Genesis 4
4
1Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten#4.1 Heb qanah, get a man with the help of the Lord.” 2And again, 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, 4#Heb 11.4. and Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of 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 couching at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.”
8 #
1 Jn 3.12. Cain said to Abel his brother, “Let us go out to the field.”#4.8 Sam Gk Syr Compare Vg: Heb 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 Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?” 10And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying 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 shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14Behold, thou hast driven me this day away from the ground; and from thy face I shall be hidden; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will slay me.” 15Then the Lord said to him, “Not so!#4.15 Gk Syr Vg: Heb Therefore If any one slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who came upon him should kill him. 16Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod,#4.16 That is Wandering east of Eden.
17Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch; and he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. 18To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad was the father of Me-huja-el, and Me-huja-el the father of Me-thusha-el, and Me-thusha-el the father of Lamech. 19And Lamech took two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have cattle. 21His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22Zillah bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all 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, hearken to what I say:
I have slain a man for wounding me,
a young man for striking me.
24If Cain is avenged sevenfold,
truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
25And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another child instead of Abel, for Cain slew him.” 26To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time men began to call upon the name of the Lord.
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
Genesis 4
4
Cain and Abel
1The man Adam knew his wife Eve intimately. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have given life to#4.1 Or created; Heb sounds similar to Cain. a man with the LORD’s help.” 2She gave birth a second time to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel cared for the flocks, and Cain farmed the fertile land.
3Some time later, Cain presented an offering to the LORD from the land’s crops 4while Abel presented his flock’s oldest offspring with their fat. The LORD looked favorably on Abel and his sacrifice 5but didn’t look favorably on Cain and his sacrifice. Cain became very angry and looked resentful. 6The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why do you look so resentful? 7If you do the right thing, won’t you be accepted? But if you don’t do the right thing, sin will be waiting at the door ready to strike! It will entice you, but you must rule over it.”
8Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”#4.8 LXX, Syr, Vulg, Sam; MT lacks Let’s go out to the field. When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9The LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
Cain said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s guardian?”
10The LORD said, “What did you do? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. 11You are now cursed from the ground that opened its mouth to take your brother’s blood from your hand. 12When you farm the fertile land, it will no longer grow anything for you, and you will become a roving nomad on the earth.”
13Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14Now that you’ve driven me away from the fertile land and I am hidden from your presence, I’m about to become a roving nomad on the earth, and anyone who finds me will kill me.”
15The LORD said to him, “It won’t happen;#4.15 LXX, Syr, Vulg; MT therefore anyone who kills Cain will be paid back seven times.” The LORD put a sign on Cain so that no one who found him would assault him. 16Cain left the LORD’s presence, and he settled down in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Cain’s descendants
17Cain knew his wife intimately. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain built a city and named the city after his son Enoch.
18Irad was born to Enoch. Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19Lamech took two wives, the first named Adah and the second Zillah. 20Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the ancestor of those who live in tents and own livestock. 21His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the ancestor of those who play stringed and wind instruments. 22Zillah also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the ancestor of#4.22 Heb lacks the ancestor of. blacksmiths and all artisans of bronze and iron. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah.
23Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah, listen to my voice;
wives of Lamech, pay attention to my words:
I killed a man for wounding me,
a boy for striking me;
24so Cain will be paid back seven times
and Lamech seventy-seven times.”
25Adam knew his wife intimately again, and she gave birth to a son. She named him Seth#4.25 Sounds like the Heb verb gave “because God has given me another child in place of Abel, whom Cain killed.” 26Seth also fathered a son and named him Enosh. At that time, people began to worship in the LORD’s name.
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