Genesis 4
4
Cain Murders Abel
1Adam was intimate with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have had a male child with the Lord’s help.” # Lit the Lord 2Then she also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground. 3In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord. # Ex 23:19; 34:26; Neh 10:35 4And Abel also presented an offering — some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. # Ex 13:12; Nm 18:17; Pr 3:9 The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, # Heb 11:4 5but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent. # Lit and his face fell
6Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious? # Jnh 4:4 And why do you look despondent? # Lit why has your face fallen 7If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” # Gn 3:16
8Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” # Sam, LXX, Syr, Vg; MT omits Let’s go out to the field And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. # Mt 23:35; Lk 11:51; 1Jn 3:12-15; Jd 11
9Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel? ”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian? ”
10Then He said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground! # Nm 35:33; Dt 21:1-9; Heb 12:24; Rv 6:9-10 11So now you are cursed, alienated, from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed. # Lit blood from your hand 12If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” # Dt 28:16-18; Is 26:21
13But Cain answered the Lord, “My punishment # Or sin is too great to bear! 14Since You are banishing me today from the soil, and I must hide myself from Your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.” # Nm 35:26-27
15Then the Lord replied to him, “In that case, # LXX, Syr, Vg read Not so! whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” # Or suffer severely And He placed a mark # Ex 9:4; Ezk 9:4,6; Rv 13:16-17 on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him. 16Then Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
The Line of Cain
17Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son. 18Irad was born to Enoch, Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19Lamech took two wives for himself, one named Adah and the other named Zillah. 20Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of the nomadic herdsmen. # Lit the dweller of tent and livestock 21His brother was named Jubal; he was the father of all who play the lyre and the flute. 22Zillah bore Tubal-cain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah.
23Lamech said to his wives:
Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
wives of Lamech, pay attention to my words.
For I killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for striking me.
24If Cain is to be avenged seven times over,
then for Lamech it will be seventy-seven times!
25Adam was intimate with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, for she said, “God has given # The Hb word for given sounds like the name “Seth.” me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” 26A son was born to Seth # Lk 3:38 also, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of Yahweh. # Gn 12:8; 26:25; 1Kg 18:24; Ps 116:17; Jl 2:32; Zph 3:9; 1Co 1:2
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© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Genesis 4
4
1 AND ADAM knew Eve as his wife, and she became pregnant and bore Cain; and she said, I have gotten and gained a man with the help of the Lord.
2 And [next] she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3 And in the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground.
4 And Abel brought of the firstborn of his flock and of the fat portions. And the Lord had respect and regard for Abel and for his offering, [Heb. 11:4.]
5 But for Cain and his offering He had no respect or regard. So Cain was exceedingly angry and indignant, and he looked sad and depressed.
6 And the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? And why do you look sad and depressed and dejected?
7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.
8 And Cain said to his brother, Let us go out to the field. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. [I John 3:12.]
9 And the Lord said to Cain, Where is Abel your brother? And he said, I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?
10 And [the Lord] said, What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to Me from the ground.
11 And now you are cursed by reason of the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's [shed] blood from your hand.
12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth [in perpetual exile, a degraded outcast].
13 Then Cain said to the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14 Behold, You have driven me out this day from the face of the land, and from Your face I will be hidden; and I will be a fugitive and a vagabond and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.
15 And the Lord said to him, Therefore, if anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark or sign upon Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.
16 So Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod [wandering], east of Eden.
17 And Cain's wife [one of Adam's offspring] became pregnant and bore Enoch; and Cain built a city and named it after his son Enoch.
18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael the father of Methusael, and Methusael the father of Lamech.
19 And Lamech took two wives; the name of the one was Adah and of the other was Zillah.
20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have cattle and purchase possessions.
21 His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.
22 Zillah bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all [cutting] instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say; for I have slain a man [merely] for wounding me, and a young man [only] for striking and bruising me.
24 If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech [will be avenged] seventy-sevenfold.
25 And Adam's wife again became pregnant, and she bore a son and called his name Seth. For God, she said, has appointed for me another child instead of Abel, for Cain slew him.
26 And to Seth also a son was born, whom he named Enosh. At that time men began to call [upon God] by the name of the Lord.
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