Genesis 4
Common English Bible
Cain and Abel
4 The man Adam knew his wife Eve intimately. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have given life to[a] a man with the Lord’s help.” 2 She gave birth a second time to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel cared for the flocks, and Cain farmed the fertile land.
3 Some time later, Cain presented an offering to the Lord from the land’s crops 4 while Abel presented his flock’s oldest offspring with their fat. The Lord looked favorably on Abel and his sacrifice 5 but didn’t look favorably on Cain and his sacrifice. Cain became very angry and looked resentful. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why do you look so resentful? 7 If you do the right thing, won’t you be accepted? But if you don’t do the right thing, sin will be waiting at the door ready to strike! It will entice you, but you must rule over it.”
8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”[b] When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9 The Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
Cain said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s guardian?”
10 The Lord said, “What did you do? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. 11 You are now cursed from the ground that opened its mouth to take your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you farm the fertile land, it will no longer grow anything for you, and you will become a roving nomad on the earth.”
13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Now that you’ve driven me away from the fertile land and I am hidden from your presence, I’m about to become a roving nomad on the earth, and anyone who finds me will kill me.”
15 The Lord said to him, “It won’t happen;[c] anyone who kills Cain will be paid back seven times.” The Lord put a sign on Cain so that no one who found him would assault him. 16 Cain left the Lord’s presence, and he settled down in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Cain’s descendants
17 Cain knew his wife intimately. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain built a city and named the city after his son Enoch.
18 Irad was born to Enoch. Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 Lamech took two wives, the first named Adah and the second Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the ancestor of those who live in tents and own livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the ancestor of those who play stringed and wind instruments. 22 Zillah also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the ancestor of[d] blacksmiths and all artisans of bronze and iron. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah, listen to my voice;
wives of Lamech, pay attention to my words:
I killed a man for wounding me,
a boy for striking me;
24 so Cain will be paid back seven times
and Lamech seventy-seven times.”
25 Adam knew his wife intimately again, and she gave birth to a son. She named him Seth[e] “because God has given me another child in place of Abel, whom Cain killed.” 26 Seth also fathered a son and named him Enosh. At that time, people began to worship in the Lord’s name.
Footnotes
- Genesis 4:1 Or created; Heb sounds similar to Cain.
- Genesis 4:8 LXX, Syr, Vulg, Sam; MT lacks Let’s go out to the field.
- Genesis 4:15 LXX, Syr, Vulg; MT therefore
- Genesis 4:22 Heb lacks the ancestor of.
- Genesis 4:25 Sounds like the Heb verb gave
Genesis 4
Complete Jewish Bible
4 The man had sexual relations with Havah his wife; she conceived, gave birth to Kayin [acquisition] and said, “I have acquired a man from Adonai.” 2 In addition she gave birth to his brother Hevel. Hevel kept sheep, while Kayin worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Kayin brought an offering to Adonai from the produce of the soil; 4 and Hevel too brought from the firstborn of his sheep, including their fat. Adonai accepted Hevel and his offering 5 but did not accept Kayin and his offering. Kayin was very angry, and his face fell. 6 Adonai said to Kayin, “Why are you angry? Why so downcast? 7 If you are doing what is good, shouldn’t you hold your head high? And if you don’t do what is good, sin is crouching at the door — it wants you, but you can rule over it.” 8 Kayin had words with Hevel his brother; then one time, when they were in the field, Kayin turned on Hevel his brother and killed him.
9 Adonai said to Kayin, “Where is Hevel your brother?” And he replied, “I don’t know; am I my brother’s guardian?” 10 He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! 11 Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood at your hands. 12 When you farm the ground it will no longer yield its strength to you. You will be a fugitive, wandering the earth.” 13 Kayin said to Adonai, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 You are banning me today from the land and from your presence. I will be a fugitive wandering the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 Adonai answered him, “Therefore, whoever kills Kayin will receive vengeance sevenfold,” and Adonai put a sign on Kayin, so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Kayin left the presence of Adonai and lived in the land of Nod [wandering], east of ‘Eden.
