- Genesis 4:17 Thinking thereby to be sure, and to have less occasion to fear God’s judgments against him.
- Genesis 4:19 The lawful institution of marriage, which is, that two should be one flesh, was first corrupted in the house of Cain by Lamech.
- Genesis 4:20 Or, first inventor.
- Genesis 4:21 Or, flutes, and pipes.
- Genesis 4:23 His wives seeing that all men hated him for his cruelty, were afraid, therefore he braggeth that there is none so lusty that were able to resist, although he were already wounded.
- Genesis 4:24 He mocked at God’s sufferance in Cain, jesting as though God would suffer none to punish him and yet give him license to murder others.
- Genesis 4:26 In these days God began to move the hearts of the godly to restore religion, which a long time by the wicked had been suppressed.
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
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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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