Genesis 4
4
Cain and Abel
1Adam 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.” 2Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Abel took care of sheep. Cain farmed the land. 3After some time, Cain gathered some things he had grown. He brought them as an offering to the Lord. 4And Abel also brought an offering. He brought the fattest parts of some animals from his flock. They were the first animals born to their mothers. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering. 5But he wasn’t pleased with Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his face was sad.
6Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why are you looking so sad? 7Do what is right and then you will be accepted. If you don’t do what is right, sin is waiting at your door to grab you. It desires to control you. But you must rule over it.”
8Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” So they went out. There Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” Cain replied. “Am I supposed to take care of my brother?”
10The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground. 11So I am putting a curse on you. I am driving you away from this ground. It has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12When you farm the land, it will not produce its crops for you anymore. You will be a restless person who wanders around on the earth.”
13Cain said to the Lord, “You are punishing me more than I can take. 14Today you are driving me away from the land. I will be hidden from you. I’ll be a restless person who wanders around on the earth. Anyone who finds me will kill me.”
15But the Lord said to him, “No. Anyone who kills you will be paid back seven times.” The Lord put a mark on Cain. Then anyone who found him wouldn’t kill him. 16So Cain went away from the Lord. He lived in the land of Nod. It was east of Eden.
17Cain loved his wife and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. At that time Cain was building a city. He named it after his son Enoch. 18Enoch had a son named Irad. Irad was the father of Mehujael. Mehujael was the father of Methushael. And Methushael was the father of Lamech.
19Lamech married two women. One was named Adah, and the other was named Zillah. 20Adah gave birth to Jabal. He was the father of people who live in tents and raise livestock. 21His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of everyone who plays stringed instruments and wind instruments. 22Zillah also had a son. His name was Tubal-Cain. He made all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.
23Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah, listen to me!
You wives of Lamech, hear my words!
I have killed a man because he wounded me.
I have killed a young man because he hurt me.
24Anyone who would have killed Cain would have been paid back seven times.
But anyone who hurts me will be paid back 77 times.”
25Adam slept with his wife again. She gave birth to a son and named him Seth. She said, “God has given me another child. He will take the place of Abel, because Cain killed him.” 26Seth also had a son and named him Enosh.
Then people began to call on the name of the Lord.
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Genesis 4: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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Bereshis 4
4
1And HaAdam knew Chavah (Eve) his isha; and she conceived, and bore Kayin (Cain), and said, Kaniti (I have acquired) ish with Hashem.
2And again she bore his ach Hevel (Abel). And Hevel was a ro'eh tzon, but Kayin was an oved adamah (tiller of soil).
3And in ketz yamim it came to pass, that Kayin brought of the p'ri haadamah a minchah unto Hashem.
4And Hevel, he also brought of the bechorot of his tzon and of the chelev thereof. And Hashem regarded [with favor, respect] unto Hevel and to his minchah:
5But unto Kayin and to his minchah He had not regard. And Kayin was very angry, and his countenance fell.
6And Hashem said unto Kayin, Why art thou angry? And why is thy countenance fallen?
7If thou doest right, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not right, chattat is lurking at the petach. And unto thee shall be its teshukah (desire), and thou must rule over it.
8And Kayin talked with Hevel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the sadeh, that Kayin rose up against Hevel his brother, and killed him.
9And Hashem said unto Kayin, Where is Hevel thy brother? And he said, I know not; am I shomer achi (my brotherʼs keeper)?
10And He said, What hast thou done? The voice of thy brotherʼs dahm crieth unto Me from haadamah.
11And now art thou arur (cursed) from haadamah, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brotherʼs dahm from thy hand;
12When thou tillest haadamah, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her ko'ach (strength); na (restless fugitive) vanad (and a wanderer, nomad) shalt thou be in ha'aretz.
13And Kayin said unto Hashem, My avon (iniquity, punishment for guilt) is greater than I can bear.
14See, Thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the adamah; and from Thy face shall I be hidden and I shall be a na (restless fugitive) vanad (and a wanderer, nomad) in ha'aretz; and it shall come to pass, that whoever findeth me shall kill me.
15And Hashem said unto him, Therefore whoever killeth Kayin, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And Hashem placed an ot (mark) upon Kayin, so that none finding him should kill him.
16And Kayin went out from the presence of Hashem, and dwelt in Eretz Nod, east of Eden.
17And Kayin knew his isha; and she conceived, and bore Chanokh (Enoch); and he built an ir (city), and called the shem of the ir, after the shem beno, Chanokh (Enoch).
18And unto Chanokh (Enoch) was born Irad; and Irad fathered Mechuyael; and Mechuyael fathered Metushael; and Metushael fathered Lamech.
19And Lamech took unto him two nashim; the shem of the one was Adah, and the shem of the second Tzilah.
20And Adah bore Yaval; he was the av of such as dwell in ohel, and have mikneh.
21And his brotherʼs shem was Yuval; he was the av of all such as play kinnor (harp) and ugav (flute).
22And Tzilah, she also bore Tuval-Kayin, a forger of every cutting tool of nechoshet and barzel; and the achot of Tuval-Kayin was Na'amah.
23And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Tzilah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, give heed to my speech; for I have slain an ish for my wounding, and a yeled for my chabburah.#4:23 See Ga 6:17
24If Kayin (Cain) shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and seven times over.
25And Adam knew his isha again; and she bore a ben, and called shmo Shet; for Elohim, said she, hath appointed me another zera in place of Hevel, whom Kayin killed.
26And to Shet, to him also there was born a ben; and he called shmo Enosh; then began men to call upon the Shem of Hashem.
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