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
Cain Murders Abel
1Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.” 2Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now #Luke 11:50, 51Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit #Num. 18:12of the ground to the Lord. 4Abel also brought of #Num. 18:17the firstborn of his flock and of #Lev. 3:16their fat. And the Lord respected #Heb. 11:4Abel and his offering, 5but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
6So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
8Now 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 #Matt. 23:35; Luke 11:51; (1 John 3:12–15); Jude 11killed him.
9Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”
He said, #John 8:44“I do not know. Am I #1 Cor. 8:11–13my brother’s keeper?”
10And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood #Num. 35:33; Deut. 21:1–9; Heb. 12:24; Rev. 6:9, 10cries out to Me from the ground. 11So now #Gen. 3:14; Deut. 11:28; 28:15–20; Gal. 3:10you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.”
13And Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; #Ps. 51:11I shall be #Deut. 31:18; Is. 1:15hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that #Gen. 9:6; Num. 35:19, 21, 27anyone who finds me will kill me.”
15And the Lord said to him, “Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him #Gen. 4:24; Ps. 79:12sevenfold.” And the Lord set a #Gen. 9:6; Ezek. 9:4, 6mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.
The Family of Cain
16Then Cain #2 Kin. 13:23; 24:20; Jer. 23:39; 52:3went out from the #Jon. 1:3presence 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 Ē´noch. And he built a city, #Ps. 49:11and called the name of the city after the name of his son—Ē´noch. 18To Ē´noch was born Irad; and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lamech.
19Then Lamech took for himself #Gen. 2:24; 16:3; 1 Tim. 3:2two wives: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah. 20And Adah bore 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. 22And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.
23Then Lamech said to his wives:
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech!
For I have killed a man for wounding me,
Even a young man for hurting me.
24#Gen. 4:15If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,
Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
A New Son
25And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and #Gen. 5:3named him Seth, “For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.” 26And as for Seth, #Gen. 5:6to him also a son was born; and he named him Ē´nosh. Then men began #Gen. 12:8; 26:25; 1 Kin. 18:24; Ps. 116:17; Joel 2:32; Zeph. 3:9; 1 Cor. 1:2to call on the name of the Lord.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.