4
Cain and Abel’s Blood
1Now the man had relations with Eve his wife and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I produced a man with Adonai.”
2Then she gave birth again, to his brother Abel. Abel became a shepherd of flocks while Cain became a worker of the ground.
3So it happened after some time that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to Adonai,
4while Abel—he also brought of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. Now Adonai looked favorably upon Abel and his offering,
5but upon Cain and his offering He did not look favorably. Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.
6Then Adonai said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
7If you do well, it will lift. But if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the doorway. Its desire is for you, but you must master it.”
8Cain spoke to Abel his brother. While they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
9Then Adonai said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?” “I don’t know,” he said. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10Then He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to Me from the ground.
11So now, cursed are you from the ground which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
12As often as you work the ground, it will not yield its crops to you again. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”
13Cain said to Adonai, “My iniquity is too great to bear!
14Since You expelled me today from the face of the ground and I must be hidden from Your presence, then I will be a restless wanderer on the earth—anyone who finds me will kill me!”
15But Adonai said to him, “In that case, anyone who kills Cain is to be avenged seven times over.” So Adonai put a mark on Cain, so that anyone who found him would not strike him down.
16Then Cain left Adonai’s presence and dwelled in the Land of Wandering, east of Eden.
17Cain was intimate with his wife and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. And he was building a city, and he named the city after the name of his son, Enoch.
18And to Enoch was born Irad. Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech.
19Now Lamech took for himself two wives. The name of the first one was Adah, and the name of the second one was Zillah.
20Adah gave birth to Jabal—he was the pioneer of tent dwellers with livestock.
21His brother’s name was Jubal—he was the pioneer of all who skillfully handle stringed instruments and wind instruments.
22Now Zillah also gave birth to Tubal-Cain, the forger of every kind of bronze and iron tools; Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.
23Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah: Hear my voice! Lamech’s wives: Listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, and a boy for bruising me.
24If Cain is to be avenged seven times, then Lamech—77 times!”
25Adam was intimate with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and she named him Seth, “For God has appointed me another seed in place of Abel—since Cain killed him.”
26To Seth, also was born a son. He named him Enosh. Then people began to call on Adonai’s Name.