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Genesis 4
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Genesis 4
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Cain Murders Abel
4 [a]Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten[b] 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 tiller of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 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 is couching at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.”
8 Cain said to Abel his brother, “Let us go out to the field.”[c] And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “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 is crying to me from the ground. 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, 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 to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, thou hast driven me this day away from the ground; and from thy face I shall be hidden; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will slay me.” 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so![d] If any one slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who came upon him should kill him. 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod,[e] east of Eden.
Beginnings of Civilization
17 Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch; and he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad was the father of Mehu′ja-el, and Mehu′ja-el the father of Methu′sha-el, and Methu′sha-el the father of 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 cattle. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 Zillah bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Na′amah.
23 Lamech said to his wives:
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
you wives of Lamech, hearken to what I say:
I have slain a man for wounding me,
a young man for striking me.
24 If Cain is avenged sevenfold,
truly Lamech 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 for me another child instead of Abel, for Cain slew him.” 26 To Seth[f] also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time men began to call upon the name of the Lord.
Footnotes
- 4.1 The story of Cain and Abel has the purpose of showing the effects of sin within society, the fratricide of Cain leading to the vengeance of Lamech and so to the Flood. We are, however, no longer in the first age of humanity, as can be seen from verses 14, 17, etc.
- Genesis 4:1 Heb qanah, get
- Genesis 4:8 Sam Gk Syr Compare Vg: Heb lacks Let us go out to the field
- Genesis 4:15 Gk Syr Vg: Heb Therefore
- Genesis 4:16 That is Wandering
- 4.26 Seth takes the place of the murdered Abel and is the ancestor of Noah. In Ex 3.14 and 6.2-3 we find another account of the origins of Yahwism.
Genesi 4
Nuova Riveduta 2006
Genesi 4
Nuova Riveduta 2006
Caino e Abele
4 (A)Adamo conobbe Eva, sua moglie, la quale concepì e partorì Caino[a], e disse: «Ho acquistato[b] un uomo con l’aiuto del Signore». 2 Poi partorì ancora Abele, fratello di lui. Abele fu pastore di pecore; Caino lavoratore della terra.
3 Avvenne, dopo qualche tempo, che Caino fece un’offerta di frutti della terra al Signore. 4 Abele offrì anch’egli dei primogeniti del suo gregge e del loro grasso. Il Signore guardò con favore Abele e la sua offerta, 5 ma non guardò con favore Caino e la sua offerta. Caino ne fu molto irritato, e il suo viso era abbattuto. 6 Il Signore disse a Caino: «Perché sei irritato? E perché hai il volto abbattuto? 7 Se agisci bene, non rialzerai il volto? Ma se agisci male, il peccato sta spiandoti alla porta, e i suoi desideri sono rivolti contro di te; ma tu dominalo!»
8 Un giorno Caino parlava con suo fratello Abele e, trovandosi nei campi, Caino si avventò contro Abele, suo fratello, e l’uccise.
9 (B)Il Signore disse a Caino: «Dov’è Abele, tuo fratello?» Egli rispose: «Non lo so. Sono forse il guardiano di mio fratello?» 10 Il Signore disse: «Che hai fatto? La voce del sangue di tuo fratello grida a me dalla terra. 11 Ora tu sarai maledetto, scacciato lontano dalla terra che ha aperto la sua bocca per ricevere il sangue di tuo fratello dalla tua mano. 12 Quando coltiverai il suolo, esso non ti darà più i suoi prodotti, e tu sarai vagabondo e fuggiasco sulla terra». 13 Caino disse al Signore: «Il mio castigo è troppo grande perché io possa sopportarlo. 14 Tu oggi mi scacci da questo suolo e io sarò nascosto lontano dalla tua presenza, sarò vagabondo e fuggiasco per la terra, così chiunque mi troverà, mi ucciderà». 15 Ma il Signore gli disse: «Ebbene, chiunque ucciderà Caino, sarà punito sette volte più di lui». Il Signore mise un segno su Caino, perché nessuno, trovandolo, lo uccidesse.
Discendenti di Caino
16 (C)Caino si allontanò dalla presenza del Signore e si stabilì nel paese di Nod[c], a oriente di Eden.
17 Poi Caino conobbe sua moglie, che concepì e partorì Enoc. Quindi si mise a costruire una città, a cui diede il nome di Enoc, dal nome di suo figlio.
18 A Enoc nacque Irad; Irad generò Meuiael; Meuiael generò Metusael e Metusael generò Lamec.
19 Lamec prese due mogli: il nome dell’una era Ada e il nome dell’altra Zilla. 20 Ada partorì Iabal, che fu il padre di quelli che abitano sotto le tende presso le greggi. 21 Il nome di suo fratello era Iubal, che fu il padre di tutti quelli che suonano la cetra e il flauto. 22 Zilla a sua volta partorì Tubal-Cain, l’artefice d’ogni sorta di strumenti di bronzo e di ferro; e la sorella di Tubal-Cain fu Naama.
23 Lamec disse alle sue mogli: «Ada e Zilla, ascoltate la mia voce; mogli di Lamec, porgete orecchio al mio dire! Sì, io ho ucciso un uomo perché mi ha ferito, e un giovane perché mi ha contuso.
24 Se Caino sarà vendicato sette volte, Lamec lo sarà settantasette volte».
Genealogia di Adamo per la linea di Set, fino a Noè
25 (D)Adamo conobbe ancora sua moglie ed ella partorì un figlio che chiamò Set[d], «perché», ella disse, «Dio mi ha dato un altro figlio al posto di Abele, che Caino ha ucciso».
26 Anche a Set nacque un figlio, che chiamò Enos. Allora si cominciò a invocare il nome del Signore.
Footnotes
- Genesi 4:1 Caino, ebr. Qayin, va messo in relazione con il verbo qanah, acquistare.
