Genesis 4
4
Cain and Abel
1Adam loved his wife Eve and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the Lord’s help I have had a baby boy.” 2Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Abel took care of sheep. Cain farmed the land. 3After some time, Cain gathered some things he had grown. He brought them as an offering to the Lord. 4And Abel also brought an offering. He brought the fattest parts of some animals from his flock. They were the first animals born to their mothers. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering. 5But he wasn’t pleased with Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his face was sad.
6Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why are you looking so sad? 7Do what is right and then you will be accepted. If you don’t do what is right, sin is waiting at your door to grab you. It desires to control you. But you must rule over it.”
8Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” So they went out. There Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” Cain replied. “Am I supposed to take care of my brother?”
10The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground. 11So I am putting a curse on you. I am driving you away from this ground. It has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12When you farm the land, it will not produce its crops for you anymore. You will be a restless person who wanders around on the earth.”
13Cain said to the Lord, “You are punishing me more than I can take. 14Today you are driving me away from the land. I will be hidden from you. I’ll be a restless person who wanders around on the earth. Anyone who finds me will kill me.”
15But the Lord said to him, “No. Anyone who kills you will be paid back seven times.” The Lord put a mark on Cain. Then anyone who found him wouldn’t kill him. 16So Cain went away from the Lord. He lived in the land of Nod. It was east of Eden.
17Cain loved his wife and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. At that time Cain was building a city. He named it after his son Enoch. 18Enoch had a son named Irad. Irad was the father of Mehujael. Mehujael was the father of Methushael. And Methushael was the father of Lamech.
19Lamech married two women. One was named Adah, and the other was named Zillah. 20Adah gave birth to Jabal. He was the father of people who live in tents and raise livestock. 21His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of everyone who plays stringed instruments and wind instruments. 22Zillah also had a son. His name was Tubal-Cain. He made all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.
23Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah, listen to me!
You wives of Lamech, hear my words!
I have killed a man because he wounded me.
I have killed a young man because he hurt me.
24Anyone who would have killed Cain would have been paid back seven times.
But anyone who hurts me will be paid back 77 times.”
25Adam slept with his wife again. She gave birth to a son and named him Seth. She said, “God has given me another child. He will take the place of Abel, because Cain killed him.” 26Seth also had a son and named him Enosh.
Then people began to call on the name of the Lord.
Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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Genesis 4
4
1Afterward the man knew Heuah his wife, which conceiued and bare Kain, and said, I haue obteined a man by the Lord. 2And againe she brought foorth his brother Habel, and Habel was a keeper of sheepe, and Kain was a tiller of the ground. 3And in processe of time it came to passe, that Kain brought an oblation vnto the Lord of the fruite of the ground. 4And Habel also him selfe brought of the first fruites of his sheepe, and of the fat of them, and the Lord had respect vnto Habel, and to his offering, 5But vnto Kain and to his offering he had no regarde: wherefore Kain was exceeding wroth, and his countenance fell downe. 6Then ye Lord said vnto Kain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance cast downe? 7If thou do well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sinne lieth at the doore: also vnto thee his desire shalbe subiect, and thou shalt rule ouer him. 8Then Kain spake to Habel his brother. And when they were in the fielde, Kain rose vp against Habel his brother, and slewe him. 9Then the Lord said vnto Kain, Where is Habel thy brother? Who answered, I cannot tell. Am I my brothers keeper? 10Againe he said, What hast thou done? the voyce of thy brothers blood cryeth vnto me from the earth. 11Now therefore thou art cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receiue thy brothers blood from thine hand. 12When thou shalt till the grounde, it shall not henceforth yeelde vnto thee her strength: a vagabond and a runnagate shalt thou be in the earth. 13Then Kain said to the Lord, My punishment is greater, then I can beare. 14Behold, thou hast cast me out this day from the earth, and from thy face shall I be hid, and shalbe a vagabond, and a runnagate in the earth, and whosoeuer findeth me, shall slay me. 15Then the Lord said vnto him, Doubtlesse whosoeuer slayeth Kain, he shalbe punished seue folde. And the Lord set a marke vpon Kain, lest any man finding him should kill him. 16Then Kain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod towarde the Eastside of Eden. 17Kain also knewe his wife, which conceiued and bare Henoch: and he built a citie, and called the name of the citie by ye name of his sonne, Henoch. 18And to Henoch was borne Irad, and Irad begate Mehuiael, and Mehuiael begate Methushael, and Methushael begate Lamech. 19And Lamech tooke him two wiues: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20And Adah bare Iabal, who was the father of such as dwell in the tents, and of such as haue cattell. 21And his brothers name was Iubal, who was the father of all that play on the harpe and organes. 22And Zillah also bare Tubal-kain, who wrought cunningly euery craft of brasse and of yron: and the sister of Tubal-kain was Naamah. 23Then Lamech saide vnto his wiues Adah and Zillah, Heare my voyce, ye wiues of Lamech: hearken vnto my speach: for I would slay a man in my wound, and a yong man in mine hurt. 24If Kain shalbe auenged seuen folde, truely Lamech, seuentie times seuen folde. 25And Adam knewe his wife againe, and she bare a sonne, and she called his name Sheth: for God, saide she, hath appointed me another seede for Habel, because Kain slewe him. 26And to ye same Sheth also there was borne a sonne, and he called his name Enosh. Then beganne men to call vpon the name of the Lord.
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