Genesis 4

Cain Murders Abel

1 Adam 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." 2 Then 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. 4 And Abel also presented [an offering]-some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,

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? 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."

8 Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

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! 11 So now you are cursed, [alienated,] from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood you have shed.

12 If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."
13 But Cain answered the Lord, "My punishment is too great to bear!

14 Since You are banishing me today from the soil, and I must hide myself from Your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me."
15 Then the Lord replied to him, "In that case, whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over." And He placed a mark 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, 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 father of the nomadic herdsmen. 21 His brother was named Jubal; he was the father 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 me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him."

26 A son was born to Seth also, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of Yahweh.

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 and Abel also gave an offering to the Lord. He killed the firstborn lamb from one of his sheep and gave the Lord the best parts of it. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering,t

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 have such an angry look on your face?

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 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let's go for a walk.”t And when they were out in a field, Cain killed him.t

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

10 Then the Lord said:t
Why have you done this terrible thing? You killed your own brother, and his blood flowed on to 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 the land again.

12 If 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 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.

Descendants of Adam before the flood

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 worshipping the Lord.t