- Genesi 4:1 Ho acquistato, dall’ebr. qanah, acquistare.
- Genesi 4:16 Nod, lett. fuga, esilio.
- Genesi 4:25 Set, ebr. shet, significa sostituito o messo in luogo di, dal verbo shit, porre, collocare.
Genesis 4
Living Bible
Genesis 4
Living Bible
4 Then Adam had sexual intercourse with Eve his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to a son, Cain (meaning “I have created”). For, as she said, “With God’s help, I have created a man!” 2 Her next child was his brother, Abel.
Abel became a shepherd, while Cain was a farmer. 3 At harvest time Cain brought the Lord a gift of his farm produce, 4 and Abel brought the fatty cuts of meat from his best lambs, and presented them to the Lord. And the Lord accepted Abel’s offering, 5 but not Cain’s. This made Cain both dejected and very angry, and his face grew dark with fury.
6 “Why are you angry?” the Lord asked him. “Why is your face so dark with rage? 7 It can be bright with joy if you will do what you should! But if you refuse to obey, watch out. Sin is waiting to attack you, longing to destroy you. But you can conquer it!”
8 One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were together there, Cain attacked and killed his brother.
9 But afterwards the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”
“How should I know?” Cain retorted. “Am I supposed to keep track of him wherever he goes?”
10 But the Lord said, “Your brother’s blood calls to me from the ground. What have you done? 11 You are hereby banished from this ground which you have defiled with your brother’s blood. 12 No longer will it yield crops for you, even if you toil on it forever! From now on you will be a fugitive and a tramp upon the earth, wandering from place to place.”
13 Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 For you have banished me from my farm and from you, and made me a fugitive and a tramp; and everyone who sees me will try to kill me.”
15 The Lord replied, “They won’t kill you, for I will give seven times your punishment to anyone who does.” Then the Lord put an identifying mark on Cain as a warning not to kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17 Then Cain’s wife conceived and presented him with a baby son named Enoch; so when Cain founded a city, he named it Enoch, after his son.
18 Enoch was the father of[a] Irad; Irad was the father of Mehujael; Mehujael was the father of Methusael; Methusael was the father of Lamech.
19 Lamech married two wives—Adah and Zillah. 20 To Adah was born a baby named Jabal. He became the first of the cattlemen and those living in tents. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal, the first musician—the inventor of the harp and flute.[b] 22 To Lamech’s other wife, Zillah, was born Tubal-cain. He opened the first foundry[c] forging instruments of bronze and iron.
23 One day Lamech said to Adah and Zillah, “Listen to me, my wives. I have killed a youth who attacked and wounded me. 24 If anyone who kills Cain will be punished seven times, anyone taking revenge against me for killing that youth should be punished seventy-seven times!”
25 Later on Eve gave birth to another son and named him Seth (meaning “Granted”); for, as Eve put it, “God has granted me another son for the one Cain killed.” 26 When Seth grew up, he had a son and named him Enosh. It was during his lifetime that men first began to call themselves “the Lord’s people.”[d]
Footnotes
- Genesis 4:18 Enoch was the father of, or “the ancestor of,” and so also in the remainder of the verse.
- Genesis 4:21 the inventor of the harp and flute, literally, “the father of all such as handle the harp and pipe.”
- Genesis 4:22 He opened the first foundry, literally, “He was the father of all metal workers in bronze and iron.”
- Genesis 4:26 It was during . . . “the Lord’s people,” literally, “This man was the first to invoke the name of Jehovah.”
Genesis 4
New International Version
Genesis 4
New International Version
Cain and Abel
4 Adam[a] made love to his wife(A) Eve,(B) and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.[b](C) She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth[c] a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.(D)
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.(E) 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering(F) to the Lord.(G) 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions(H) from some of the firstborn of his flock.(I) The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,(J) 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry?(K) Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door;(L) it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.(M)”
8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”[d] While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.(N)
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”(O)
“I don’t know,(P)” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.(Q) 11 Now you are under a curse(R) and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you.(S) You will be a restless wanderer(T) on the earth.(U)”
13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence;(V) I will be a restless wanderer on the earth,(W) and whoever finds me will kill me.”(X)
15 But the Lord said to him, “Not so[e]; anyone who kills Cain(Y) will suffer vengeance(Z) seven times over.(AA)” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence(AB) and lived in the land of Nod,[f] east of Eden.(AC)
17 Cain made love to his wife,(AD) and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city,(AE) and he named it after his son(AF) Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.
19 Lamech married(AG) two women,(AH) one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments(AI) and pipes.(AJ) 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged(AK) all kinds of tools out of[g] bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah, listen to me;
wives of Lamech, hear my words.
I have killed(AL) a man for wounding me,
a young man for injuring me.
24 If Cain is avenged(AM) seven times,(AN)
then Lamech seventy-seven times.(AO)”
25 Adam made love to his wife(AP) again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth,[h](AQ) saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”(AR) 26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh.(AS)
At that time people began to call on[i] the name of the Lord.(AT)
Footnotes
- Genesis 4:1 Or The man
- Genesis 4:1 Cain sounds like the Hebrew for brought forth or acquired.
- Genesis 4:1 Or have acquired
- Genesis 4:8 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Masoretic Text does not have “Let’s go out to the field.”
- Genesis 4:15 Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew Very well
- Genesis 4:16 Nod means wandering (see verses 12 and 14).
- Genesis 4:22 Or who instructed all who work in
- Genesis 4:25 Seth probably means granted.
- Genesis 4:26 Or to proclaim
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Nuova Riveduta 2006 (NR2006)
Copyright © 2006 Società Biblica di Ginevra
Living Bible (TLB)
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.