Genesis 4
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Cain Murders Abel
4 Adam was intimate with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have had a male child with the Lord’s help.”[a] 2 Then she also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord.(A) 4 And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions.(B) The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,(C) 5 but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent.[b]
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious?(D) And why do you look despondent?[c] 7 If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”(E)
8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”[d] And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.(F)
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”
10 Then He said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground!(G) 11 So now you are cursed, alienated, from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed.[e] 12 If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”(H)
13 But Cain answered the Lord, “My punishment[f] is too great to bear! 14 Since You are banishing me today from the soil, and I must hide myself from Your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.”(I)
15 Then the Lord replied to him, “In that case,[g] whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.”[h] And He placed a mark(J) on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him. 16 Then Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
The Line of Cain
17 Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son. 18 Irad was born to Enoch, Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 Lamech took two wives for himself, one named Adah and the other named Zillah. 20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of the nomadic herdsmen.[i] 21 His brother was named Jubal; he was the father of all who play the lyre and the flute. 22 Zillah bore Tubal-cain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives:
Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
wives of Lamech, pay attention to my words.
For I killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for striking me.
24 If Cain is to be avenged seven times over,
then for Lamech it will be seventy-seven times!
25 Adam was intimate with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, for she said, “God has given[j] me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” 26 A son was born to Seth(K) also, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of Yahweh.(L)
Footnotes
- Genesis 4:1 Lit the Lord
- Genesis 4:5 Lit and his face fell
- Genesis 4:6 Lit why has your face fallen
- Genesis 4:8 Sam, LXX, Syr, Vg; MT omits Let’s go out to the field
- Genesis 4:11 Lit blood from your hand
- Genesis 4:13 Or sin
- Genesis 4:15 LXX, Syr, Vg read Not so!
- Genesis 4:15 Or suffer severely
- Genesis 4:20 Lit the dweller of tent and livestock
- Genesis 4:25 The Hb word for given sounds like the name “Seth.”
Genesis 4
Modern English Version
Cain and Abel
4 Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived, gave birth to Cain and said, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 Then she gave birth again to his brother Abel.
And Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel also brought the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had respect for Abel and for his offering, 5 but for Cain and for his offering, He did not have respect. And Cain was very angry and his countenance fell.
6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, shall you not be accepted?[a] But if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must rule over it.”
8 Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
9 The Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”
He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 And then 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 opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 From now on when you till the ground, it will not yield for you its best. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”
13 Then Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 You have driven me out this day from the face of the earth, and from your face will I be hidden; and I will be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.”
15 So the Lord said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” Then the Lord put a mark upon Cain, so that no one finding him would kill him. 16 Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17 Cain had relations with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. 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 Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.
19 Lamech took two wives. The name of one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to 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 flute. 22 Zillah gave birth to Tubal-Cain, a forger of every tool 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, and listen to my speech.
For I have killed a man for wounding me,
a young man who hurt me.
24 If Cain will be avenged sevenfold,
then truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
25 Adam had relations with his wife again, and she had another son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has granted me another offspring instead of Abel because Cain killed him.” 26 To Seth also was born a son, and he called his name Enosh.
At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord.
Footnotes
- Genesis 4:7 Or uplifted.
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The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.