1Adam made love to his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have gotten the man that the Lord promised.” 2Then she gave birth to another child, Abel, Cain’s brother. Abel was a shepherd, and Cain was a farmer.

3Later Cain brought some crops from the land as an offering to the Lord. 4Abel also brought some choice parts of the firstborn animals from his flock. The Lord approved of Abel and his offering, 5but he didn’t approve of Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry and was disappointed. 6Then the Lord asked Cain, “Why are you angry, and why do you look disappointed? 7If you do well, won’t you be accepted? But if you don’t do well, sin is lying outside your door ready to attack. It wants to control you, but you must master it.”

8Cain talked to his brother Abel. Later, when they were in the fields, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

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

“I don’t know,” he answered. “Am I supposed to take care of my brother?”

10The Lord asked, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground. 11So now you are cursed from the ground, which has received the blood of your brother whom you killed. 12When you farm the ground, it will no longer yield its best for you. You will be a fugitive, a wanderer on the earth.”

13But Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can stand! 14You have forced me off this land today. I have to hide from you and become a fugitive, a wanderer on the earth. Now anyone who finds me will kill me!”

15So the Lord said to him, “Not so! Anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” The Lord gave Cain a sign so that anyone meeting him would not kill him.

16Then Cain left the Lord’s presence and lived in Nod [The Land of Wandering], east of Eden.

Cain’s Ten Descendants—Cain to Lamech

17Cain made love to his wife. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was building a city, and he named it Enoch after his son. 18To Enoch was born 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 named Adah and the other Zillah. 20Adah gave birth to Jabal. He was the first person to live in tents and have livestock. 21His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the first person to play the harp and the flute. 22Zillah also had a son, Tubalcain, who made bronze and iron tools. Tubalcain’s sister was Naamah.

23Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, listen to me!

Wives of Lamech, hear what I say!

I killed a man for bruising me,

a young man for wounding me.

24If Cain is avenged 7 times,

then Lamech, 77 times.”

Adam’s Godly Descendants—Adam to Enosh

25Adam made love to his wife again. She gave birth to a son and named him Seth, because ⌞she said,⌟ “God has given #4:25 There is a play on words here between Hebrew sheth (Seth) and shath (given). me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”

26A son was also born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to worship the Lord.

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Genesis 4

Cain and Abel

1And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain,#4.1 That is, Gotten, or Acquired. and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. 2And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. 4#Heb 11.4. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door: and unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

8 # Matt 23.35; Luke 11.51; 1 John 3.12. 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. 9And 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 crieth unto me from the ground. 11And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand. 12When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. 13And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment 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 be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. 15And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. 16And 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 bare Enoch: and he builded 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 Mehu´ja-el: and Mehu´ja-el begat Methu´sa-el: and Methu´sa-el begat Lamech. 19And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. 21And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. 22And Zillah, she also bare Tu´bal–cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tu´bal–cain was Na´amah.

23And Lamech said unto his wives,

Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;

ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech:

for I have slain a man to my wounding,

and a young man to my hurt.

24If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,

truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

25And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth:#4.25 That is, Appointed, or Put. For God, said she, hath 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 began men to call upon the name of the Lord.

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Genesis 4

Genesis 4