Genesis 4
4
The First Family
1Adam had sexual relations with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. Eve said, “With the Lord’s help, I have given birth to a man.” 2After that, Eve gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel took care of flocks, and Cain became a farmer.
3Later, Cain brought some food from the ground as a gift to God. 4Abel brought the best parts from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, 5but he did not accept Cain and his gift. So Cain became very angry and felt rejected.
6The Lord asked Cain, “Why are you angry? Why do you look so unhappy? 7If you do things well, I will accept you, but if you do not do them well, sin is ready to attack you. Sin wants you, but you must rule over it.”
8Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out into the field.” While they were out in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9Later, the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
Cain answered, “I don’t know. Is it my job to take care of my brother?”
10Then the Lord said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground. 11And now you will be cursed in your work with the ground, the same ground where your brother’s blood fell and where your hands killed him. 12You will work the ground, but it will not grow good crops for you anymore, and you will wander around on the earth.”
13Then Cain said to the Lord, “This punishment is more than I can stand! 14Today you have forced me to stop working the ground, and now I must hide from you. I must wander around on the earth, and anyone who meets me can kill me.”
15The Lord said to Cain, “No! If anyone kills you, I will punish that person seven times more.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain warning anyone who met him not to kill him.
Cain’s Family
16So Cain went away from the Lord and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. 17He had sexual relations with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. At that time Cain was building a city, which he named after his son Enoch. 18Enoch had a son named Irad, Irad had a son named Mehujael, Mehujael had a son named Methushael, and Methushael had a son named Lamech.
19Lamech married two women, Adah and Zillah. 20Adah gave birth to Jabal, who became the first person to live in tents and raise cattle. 21Jabal’s brother was Jubal, the first person to play the harp and flute. 22Zillah gave birth to Tubal-Cain, who made tools out of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.
23Lamech said to his wives:
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice!
You wives of Lamech, listen to what I say.
I killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for hitting me.
24If Cain’s killer is punished seven times,
then Lamech’s killer will be punished seventy-seven times.”
Adam and Eve Have a New Son
25Adam had sexual relations with his wife Eve again, and she gave birth to a son. She named him Seth and said, “God has given me another child. He will take the place of Abel, who was killed by Cain.” 26Seth also had a son, and they named him Enosh. At that time people began to pray to the Lord.
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Genesis 4: NCV
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Genesis 4
4
Cain Murders Abel
1Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.” 2Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now #Luke 11:50, 51Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit #Num. 18:12of the ground to the Lord. 4Abel also brought of #Num. 18:17the firstborn of his flock and of #Lev. 3:16their fat. And the Lord respected #Heb. 11:4Abel and his offering, 5but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
6So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
8Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and #Matt. 23:35; Luke 11:51; (1 John 3:12–15); Jude 11killed him.
9Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”
He said, #John 8:44“I do not know. Am I #1 Cor. 8:11–13my brother’s keeper?”
10And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood #Num. 35:33; Deut. 21:1–9; Heb. 12:24; Rev. 6:9, 10cries out to Me from the ground. 11So now #Gen. 3:14; Deut. 11:28; 28:15–20; Gal. 3:10you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.”
13And Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; #Ps. 51:11I shall be #Deut. 31:18; Is. 1:15hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that #Gen. 9:6; Num. 35:19, 21, 27anyone who finds me will kill me.”
15And the Lord said to him, “Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him #Gen. 4:24; Ps. 79:12sevenfold.” And the Lord set a #Gen. 9:6; Ezek. 9:4, 6mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.
The Family of Cain
16Then Cain #2 Kin. 13:23; 24:20; Jer. 23:39; 52:3went out from the #Jon. 1:3presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. 17And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Ē´noch. And he built a city, #Ps. 49:11and called the name of the city after the name of his son—Ē´noch. 18To Ē´noch was born Irad; and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lamech.
19Then Lamech took for himself #Gen. 2:24; 16:3; 1 Tim. 3:2two wives: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah. 20And Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute. 22And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.
23Then Lamech said to his wives:
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech!
For I have killed a man for wounding me,
Even a young man for hurting me.
24#Gen. 4:15If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,
Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
A New Son
25And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and #Gen. 5:3named him Seth, “For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.” 26And as for Seth, #Gen. 5:6to him also a son was born; and he named him Ē´nosh. Then men began #Gen. 12:8; 26:25; 1 Kin. 18:24; Ps. 116:17; Joel 2:32; Zeph. 3:9; 1 Cor. 1:2to call on the name of the Lord.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.