Genesis 4 - Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

The First Family

4 Adam had sexual relations with his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Cain.[a] Eve said, “With the Lord’s help, I have made a man!”

2 Eve gave birth again to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel became a shepherd, and Cain became a farmer.

The First Murder

3-4 At harvest time,[b] Cain brought a gift to the Lord. He brought some of the food that he grew from the ground, but Abel brought some animals from his flock. He chose some of his best sheep and brought the best parts from them.[c]

The Lord accepted Abel and his gift. 5 But he did not accept Cain and his offering. Cain was sad because of this, and he became very angry. 6 The Lord asked Cain, “Why are you angry? Why does your face look sad? 7 You know that if you do what is right, I will accept you. But if you don’t, sin is ready to attack you. That sin will want to control you, but you must control it.”[d]

8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”[e] So they went to the field. Then Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

9 Later, the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

Cain answered, “I don’t know. Is it my job to watch over my brother?”

10-11 Then the Lord said, “What have you done? You killed your brother and the ground opened up to take his blood from your hands. Now his blood is shouting to me from the ground. So you will be cursed from this ground. 12 Now when you work the soil, the ground will not help your plants grow. You will not have a home in this land. You will wander from place to place.”

13 Then Cain said to the Lord, “This punishment is more than I can bear! 14 You are forcing me to leave the land, and I will not be able to be near you or have a home! Now I must wander from place to place, and anyone I meet could kill me.”

15 Then the Lord said to Cain, “No, if anyone kills you, I will punish that person much, much more.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to show that no one should kill him.

Cain’s Family

16 Cain went away from the Lord and lived in the land of Nod.[f]

17 Cain had sexual relations with his wife. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son named Enoch. Cain built a city and gave the city the same name as his son Enoch.

18 Enoch had a son named Irad. Irad had a son named Mehujael. Mehujael had a son named Methushael. And Methushael had a son named Lamech.

19 Lamech married two women. One wife was named Adah, and the other was named Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal. Jabal was the father[g] of people who live in tents and earn their living by keeping cattle. 21 Jabal was Jubal’s brother. Jubal was the father of people who play the harp and flute. 22 Zillah gave birth to Tubal-Cain. Tubal-Cain was the father of people who work with bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-Cain was named Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice!
You wives of Lamech, listen to me.
A man hurt me, so I killed him.
I even killed a child for hitting me.
24 The punishment for killing Cain was very bad.
But the punishment for killing me will be many times worse!”

Adam and Eve Have a New Son

25 Adam again had sexual relations with his wife, and she gave birth to another son. She named him Seth.[h] Eve said, “God has given me another son. Cain killed Abel, but now I have Seth.” 26 Seth also had a son. He named him Enosh. At that time people began to pray to the Lord.[i]

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 4:1 Cain This name is like the Hebrew word meaning “make” or “get.”
  2. Genesis 4:3 At harvest time Literally, “at the end of days.”
  3. Genesis 4:3 He chose … from them Literally, “He brought some of his firstborn sheep, especially their fat.”
  4. Genesis 4:7 But if you … control it Or “But if you don’t do right, sin is crouching at your door. It wants you, but you must rule over it.”
  5. Genesis 4:8 Let’s go … field This sentence is found in the ancient versions but not in the standard Hebrew text.
  6. Genesis 4:16 Nod This name means “wandering.”
  7. Genesis 4:20 father This probably means that this man invented these things or was the first one to use them.
  8. Genesis 4:25 Seth This is like a Hebrew word meaning “to give.”
  9. Genesis 4:26 people … the Lord Literally, “people began calling on the name Yahweh.”

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4 And the man knew Eve his wife, and she conceiveth and beareth Cain, and saith, `I have gotten a man by Jehovah;' 2 and she addeth to bear his brother, even Abel. And Abel is feeding a flock, and Cain hath been servant of the ground. 3 And it cometh to pass at the end of days that Cain bringeth fro...
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Genesis 4 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

4 Forsooth Adam knew Eve his wife, which conceived, and childed Cain, and said, I have gotten a man by God. (And Adam knew his wife Eve, who conceived, and bare Cain, and she said, Now, with the Lord’s help, I have begotten a man.) 2 And again she childed his brother Abel. Forsooth Abel was a keeper...
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Genesis 4 - World English Bible (WEB)

4 The man knew[a] Eve his wife. She conceived,[b] and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with Yahweh’s help.” 2 Again she gave birth, to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 As time passed, Cain brought an offering to Yahweh from t...
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Genesis 4 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

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Genesis 4 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Cain Murders Abel4 [a]Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten[b] a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord a...
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Genesis 4 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Cain Murders Abel4 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten[a] a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an o...
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Genesis 4 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Cain Murders Abel4 Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, ‘I have produced[a] a man with the help of the Lord.’ 2 Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an of...
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Genesis 4 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Cain Murders Abel4 Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain,[a] saying, “I have produced a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground.(A)3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an of...
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Genesis 4 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Cain and Abel4 Now Adam[a] had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the Lord’s help, I have produced[b] a man!” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel.When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultiva...
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Genesis 4 - New Life Version (NLV)

Cain Kills Abel4 The man lay with his wife Eve and she was going to have a child and she gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have given birth to a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 Next she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was one who worked the ground. 3 The da...
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Genesis 4 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Cain Murders Abel(A)4 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore [a]Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.” 2 Then she bore again, this time his brother [b]Abel. Now (B)Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And [c]in the process of time it ca...
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Genesis 4 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Cain and Abel4 Adam[a] made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.[b] She said, ‘With the help of the Lord I have brought forth[c] a man.’ 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought ...
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Genesis 4 - New International Version (NIV)

Cain and Abel4 Adam[a] made love to his wife(A) Eve,(B) and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.[b](C) She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth[c] a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.(D)Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.(E) 3 In the course of time ...
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Genesis 4 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Cain and Abel4 Adam loved his wife Eve and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the Lord’s help I have had a baby boy.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.Abel took care of sheep. Cain farmed the land. 3 After some time, Cain gathered some things he h...
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Genesis 4 - New English Translation (NET)

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