Cain Murders Abel
4 The man was intimate with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have had a male child with the Lord’s help.”[a] 2 She also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord.(A) 4 And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions.(B) The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,(C) 5 but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious?(D) And why do you look despondent? 7 If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”(E)
8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”[b] And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.(F)
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”
10 Then he said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground!(G) 11 So now you are cursed, alienated from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed.[c] 12 If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”(H)
13 But Cain answered the Lord, “My punishment[d] is too great to bear! 14 Since you are banishing me today from the face of the earth, and I must hide from your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.”(I)
15 Then the Lord replied to him, “In that case,[e] whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” And he placed a mark(J) on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him. 16 Then Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod,[f] east of Eden.
The Line of Cain
17 Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son. 18 Irad was born to Enoch, Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 Lamech took two wives for himself, one named Adah and the other named Zillah. 20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the first[g] of the nomadic herdsmen. 21 His brother was named Jubal; he was the first[h] of all who play the lyre and the flute. 22 Zillah bore Tubal-cain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives:
Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
wives of Lamech, pay attention to my words.
For I killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for striking me.
24 If Cain is to be avenged seven times over,
then for Lamech it will be seventy-seven times!
25 Adam was intimate with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, for she said, “God has given[i] me another offspring[j] in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” 26 A son was born to Seth(K) also, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.(L)
Footnotes
- 4:1 Lit the Lord
- 4:8 Sam, LXX, Syr, Vg; MT omits “Let’s go out to the field.”
- 4:11 Lit blood from your hand
- 4:13 Or sin
- 4:15 LXX, Syr, Vg read “Not so!”
- 4:16 Lit Wandering
- 4:20 Lit father
- 4:21 Lit father
- 4:25 The Hb word for given sounds like the name “Seth.”
- 4:25 Lit seed
Cross references
- 4:3 : Ex 23:19; 34:26; Neh 10:35
- 4:4 : Ex 13:12; Nm 18:17; Pr 3:9
- 4:4 : Heb 11:4
- 4:6 : Jnh 4:4
- 4:7 : Gn 3:16
- 4:8 : Mt 23:35; Lk 11:51; 1Jn 3:12–15; Jd 11
- 4:10 : Nm 35:33; Dt 21:1–9; Heb 12:24; Rv 6:9–10
- 4:12 : Dt 28:16–18; Is 26:21
- 4:14 : Nm 35:26–27
- 4:15 : Ex 9:4; Ezk 9:4,6; Rv 13:16–17
- 4:26 : Lk 3:38
- 4:26 : Gn 12:8; 26:25; 1Kg 18:24; Ps 116:17; Jl 2:32; Zph 3:9; 1Co 1:2