17 Kayin had sexual relations with his wife; she conceived and gave birth to Hanokh. Kayin built a city and named the city after his son Hanokh. 18 To Hanokh was born ‘Irad. ‘Irad fathered Mechuya’el, Mechuya’el fathered Metusha’el, and Metusha’el fathered Lemekh.
(S: v) 19 Lemekh took himself two wives; the name of the one was ‘Adah, while the name of the other was Tzilah. 20 ‘Adah gave birth to Yaval; he was the ancestor of those who live in tents and have cattle. 21 His brother’s name was Yuval; and he was the ancestor of all who play lyre and flute. 22 Tzilah gave birth to Tuval-Kayin, who forged all kinds of tools from brass and iron; the sister of Tuval-Kayin was Na‘amah. 23 Lemekh said to his wives,
“‘Adah and Tzilah, listen to me;
wives of Lemekh, hear what I say:
I killed a man for wounding me,
a young man who injured me.
24 If Kayin will be avenged sevenfold,
then Lemekh seventy-sevenfold!”
25 Adam again had sexual relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son whom she named Shet [granted], “For God has granted me another seed in place of Hevel, since Kayin killed him.” 26 To Shet too was born a son, whom he called Enosh. That is when people began to call on the name of Adonai.
创世记 4
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
该隐和亚伯
4 亚当和他妻子夏娃同房，夏娃便怀孕，生了该隐。她说：“耶和华让我得了一个男孩。” 2 后来，夏娃又生了该隐的弟弟亚伯。长大后，亚伯做了牧羊人，该隐做了农夫。
3 到了收成的时候，该隐把地里的出产当祭物献给耶和华， 4 亚伯也把羊群中头生的羊及其最肥美的部分献给耶和华。耶和华悦纳亚伯和他的祭物， 5 却不悦纳该隐和他的祭物。该隐便非常恼火，面带怒容。 6 耶和华问该隐：“你为什么恼火？为什么面带怒容？ 7 如果你做得对，难道不会蒙悦纳吗？如果你做得不对，罪就蹲在你的门口要控制你，但你必须制服罪。”
8 该隐对弟弟亚伯说：“我们去田间吧！”[a]他们在田间的时候，该隐动手打亚伯，把他杀了。
9 后来，耶和华问该隐：“你弟弟亚伯在哪里？”他说：“我不知道！难道我是弟弟的看护人吗？” 10 耶和华说：“你做了什么事？你弟弟的血从地里向我哭诉。 11 地张开口从你手上接受了你弟弟的血，你在地上必受咒诅。 12 你种地，地却不会再为你长出任何东西，你必在地上四处漂泊。” 13 该隐对耶和华说：“这惩罚太重！我承受不了。 14 今天你把我赶出去，使我不能再见你的面。我在地上四处漂泊，见到我的人都会杀我。” 15 耶和华对他说：“不会的，因为凡杀你的，必遭受七倍的报应。”于是，耶和华在该隐身上留下一个记号，免得见到他的人杀他。 16 该隐离开耶和华，来到伊甸东边的挪得住下来。
该隐的后代
17 该隐和妻子同房，他的妻子就怀孕，生了以诺。该隐建了一座城，用他儿子的名字给这城取名叫以诺。 18 以诺生以拿，以拿生米户雅利，米户雅利生玛土撒利，玛土撒利生拉麦。 19 拉麦娶了两个妻子，一个叫亚大，另一个叫洗拉。 20 亚大生了亚八，亚八是游牧民族的祖先， 21 亚八的弟弟犹八是吹奏乐器之人的鼻祖。 22 洗拉生了土八·该隐，他是打造各种铜铁器具的匠人[b]，他的妹妹叫拿玛。
23 一天，拉麦对他的两个妻子说：
“亚大，洗拉，你们听我的声音；
拉麦的妻子啊，侧耳听我的话，
有人伤我，我杀了他，
青年打我，我宰了他。
24 杀该隐的遭受七倍的报应，
杀拉麦的遭受七十七倍的报应。”
塞特和以挪士
25 亚当又与妻子夏娃同房，夏娃生了一个儿子，取名叫塞特，因为她说：“上帝赐我另一个儿子来代替亚伯，因为该隐杀了他。” 26 塞特生了一个儿子，给他取名叫以挪士。那时候，人才开始求告耶和华。
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Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
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