1Now Adam#4:1a Or the man; also in 4:25. 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 produced#4:1b Or I have acquired. Cain sounds like a Hebrew term that can mean “produce” or “acquire.” a man!” 2Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel.

When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. 3When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. 4Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, 5but 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? 7You 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.”

8One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.”#4:8 As in Samaritan Pentateuch, Greek and Syriac versions, and Latin Vulgate; Masoretic Text lacks “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.

9Afterward the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”

“I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

10But the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! 11Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. 12No 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.”

13Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment#4:13 Or My sin. is too great for me to bear! 14You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!”

15The 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. 16So Cain left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod,#4:16 Nod means “wandering.” east of Eden.

The Descendants of Cain

17Cain 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. 18Enoch had a son named Irad. Irad became the father of#4:18 Or the ancestor of, and so throughout the verse. Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became the father of Lamech.

19Lamech married two women. The first was named Adah, and the second was Zillah. 20Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the first of those who raise livestock and live in tents. 21His brother’s name was Jubal, the first of all who play the harp and flute. 22Lamech’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. 23One 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.

24If someone who kills Cain is punished seven times,

then the one who kills me will be punished seventy-seven times!”

The Birth of Seth

25Adam had sexual relations with his wife again, and she gave birth to another son. She named him Seth,#4:25 Seth probably means “granted”; the name may also mean “appointed.” for she said, “God has granted me another son in place of Abel, whom Cain killed.” 26When Seth grew up, he had a son and named him Enosh. At that time people first began to worship the Lord by name.

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Bereshis 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.

THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE

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Genesis 4

Bereshis 4