Cain and Abel
4 Now the man [a]had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have obtained a male child with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now (A)Abel was (B)a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a cultivator of the ground. 3 So it came about [b]in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the fruit of the ground. 4 (C)Abel, on his part also brought an offering, from the firstborn of his flock and from their fat portions. And (D)the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering; 5 but (E)for Cain and his offering He had no regard. So (F)Cain became very angry and his face [c]was gloomy. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “(G)Why are you angry? And why is your face [d]gloomy? 7 (H)If you do well, [e]will your face not be [f]cheerful? (I)And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; and its desire is for you, (J)but you must master it.” 8 Cain [g]talked to his brother Abel; and it happened that when they were in the field Cain rose up against his brother Abel and (K)killed him.
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “(L)Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 Then He said, “What have you done? (M)The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to Me from the ground. 11 Now (N)you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 (O)When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; (P)you will be a wanderer and a drifter on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to endure! 14 Behold, You have (Q)driven me this day from the face of the ground; and I will be hidden from Your face, and (R)I will be a wanderer and a drifter on the earth, and (S)whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 So the Lord said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him (T)seven times as much.” And the Lord [h](U)placed a mark on Cain, so that no one finding him would kill him.
16 Then Cain left the presence (V)of the Lord, and [i]settled in the land of [j]Nod, east of Eden.
17 Cain [k]had relations with his wife and she conceived, and gave birth to Enoch; and Cain built a city, and named the city Enoch, after the name of his son. 18 Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 Lamech took (W)two wives for himself: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and flute. 22 As for Zillah, she also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the forger of all implements of bronze and iron; and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah,
Listen to my voice,
You wives of Lamech,
Pay attention to my words,
(X)For I have killed a man for wounding me;
And a boy for striking me!
24 If Cain is avenged (Y)seven times,
Then Lamech seventy-seven times!”
25 (Z)Adam [l]had relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him [m]Seth, for, she said, “God [n]has appointed me another [o]child in place of Abel, (AA)because Cain killed him.” 26 To Seth also (AB)a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then people began (AC)to call [p]upon the name of the Lord.
Footnotes
- Genesis 4:1 Lit knew his
- Genesis 4:3 Lit at the end of days
- Genesis 4:5 Lit fell
- Genesis 4:6 Lit fallen
- Genesis 4:7 Or you will certainly be accepted
- Genesis 4:7 Lit lifted up
- Genesis 4:8 Lit said to
- Genesis 4:15 Or set a sign for
- Genesis 4:16 Lit dwelt
- Genesis 4:16 I.e., wandering
- Genesis 4:17 Lit knew his
- Genesis 4:25 Lit knew his
- Genesis 4:25 Heb Sheth
- Genesis 4:25 Heb shath
- Genesis 4:25 Lit seed
- Genesis 4:26 Or by
Cross references
- Genesis 4:2 : Luke 11:50, 51
- Genesis 4:2 : Gen 46:32; 47:3
- Genesis 4:4 : Heb 11:4
- Genesis 4:4 : 1 Sam 15:22
- Genesis 4:5 : 1 Sam 16:7
- Genesis 4:5 : Is 3:9; Jude 11
- Genesis 4:6 : Jon 4:4
- Genesis 4:7 : Jer 3:12; Mic 7:18
- Genesis 4:7 : Num 32:23
- Genesis 4:7 : Job 11:14, 15; Rom 6:12, 16
- Genesis 4:8 : Matt 23:35; Luke 11:51; 1 John 3:12-15; Jude 11
- Genesis 4:9 : Gen 3:9
- Genesis 4:10 : Num 35:33; Deut 21:1-9; Heb 12:24; Rev 6:9, 10
- Genesis 4:11 : Gen 3:14; Deut 28:15-20; Gal 3:10
- Genesis 4:12 : Deut 28:15-24; Joel 1:10-20
- Genesis 4:12 : Lev 26:17, 36
- Genesis 4:14 : Gen 3:24; Jer 52:3
- Genesis 4:14 : Deut 28:64-67
- Genesis 4:14 : Num 35:19
- Genesis 4:15 : Gen 4:24
- Genesis 4:15 : Ezek 9:4, 6
- Genesis 4:16 : 2 Kin 24:20; Jer 23:39; 52:3
- Genesis 4:19 : Gen 2:24
- Genesis 4:23 : Ex 20:13; Lev 19:18; Deut 32:35; Ps 94:1
- Genesis 4:24 : Gen 4:15
- Genesis 4:25 : Gen 5:3
- Genesis 4:25 : Gen 4:8
- Genesis 4:26 : Luke 3:38
- Genesis 4:26 : Gen 12:8; 26:25; 1 Kin 18:24; Ps 116:17; Joel 2:32; Zeph 3:9; 1 Cor 1:2