Genesis 4

Cain Murders Abel

1Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have produced#4.1 The verb in Heb resembles the word for Cain a man with the help of the Lord.” 2Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. 3In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? 7If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

8Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.”#4.8 Sam Gk Syr Compare Vg: MT lacks Let us go out to the field And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him. 9Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?” 10And the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen; your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground! 11And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12When you till the ground, it will no longer yield to you its strength; you will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14Today you have driven me away from the soil, and I shall be hidden from your face; I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and anyone who meets me may kill me.” 15Then the Lord said to him, “Not so!#4.15 Gk Syr Vg: Heb Therefore Whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him. 16Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord, and settled in the land of Nod,#4.16 That is Wandering east of Eden.

Beginnings of Civilization

17Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch; and he built a city, and named it Enoch after his son Enoch. 18To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael the father of Methushael, and Methushael the father of Lamech. 19Lamech took two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20Adah bore Jabal; he was the ancestor of those who live in tents and have livestock. 21His brother's name was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22Zillah bore Tubal-cain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. 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:

I have killed a man for wounding me,

a young man for striking me.

24If Cain is avenged sevenfold,

truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”

25Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, for she said, “God has appointed#4.25 The verb in Heb resembles the word for Seth for me another child instead of Abel, because Cain killed him.” 26To Seth also a son was born, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to invoke the name of the Lord.

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Berĕshith (Genesis) 4

1And Aḏam knew Ḥawwah his wife, and she conceived and bore Qayin, and said, “I have gained a man, יהוה.”

2And again, she gave birth to his brother Heḇel. And Heḇel became a keeper of sheep, but Qayin became a tiller of the ground.

3And it came to be, in the course of time, that Qayin brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to יהוה.

4And Heḇel also brought of the first-born of his flock and of their fat. And יהוה looked to Heḇel and his offering,

5but He did not look to Qayin and his offering. And Qayin was very wroth, and his face fell.

6And יהוה said to Qayin, “Why is he wroth towards you? And why is your face#Lit. faces. fallen?

7Is it not if you do good, you are to be accepted? And if you do not do good, towards the door is a sin.#Or, sin-offering (feminine). He is lying#Or, reposing or crouching (masculine). and towards you is his desire, and you must rule over#Lit. in. him.”

8And Qayin told Heḇel his brother. And it came to be when they were in the field, that Qayin rose up against Heḇel his brother and killed him.

9And יהוה said to Qayin, “Where is Heḇel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s guard?”

10And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.

11“And now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

12“If you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

13And Qayin said to יהוה, “My punishment is too great to bear!

14See, You have driven me from the face of the ground today, and I am hidden from Your face. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and it shall be that anyone who finds me kills me.

15And יהוה said to him, “Well, if anyone kills Qayin, vengeance is taken on him sevenfold.” And יהוה set up a sign for Qayin, lest anyone finding him strikes him.

16So Qayin went out from the presence of יהוה and dwelt in the land of Noḏ on the east of Ěḏen.

17And Qayin knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Ḥanoḵ. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Ḥanoḵ.

18And to Ḥanoḵ was born Iraḏ. And Iraḏ brought forth Meḥuya’ĕl, and Meḥuya’ĕl brought forth Methusa’ĕl, and Methusa’ĕl brought forth Lemeḵ.

19And Lemeḵ took for himself two wives, the name of one was Aḏah, and the name of the second was Tsillah.

20And Aḏah bore Yaḇal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents, with livestock.

21And his brother’s name was Yuḇal. He was the father of all those who play the lyre and flute.

22As for Tsillah, she also bore Tuḇal-Qayin, a smith of all kinds of tools in bronze and iron. And the sister of Tuḇal-Qayin was Na‛amah.

23And Lemeḵ said to his wives, “Aḏah and Tsillah, hear my voice! Wives of Lemeḵ, listen to my words! For I have killed a man for wounding me, even a young man for hurting me.

24For Qayin is avenged sevenfold, and Lemeḵ seventy-sevenfold.

25And Aḏam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Shĕth, “For Elohim has appointed me another seed instead of Heḇel, because Qayin had killed him.”

26And to Shĕth, to him also a son was born. And he called his name Enosh. Then it was begun to call on the Name of יהוה.#The first record of “calling on the Name of יהוה.”

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