Genesis 4
4
Cain and Abel
1Then Adam had intercourse with his wife, and she became pregnant. She bore a son and said, “By the LORD's help I have acquired a son.” So she named him Cain.#4.1 Cain: This name sounds like the Hebrew for “acquired”. 2Later she gave birth to another son, Abel. Abel became a shepherd, but Cain was a farmer. 3After some time, Cain brought some of his harvest and gave it as an offering to the LORD. 4#Heb 11.4Then Abel brought the first lamb born to one of his sheep, killed it, and gave the best parts of it as an offering. The LORD was pleased with Abel and his offering, 5but he rejected Cain and his offering. Cain became furious, and he scowled in anger. 6Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why that scowl on your face? 7If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling;#4.7 you would be smiling; or I would have accepted your offering. but because you have done evil, sin is crouching at your door. It wants to rule you, but you must overcome it.”
8 #
Mt 23.35; Lk 11.51; 1 Jn 3.12 Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let's go out in the fields.”#4.8 Some ancient translations Let's go out in the fields; Hebrew does not have these words. When they were out in the fields, Cain turned on his brother and killed him.
9The LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
He answered, “I don't know. Am I supposed to take care of my brother?”
10 #
Heb 12.24
Then the LORD said, “Why have you done this terrible thing? Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground, like a voice calling for revenge. 11You are placed under a curse and can no longer farm the soil. It has soaked up your brother's blood as if it had opened its mouth to receive it when you killed him. 12If you try to grow crops, the soil will not produce anything; you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”
13And Cain said to the LORD, “This punishment is too hard for me to bear. 14You are driving me off the land and away from your presence. I will be a homeless wanderer on the earth, and anyone who finds me will kill me.”
15But the LORD answered, “No. If anyone kills you, seven lives will be taken in revenge.” So the LORD put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who met him not to kill him. 16And Cain went away from the LORD's presence and lived in a land called “Wandering”, which is east of Eden.
The Descendants of Cain
17Cain and his wife had a son and named him Enoch. Then Cain built a city and named it after his son. 18Enoch had a son named Irad, who was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael had a son named Methushael, who was the father of Lamech. 19Lamech had two wives, Adah and Zillah. 20Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the ancestor of those who raise livestock and live in tents. 21His brother was Jubal, the ancestor of all musicians who play the harp and the flute. 22Zillah gave birth to Tubal Cain, who made all kinds of tools#4.22 who made all kinds of tools; one ancient translation ancestor of all metalworkers. out of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal Cain was Naamah.
23Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah, listen to me: I have killed a young man because he struck me.
24 #
Mt 18.22
If seven lives are taken to pay for killing Cain,
77 will be taken if anyone kills me.”
Seth and Enosh
25Adam and his wife had another son. She said, “God has given me a son to replace Abel, whom Cain killed.” So she named him Seth.#4.25 Seth: This name sounds like the Hebrew for “has given”. 26Seth had a son whom he named Enosh. It was then that people began using the LORD's holy name in worship.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Genesis 4
4
Cain and Abel
1Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived, gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2Then she gave birth again to his brother Abel.
And Abel was a keeper of flocks, # Ge 47:3 but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. # Nu 18:12 4Abel also brought the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had respect for Abel and for his offering, # Ex 13:12; Heb 11:4 5but for Cain and for his offering, He did not have respect. And Cain was very angry and his countenance fell.
6The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your countenance fallen? 7If you do well, shall you not be accepted? # 4:7 Or uplifted. But if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must rule over it.” # Ge 3:16
8Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. # Mt 23:35; Jude 11
9The Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”
He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10And then He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to Me from the ground. # Heb 12:24 11Now you are cursed from the ground which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12From now on when you till the ground, it will not yield for you its best. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”
13Then Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14Behold, you have driven me out this day from the face of the earth, and from Your face will I be hidden; and I will be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.” # Nu 35:19
15So the Lord said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” Then the Lord put a mark upon Cain, so that no one finding him would kill him. # Eze 9:4–6; Rev 13:16–18 16Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17Cain had relations with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. He built a city and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. # Ps 49:11 18To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.
19Lamech took two wives. The name of one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. # Ge 2:24 20Adah gave birth to Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute. 22Zillah gave birth to Tubal-Cain, a forger of every tool 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, and listen to my speech.
For I have killed a man for wounding me,
a young man who hurt me.
24If Cain will be avenged sevenfold,
then truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold.” # Dt 32:35
25Adam had relations with his wife again, and she had another son and called his name Seth, # Ge 5:3 for she said, “God has granted me another offspring instead of Abel, because Cain killed him.” 26To Seth also was born a son, and he called his name Enosh.
At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord. # Ps 116:17; Zep 3:9
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The Holy Bible, Modern English Version
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