Genesis 4
4
Cain and Abel
1Now the man #4:1 The name Adam is the Hebrew word for “man,” so when the word is used with the article (“the”) as it is here, it can be inferred that the writer (Moses) is referring to Adam as “the man.”Adam knew Eve as his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have obtained a man (baby boy, son) with the help of the Lord.” 2And [later] she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept the flocks [of sheep and goats], but Cain cultivated the ground. 3And in the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground. 4But Abel brought [an offering of] the [finest] firstborn of his flock and the #4:4 That is, the fat that covered the entrails of the animals. Later, in the Mosaic Law, the Israelites were forbidden to eat this fat (Lev 7:23), which was reserved as an offering to God, especially for sin (Lev 4:8, 26, 35; 9:10; 16:25).fat portions. And the Lord had respect (regard) for Abel and for his offering; [Heb 11:4] 5but for Cain and his offering He had no respect. So Cain became extremely angry (indignant), and #4:5 Lit his countenance fell.he looked annoyed and hostile. 6And the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you so angry? And why do you look annoyed? 7If you do well [believing Me and doing what is acceptable and pleasing to Me], will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well [but ignore My instruction], sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you [to overpower you], but you must master it.” 8Cain talked with Abel his brother [about what God had said]. And when they were [alone, working] in the field, Cain #4:8 Lit rose up against.attacked Abel his brother and killed him. [1 John 3:12]
9Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he [lied and] said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10The Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s [innocent] blood is crying out to Me from the ground [for justice]. [Num 35:33; Deut 21:1-9] 11And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s [shed] blood from your hand. [Deut 28:15-20] 12When you cultivate the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength [it will resist producing good crops] for you; you shall be a fugitive and a vagabond [roaming aimlessly] on the earth [in perpetual exile without a home, a degraded outcast].” 13Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14Behold, You have driven me out this day from the face of the land; and from Your face (presence) I will be hidden, and I will be a fugitive and an [aimless] vagabond on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15And the Lord said to him, “#4:15 Some ancient versions read, “Not so!”Therefore, whoever kills Cain, a sevenfold vengeance [that is, punishment seven times worse] shall be taken on him [by Me].” And the Lord set a [protective] #4:15 Many commentators believe this sign not to have been like a brand on the forehead, but something awesome about Cain’s appearance that made people dread and avoid him. In the Talmud, the rabbis suggested several possibilities, including leprosy, boils, or a horn that grew out of Cain. But it was also suggested that Cain was given a pet dog to serve as a protective sign.mark (sign) on Cain, so that no one who found (met) him would kill him. [Gen 4:24]
16So Cain went away from the [manifested] presence of the Lord, and lived in the land of Nod [wandering in exile], east of Eden.
17Cain knew his #4:17 The simplest explanation for the origin of Cain’s wife is that she was one of his sisters, whom Scripture does not mention specifically, but implies (5:4). It is also possible that she was a niece or more distant relative descended from the original family, but in any case it is evident that the unrecorded children of Adam and Eve married each other. This was possible because the human gene pool was at its purest with Adam and Eve, so at some point their children could begin families of their own.wife [one of Adam’s descendants] and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch; and Cain built a city and named it Enoch, after the name of his son. 18Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad became the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael became the father of Methushael, and Methushael became the father of Lamech. 19And Lamech took for himself two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah. 20Adah gave birth to Jabal; he became the father of those [nomadic herdsmen] who live in tents and have cattle and raise livestock. 21His brother’s name was Jubal; he became the father of all those [musicians] who play the lyre and flute. 22Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain, the smith (craftsman) and teacher of every artisan in instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah,
Hear my voice;
You wives of Lamech,
Listen to what I say;
For I have killed a man [merely] for wounding me,
And a boy [only] for striking (bruising) me.
24“If Cain is avenged sevenfold [as the Lord said he would be],
Then Lamech [will be avenged] #4:24 Lamech arrogantly declares to his wives that if someone kills him, he will be entitled to far greater vengeance since he merely retaliated for harm suffered, while Cain’s murder of Abel was by comparison unprovoked.seventy-sevenfold.”
25Adam knew [Eve as] his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, for [she said], “God has granted another child for me in place of Abel, because Cain killed him.” 26To Seth, also, a son was born, whom he named Enosh (mortal man, mankind). At that [same] time men began to call on the name of the Lord [in worship through prayer, praise, and thanksgiving]. [Joel 2:32; Luke 3:38; Acts 2:21]
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Genesis 4: AMP
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Genesis 4
4
1And Adam (Man, ground; red; earthling) knew Khav’vah [Eve] (to breath, to live) his wife; and she conceived, and bore Kayin [something produced, spear], and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) (literally “I have given birth to the man who is in fact Yehovah – Messiah).
