1The man Adam knew his wife Eve intimately. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have given life to#4.1 Or created; Heb sounds similar to Cain. a man with the LORD’s help.” 2She gave birth a second time to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel cared for the flocks, and Cain farmed the fertile land.

3Some time later, Cain presented an offering to the LORD from the land’s crops 4while Abel presented his flock’s oldest offspring with their fat. The LORD looked favorably on Abel and his sacrifice 5but didn’t look favorably on Cain and his sacrifice. Cain became very angry and looked resentful. 6The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why do you look so resentful? 7If you do the right thing, won’t you be accepted? But if you don’t do the right thing, sin will be waiting at the door ready to strike! It will entice you, but you must rule over it.”

8Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”#4.8 LXX, Syr, Vulg, Sam; MT lacks Let’s go out to the field. When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

9The LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

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

10The LORD said, “What did you do? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. 11You are now cursed from the ground that opened its mouth to take your brother’s blood from your hand. 12When you farm the fertile land, it will no longer grow anything for you, and you will become a roving nomad on the earth.”

13Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14Now that you’ve driven me away from the fertile land and I am hidden from your presence, I’m about to become a roving nomad on the earth, and anyone who finds me will kill me.”

15The LORD said to him, “It won’t happen;#4.15 LXX, Syr, Vulg; MT therefore anyone who kills Cain will be paid back seven times.” The LORD put a sign on Cain so that no one who found him would assault him. 16Cain left the LORD’s presence, and he settled down in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Cain’s descendants

17Cain knew his wife intimately. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain built a city and named the city after his son Enoch.

18Irad was born to Enoch. Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19Lamech took two wives, the first named Adah and the second Zillah. 20Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the ancestor of those who live in tents and own livestock. 21His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the ancestor of those who play stringed and wind instruments. 22Zillah also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the ancestor of#4.22 Heb lacks the ancestor of. blacksmiths and all artisans of bronze and iron. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah.

23Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, listen to my voice;

wives of Lamech, pay attention to my words:

I killed a man for wounding me,

a boy for striking me;

24so Cain will be paid back seven times

and Lamech seventy-seven times.”

25Adam knew his wife intimately again, and she gave birth to a son. She named him Seth#4.25 Sounds like the Heb verb gave “because God has given me another child in place of Abel, whom Cain killed.” 26Seth also fathered a son and named him Enosh. At that time, people began to worship in the LORD’s name.

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Genesis 4

1¶ And the man knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain and said, I have gained a man by the Lord.

2And she again bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a pastor of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

3¶ And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground a present unto the Lord.

4And Abel, he also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord looked upon Abel and his present,

5but he did not look upon Cain and his present. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

6¶ Then the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

7If thou doest good, it shall certainly be accepted; and if thou doest not good, sin lies at the door. And his desire shall be unto thee, but thou must rule over him.

8¶ And 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 slew him.

9¶ And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not, Am I my brother’s keeper?

10And he said, What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother’s blood cries unto me from the ground.

11And now thou art cursed from the earth, which has opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;

12when thou tillest the ground, from now on it shall not yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

13¶ And Cain said unto the Lord, My iniquity is greater than I can bear.

14Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I hide; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass that anyone that finds me shall slay me.

15And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

16¶ And Cain went out from the presence 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 Enoch; and he built a city and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch.

18And unto Enoch was born Irad, and Irad begat Mehujael, and Mehujael begat Methusael, and Methusael begat Lamech.

19¶ And Lamech took unto him two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

20And Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and of those who have cattle.

21And his brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the harp and organ.

22And Zillah also bore Tubalcain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron; and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.

23¶ And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech, for I shall slay a man for my wound and a young man for my hurt;

24if Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy times seven.

25¶ And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth; for God, said she, has appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

26And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos. Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord.

The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International

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Genesis 4

Genesis 4