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.
2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Genesis 4
4
Cain Murders Abel
1Adam#4.1 Adam: See the note at 3.20. and Eve had a son. Then Eve said, “I'll name him Cain because I got#4.1 Cain … got: In Hebrew “Cain” sounds like “got.” him with the help of the Lord.” 2Later she had another son and named him Abel.
Abel became a sheep farmer, but Cain farmed the land. 3One day, Cain gave part of his harvest to the Lord, 4#He 11.4. and Abel also gave an offering to the Lord. He killed the first-born lamb from one of his sheep and gave the Lord the best parts of it. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering, 5but not with Cain and his offering. This made Cain so angry that he could not hide his feelings.
6The Lord said to Cain:
What's wrong with you? Why do you look so angry? 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 you did the wrong thing, and now sin is waiting to attack you like a lion. Sin wants to destroy you, but don't let it!
8 #
Ws 10.3; Mt 23.35; Lk 11.51; 1 Jn 3.12. Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let's go for a walk.”#4.8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let's … walk.” Most ancient translations; Hebrew “Cain spoke to his brother Abel.” And when they were out in a field, Cain attacked and killed him.
9Afterwards the Lord asked Cain, “Where is Abel?”
“How should I know?” he answered. “Am I supposed to look after my brother?”
10 #
He 12.24. Then the Lord said:
Why have you done this terrible thing? You killed your own brother, and his blood flowed onto the ground. Now his blood is calling out for me to punish you. 11And so, I'll put you under a curse. Because you killed Abel and made his blood run out on the ground, you will never be able to farm it again. 12When you try to farm the land, it won't produce anything for you. From now on, you'll be without a home, and you'll spend the rest of your life wandering from place to place.
13“This punishment is too hard!” Cain said. 14“You're making me leave my home and live far from you.#4.14 live … you: It was generally believed that the Lord was with his people only in their own land. I will have to wander about without a home, and just anyone could kill me.”
15“No!”#4.15 No: Three ancient translations; Hebrew “Very well!” the Lord answered. “Anyone who kills you will be punished seven times worse than I am punishing you.” So the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn everyone not to kill him. 16But Cain had to go far from the Lord and live in the Land of Wandering,#4.16 Wandering: The Hebrew text has “Nod,” which means “wandering.” which is east of Eden.
More and More People
17Later, Cain and his wife had a son named Enoch. At the time Cain was building a town, and so he named it Enoch after his son. 18Then Enoch had a son named Irad, who had a son named Mehujael, who had a son named Methushael, who had a son named Lamech.
19Lamech married Adah, then Zillah. 20-21Lamech and Adah had two sons, Jabal and Jubal. Their son Jabal was the first to live in tents and raise sheep and goats. Jubal was the first to play harps and flutes.
22Lamech and Zillah had a son named Tubal Cain who made tools out of bronze and iron. They also had a daughter, whose name was Naamah.
23One day, Lamech said to his two wives, “A young man wounded me, and I killed him. 24Anyone who tries to get even with me will be punished ten times more than anyone who tries to get even with Cain.”
25Adam and his wife had another son. They named him Seth, because they said, “God has given#4.25 Seth … given: In Hebrew “Seth” sounds like “given.” us a son to take the place of Abel, who was killed by his brother Cain.” 26Later, Seth had a son and named him Enosh.
About this time people started worshiping the Lord.#4.26 worshiping the Lord: Or “worshiping in the name of the Lord.”
Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.