2And she again bore his brother Hevel (herdsman). And Hevel (herdsman) was a keeper of sheep, but Kayin [something produced, spear] was a tiller of the ground.
3And in process of time it came to pass, that Kayin [something produced, spear] brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate).
4And Hevel (herdsman), he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) had respect unto Hevel (herdsman) and to his offering:
5But unto Kayin [something produced, spear] and to his offering he had not respect. And Kayin [something produced, spear] was very exceedingly angry, and his Countenance (Face, appearance; show favor) fell.
6And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) said unto Kayin [something produced, spear], Why are youi exceedingly angry? and why is youri Countenance (Face, appearance; show favor) fallen?
7If youi do well, shall youi not be accepted? and if youi do not well, sin crouches at the door. And unto youi [shall be] his desire, and youi shall rule over him.
8And Kayin [something produced, spear] talked with Hevel (herdsman) his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Kayin [something produced, spear] rose up against Hevel (herdsman) his brother, and killed him.
9And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) said unto Kayin [something produced, spear], Where [is] Hevel (herdsman) youri brother? And he said, I know not: [Am] I my brother’s keeper?
10And he said, What have youi done? the voice of youri brother’s blood cries unto me from the ground.
11And now [are] youi cursed from the earth, which has opened her mouth to receive youri brother’s blood from youri hand;
12When youi till the ground, it shall not from this time forth (from now on) yield unto youi her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shall youi be in the earth.
13And Kayin [something produced, spear] said unto the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate), My punishment [is] greater than I can bore.
14Behold, youi hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from youri face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, [that] every one that finds me shall slay me.
15And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) said unto him, Therefore whosoever slays Kayin [something produced, spear], vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) set a mark upon Kayin [something produced, spear], lest any finding him should kill him.
16And Kayin [something produced, spear] went out from the presence of the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate), and dwelt in the land of Nod (vagabond; fugitive), on the east of ‘Eden (bliss).
17And Kayin [something produced, spear] knew his wife; and she conceived, and bore Hanokh (trained and vowed, dedicated; profound (go deep into something)): and he built a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Hanokh (trained and vowed, dedicated; profound (go deep into something)).
18And unto Hanokh (trained and vowed, dedicated; profound (go deep into something)) was born ‘Irad (wild donkey; heap of empire; dragon): and ‘Irad (wild donkey; heap of empire; dragon) begat (to be father of; be ancestor of) Mechuya’el (who proclaims God): and Mechuya’el (who proclaims God) begat (to be father of; be ancestor of) Metusha’el (Man Of God; I’m Mortal, Where’s God?; Man Of Inquisition or Requested Man; [the Man We Wanted]): and Metusha’el (Man Of God; I’m Mortal, Where’s God?; Man Of Inquisition or Requested Man; [the Man We Wanted]) begat (to be father of; be ancestor of) Lemekh (poor; made low).
19And Lemekh (poor; made low) took unto him two wives: the name of the one [was] ‘Adah (an assembly) and Tzilah (shadow).
20And ‘Adah bore Yaval (bring, carry, lead, conduct): he was the father of such as dwell in tents [artificial structures], and [of such as have] cattle [vocation (what God calls, gifts a person to do)].
21And his brother’s name [was] Yuv’al (stream): he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ [artistry].
22And Zillah, she also bore Tuval-Kayin (the inhabited world [and its economy] and production, a spear [weapons]), an instructor of every artisan in brass and iron [manufacturing – with military applications]: and the sister of Tuval-Kayin [was] Na’amah [Loveliness] (pleasant).
23And Lemekh (poor; made low) said unto his wives, ‘Adah (an assembly) and Tzilah (shadow), Hear my voice; youf wives of Lemekh (poor; made low), hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.
24If Kayin [something produced, spear] shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lemekh (poor; made low) seventy and sevenfold.
25And Adam (Man, ground; red; earthling) knew his wife again; and she bore a son, and called his name Shet (Appointed; with connotations of Gluteus Maximus and tumult): For God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered], [said she], has appointed me another seed instead of Hevel (herdsman), whom Kayin [something produced, spear] killed.
26And to Shet (Appointed), to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh (mortal, frail, or miserable; mortal man; sick; despaired of; forgetful): then began men to curse the name (lit. Profane (treat as common; defile) the name) of the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate).
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