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Genesis 4
International Standard Version

Cain and Abel

4 Later, Adam[a] had sexual relations with[b] his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have given birth to[c] a male child—the Lord.”[d] 2 And she did it again, giving birth to his brother Abel. Abel shepherded flocks and Cain became a farmer.[e]

3 Later, after a while, Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the fruit that he had harvested,[f] 4 while Abel brought the best parts[g] of some of the firstborn from his flock. The Lord looked favorably upon Abel and his offering, 5 but he did not look favorably upon Cain and his offering.

When Cain became very upset and[h] depressed, 6 the Lord asked Cain, “Why are you so upset? Why are you[i] depressed? 7 If you do what is appropriate,[j] you’ll be accepted, won’t you? But if you don’t do what is appropriate,[k] sin is crouching near your doorway, turning toward you. Now as for you, will you take dominion over it?”[l]

8 Instead, Cain told his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the wilderness.”[m] When they were outside in the fields, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

9 Later, the Lord asked Cain, “Where’s your brother Abel?”

“I don’t know,” he answered. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

10 “What did you do?” God[n] asked. “Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. 11 Now you’re more cursed than the ground, which has opened[o] to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 Whenever you work the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you, and you’ll wander throughout the earth as a fugitive.”

13 “My punishment is too great to bear,” Cain told the Lord. 14 “You’re driving me from the soil[p] today. I’ll be hidden from you, and I’ll wander throughout the earth as a fugitive. In the future,[q] whoever finds me will kill me.”

15 The Lord told him, “This won’t happen, because whoever kills you[r] will suffer seven times the vengeance.” Then the Lord placed a sign on Cain so that no one finding him would kill him. 16 After this, Cain left the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

From Cain to Lamech

17 Later, Cain had sexual relations with[s] his wife. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain[t] founded a city and named it after[u] his son Enoch. 18 Irad was born to Enoch. Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 Later, Lamech married two wives. One was named Adah and the other was named[v] Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal, who became the ancestor of those who live in tents and herd[w] livestock. 21 His brother was named Jubal; he became the ancestor of all those who play the lyre and the flute. 22 Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain, who became a forger of bronze and iron work. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah. 23 Lamech told his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, listen to what I have to say:
    You wives of Lamech, hear what I’m announcing!
I’ve killed a man for wounding me,
    a young man for bruising me.
24 For if Cain is being avenged seven times,
    then Lamech will be avenged[x] 77 times.”

25 Later on, after Adam had sexual relations with[y] his wife, she gave birth to a son and named him[z] Seth, because

“God granted[aa] me another offspring to replace Abel,
    since Cain murdered him.”

26 Seth also fathered a son, whom he named Enosh. At that time, profaning[ab] the name of the Lord began.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 4:1 Or the man
  2. Genesis 4:1 Lit. Adam knew
  3. Genesis 4:1 Or have acquired; the Heb. verb resembles the word for Cain
  4. Genesis 4:1 Or child with the Lord; the Heb. lacks with
  5. Genesis 4:2 Lit. a worker of the ground
  6. Genesis 4:3 Lit. fruit of the ground
  7. Genesis 4:4 Lit. the fatty portions
  8. Genesis 4:5 Lit. and his face was
  9. Genesis 4:6 Lit. Why is your face
  10. Genesis 4:7 Or good
  11. Genesis 4:7 Or good
  12. Genesis 4:7 Or However, you must take dominion over it.
  13. Genesis 4:8 So with SP, LXX, Vg, and Syr; the Heb. lacks Let’s go out to the wilderness.
  14. Genesis 4:10 Lit. he
  15. Genesis 4:11 Lit. opened its mouth
  16. Genesis 4:14 Lit. the face of the ground
  17. Genesis 4:14 Lit. So it will be that
  18. Genesis 4:15 Lit. Cain
  19. Genesis 4:17 Lit. Cain knew
  20. Genesis 4:17 Lit. He
  21. Genesis 4:17 Lit. called its name after the name of
  22. Genesis 4:19 Lit. the name of the second was
  23. Genesis 4:20 The Heb. lacks herd
  24. Genesis 4:24 The Heb. lacks will be avenged
  25. Genesis 4:25 Lit. Adam knew
  26. Genesis 4:25 Lit. called his name
  27. Genesis 4:25 The Heb. verb granted resembles the word Seth
  28. Genesis 4:26 Or invoking; lit. calling on
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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

  1. Genesis 4:1 Or The man
  2. Genesis 4:1 Cain sounds like the Hebrew for brought forth or acquired.
  3. Genesis 4:1 Or have acquired
  4. Genesis 4:8 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Masoretic Text does not have “Let’s go out to the field.”
  5. Genesis 4:15 Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew Very well
  6. Genesis 4:16 Nod means wandering (see verses 12 and 14).
  7. Genesis 4:22 Or who instructed all who work in
  8. Genesis 4:25 Seth probably means granted.
  9. Genesis 4:26 Or to proclaim
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