Genesis 4

1And the man knew Eve his wife, and she conceiveth and beareth Cain, and saith, ‘I have gotten a man by Jehovah;’

2and she addeth to bear his brother, even Abel. And Abel is feeding a flock, and Cain hath been servant of the ground.

3And it cometh to pass at the end of days that Cain bringeth from the fruit of the ground a present to Jehovah;

4and Abel, he hath brought, he also, from the female firstlings of his flock, even from their fat ones; and Jehovah looketh unto Abel and unto his present,

5and unto Cain and unto his present He hath not looked; and it is very displeasing to Cain, and his countenance is fallen.

6And Jehovah saith unto Cain, ‘Why hast thou displeasure? and why hath thy countenance fallen?

7Is there not, if thou dost well, acceptance? and if thou dost not well, at the opening a sin-offering is crouching, and unto thee its desire, and thou rulest over it.’

8And Cain saith unto Abel his brother, [‘Let us go into the field;’] and it cometh to pass in their being in the field, that Cain riseth up against Abel his brother, and slayeth him.

9And Jehovah saith unto Cain, ‘Where [is] Abel thy brother?’ and he saith, ‘I have not known; my brother's keeper — I?’

10And He saith, ‘What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood is crying unto Me from the ground;

11and now, cursed [art] thou from the ground, which hath opened her mouth to receive the blood of thy brother from thy hand;

12when thou tillest the ground, it doth not add to give its strength to thee — a wanderer, even a trembling one, thou art in the earth.’

13And Cain saith unto Jehovah, ‘Greater is my punishment than to be borne;

14lo, Thou hast driven me to-day from off the face of the ground, and from Thy face I am hid; and I have been a wanderer, even a trembling one, in the earth, and it hath been — every one finding me doth slay me.’

15And Jehovah saith to him, ‘Therefore — of any slayer of Cain sevenfold it is required;’ and Jehovah setteth to Cain a token that none finding him doth slay him.

16And Cain goeth out from before Jehovah, and dwelleth in the land, moving about east of Eden;

17and Cain knoweth his wife, and she conceiveth, and beareth Enoch; and he is building a city, and he calleth the name of the city, according to the name of his son — Enoch.

18And born to Enoch is Irad; and Irad hath begotten Mehujael; and Mehujael hath begotten Methusael; and Methusael hath begotten Lamech.

19And Lamech taketh to himself two wives, the name of the one Adah, and the name of the second Zillah.

20And Adah beareth Jabal, he hath been father of those inhabiting tents and purchased possessions;

21and the name of his brother [is] Jubal, he hath been father of every one handling harp and organ.

22And Zillah she also bare Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron; and a sister of Tubal-Cain [is] Naamah.

23And Lamech saith to his wives: — ‘Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Wives of Lamech, give ear [to] my saying: For a man I have slain for my wound, Even a young man for my hurt;

24For sevenfold is required for Cain, And for Lamech seventy and sevenfold.’

25And Adam again knoweth his wife, and she beareth a son, and calleth his name Seth, ‘for God hath appointed for me another seed instead of Abel:’ for Cain had slain him.

26And to Seth, to him also a son hath been born, and he calleth his name Enos; then a beginning was made of preaching in the name of Jehovah.

maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society

Learn More About Young's Literal Translation 1898

Genesis 4

Cain and Abel

1Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten#4:1 Cain sounds like the Hebrew for gotten 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 worker of the ground. 3In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of #Lev. 2:12; Num. 18:12the fruit of the ground, 4and Abel also brought of #Ex. 13:12; Num. 18:17; Prov. 3:9 the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord #Heb. 11:4had regard for Abel and his offering, 5but #[Prov. 21:27]for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7#Eccles. 8:12, 13; Isa. 3:10, 11; Rom. 2:6-11 If you do well, will you not be accepted?#4:7 Hebrew will there not be a lifting up [of your face]? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. #ch. 3:16Its desire is contrary to#4:7 Or is toward you, but you must rule over it.”

8Cain spoke to Abel his brother.#4:8 Hebrew; Samaritan, Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate add Let us go out to the field And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and #Matt. 23:35; Heb. 12:24; 1 John 3:12; Jude 11killed him. 9Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, #John 8:44“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 #Heb. 12:24; [Rev. 6:10]is crying to me from the ground. 11And now #Deut. 27:24; [Num. 35:33]you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12When you work 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 #ch. 19:15punishment is greater than I can bear.#4:13 Or My guilt is too great to bear 14Behold, #Job 15:20-24 you have driven me today away from the ground, and #2 Kgs. 24:20; Ps. 51:11; 143:7; Jer. 52:3 from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, #ch. 9:6; Num. 35:19and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him #Ps. 79:12 sevenfold.” And the Lord #[Ezek. 9:4, 6; Rev. 14:9, 11]put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. 16Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod,#4:16 Nod means wandering east of Eden.

17Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. 18To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered 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 livestock. 21His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22Zillah also 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, listen to what I say:

I have killed a man for wounding me,

a young man for striking me.

24 # ver. 15 If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold,

then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.”

25And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed#4:25 Seth sounds like the Hebrew for he appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26To #1 Chr. 1:1; Luke 3:38 Seth also a son was born, and he called his name #ch. 5:6 Enosh. At that time people began #Ps. 116:17; Zeph. 3:9; Zech. 13:9to call upon the name of the Lord.

Learn More About English Standard Version 2016