Genesis 4
4
Cain Murders Abel
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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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Genesis 4
4
Cain and Abel
1#Ge 3:15Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived, gave birth to Cain and said, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2#Ge 47:3Then she gave birth again to his brother Abel.
And Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3#Nu 18:12In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. 4#Heb 11:4; Ex 13:12Abel also brought the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had respect for Abel and for his offering, 5but for Cain and for his offering, He did not have respect. And Cain was very angry and his countenance fell.
6The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your countenance fallen? 7#Ge 3:16; Ecc 8:12–13If you do well, shall you not be accepted?#Or uplifted. But if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must rule over it.”
8#Mt 23:35; Jude 1:11Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
9#Jn 8:44The Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”
He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10#Heb 12:24And then He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to Me from the ground. 11#Ge 3:14; Dt 28:15–20Now you are cursed from the ground which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12#Lev 26:36; Dt 28:23–24From now on when you till the ground, it will not yield for you its best. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”
13Then Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14#Nu 35:19; Job 15:20–24You have driven me out this day from the face of the earth, and from your face will I be hidden; and I will be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.”
15#Eze 9:4; 9:6So the Lord said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” Then the Lord put a mark upon Cain, so that no one finding him would kill him. 16#Ge 4:14; 2Ki 24:20Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17#Ps 49:11Cain had relations with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. He built a city and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. 18To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.
19#Ge 2:24Lamech took two wives. The name of one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20Adah gave birth to Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute. 22Zillah gave birth to Tubal-Cain, a forger of every tool of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.
23Lamech said to his wives:
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice,
you wives of Lamech, and listen to my speech.
For I have killed a man for wounding me,
a young man who hurt me.
24#Ge 4:15 If Cain will be avenged sevenfold,
then truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
25#Ge 4:8Adam had relations with his wife again, and she had another son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has granted me another offspring instead of Abel because Cain killed him.” 26#Ps 116:17; Zep 3:9To Seth also was born a son, and he called his name Enosh.
At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord.
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