Genesis 4
4
Cain and Abel
1Now the man #4:1 Lit knew hishad relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have obtained a male child with the help of the Lord.” 2And again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a cultivator of the ground. 3So it came about #4:3 Lit at the end of daysin the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the fruit of the ground. 4Abel, on his part also brought an offering, from the firstborn of his flock and from 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 became very angry and his face #4:5 Lit fellwas gloomy. 6Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why is your face #4:6 Lit fallengloomy? 7If you do well, #4:7 Or you will certainly be acceptedwill your face not be #4:7 Lit lifted upcheerful? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” 8Cain #4:8 Lit said totalked to his brother Abel; and it happened that 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?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10Then He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to Me from the ground. 11Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a wanderer and a drifter on the earth.” 13Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to endure! 14Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and I will be hidden from Your face, and I will be a wanderer and a drifter on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15So the Lord said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him seven times as much.” And the Lord #4:15 Or set a sign forplaced a mark on Cain, so that no one finding him would kill him.
16Then Cain left the presence of the Lord, and #4:16 Lit dweltsettled in the land of #4:16 I.e., wanderingNod, east of Eden.
17Cain #4:17 Lit knew hishad relations with his wife and she conceived, and gave birth to Enoch; and Cain built a city, and named the city Enoch, after the name of his son. 18Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19Lamech took two wives for himself: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah. 20Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and have livestock. 21His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and flute. 22As for Zillah, she also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the forger of all implements of bronze and iron; and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah,
Listen to my voice,
You wives of Lamech,
Pay attention to my words,
For I have killed a man for wounding me;
And a boy for striking me!
24“If Cain is avenged seven times,
Then Lamech seventy-seven times!”
25Adam #4:25 Lit knew hishad relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him #4:25 Heb ShethSeth, for, she said, “God #4:25 Heb shathhas appointed me another #4:25 Lit seedchild in place of Abel, because Cain killed him.” 26To Seth also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then people began to call #4:26 Or byupon the name of the Lord.
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Genesis 4
4
Cain and Abel
1And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain,#4.1 That is, Gotten, or Acquired. and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. 2And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. 4#Heb 11.4. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door: and unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
8 #
Matt 23.35; Luke 11.51; 1 John 3.12. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. 9And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? 10And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand. 12When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. 13And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy 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 findeth me shall slay me. 15And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. 16And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
17And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. 18And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehu´ja-el: and Mehu´ja-el begat Methu´sa-el: and Methu´sa-el begat Lamech. 19And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. 21And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. 22And Zillah, she also bare Tu´bal–cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tu´bal–cain was Na´amah.
23And Lamech said unto his wives,
Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech:
for I have slain a man to my wounding,
and a young man to my hurt.
24If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,
truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
25And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth:#4.25 That is, Appointed, or Put. For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. 26And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.
King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.