Genesis 4

Chapter 4

Cain and Abel

1 Now Adamt 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 producedt a man!”

2 Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel.

When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground.3 When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the LORD.4 Abel also brought a gift—the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift,

5 but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.
6 “Why are you so angry?” the LORD asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected?

7 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

8 One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.”t And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.

9 Afterward the LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”
“I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”
10 But the LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground!11 Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood.

12 No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”
13 Cain replied to the LORD, “My punishmentt is too great for me to bear!

14 You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!”
15 The LORD replied, “No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him.

16 So Cain left the LORD’s presence and settled in the land of Nod,t east of Eden.

The Descendants of Cain

17 Cain had sexual relations with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain founded a city, which he named Enoch, after his son.

18 Enoch had a son named Irad. Irad became the father oft Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became the father of Lamech.
19 Lamech married two women. The first was named Adah, and the second was Zillah.20 Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the first of those who raise livestock and live in tents.21 His brother’s name was Jubal, the first of all who play the harp and flute.22 Lamech’s other wife, Zillah, gave birth to a son named Tubal-cain. He became an expert in forging tools of bronze and iron. Tubal-cain had a sister named Naamah.

23 One day Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
listen to me, you wives of Lamech.
I have killed a man who attacked me,
a young man who wounded me.24 If someone who kills Cain is punished seven times,
then the one who kills me will be punished seventy-seven times!”

The Birth of Seth

25 Adam had sexual relations with his wife again, and she gave birth to another son. She named him Seth,t for she said, “God has granted me another son in place of Abel, whom Cain killed.”

26 When Seth grew up, he had a son and named him Enosh. At that time people first began to worship the LORD by name.

GENESIS 4

Cain Murders Abel

1 Adamt and Eve had a son. Then Eve said, “I'll name him Cain because I gott him with the help of the [Lord].”

2 Later she had another son and named him Abel.
Abel became a sheep farmer, but Cain farmed the land. 3 One day, Cain gave part of his harvest to the [Lord], 4 t 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,

5 but not with Cain and his offering. This made Cain so angry that he could not hide his feelings.

6 The [Lord] said to Cain:
What's wrong with you? Why do you look so angry?

7 If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling.t 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  t Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let's go for a walk.”t And when they were out in a field, Cain attacked and killed him.

9 Afterwards the [Lord] asked Cain, “Where is Abel?”
“How should I know?” he answered. “Am I supposed to look after my brother?”

10  t 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. 11 And 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.

12 When 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.t I will have to wander about without a home, and just anyone could kill me.”
15 “No!”t 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.

16 But Cain had to go far from the [Lord] and live in the Land of Wandering, t which is east of Eden.

More and More People

18 Then Enoch had a son named Irad, who had a son named Mehujael, who had a son named Methushael, who had a son named Lamech.
19 Lamech married Adah, then Zillah.

20-21 Lamech 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.

22 Lamech 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.
23 One day, Lamech said to his two wives, “A young man wounded me, and I killed him.

24 Anyone who tries to get even with me will be punished ten times more than anyone who tries to get even with Cain.”
25 Adam and his wife had another son. They named him Seth, because they said, “God has givent us a son to take the place of Abel, who was killed by his brother Cain.”

26 Later, Seth had a son and named him Enosh.
About this time people started worshiping the [Lord].t