< Genesis 4 >

1 And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and brought forth Cain and said, I have gained a man through God.
And Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man,” she said.
2 And she again bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Later she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil.
3 And it was so after some time that Cain brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice to the Lord.
So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD,
4 And Abel also brought of the firstborn of his sheep and of his fatlings, and God looked upon Abel and his gifts,
while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
5 but Cain and his sacrifices he regarded not, and Cain was exceedingly sorrowful and his countenance fell.
but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.
6 And the Lord God said to Cain, Why art thou become very sorrowful and why is thy countenance fallen?
“Why are you angry,” said the LORD to Cain, “and why has your countenance fallen?
7 Hast thou not sinned if thou hast brought it rightly, but not rightly divided it? be still, to thee shall be his submission, and thou shalt rule over him.
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”
8 And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go out into the plain; and it came to pass that when they were in the plain Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
9 And the Lord God said to Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? and he said, I know not, am I my brother's keeper?
And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 And the Lord said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood cries to me out of the ground.
“What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.
11 And now thou [art] cursed from the earth which has opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand.
Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
12 When thou tillest the earth, then it shall not continue to give its strength to thee: thou shalt be groaning and trembling on the earth.
When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”
13 And Cain said to the Lord God, My crime [is] too great for me to be forgiven.
But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14 If thou castest me out this day from the face of the earth, and I shall be hidden from thy presence, and I shall be groaning and trembling upon the earth, then it will be that any one that finds me shall slay me.
Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
15 And the Lord God said to him, Not so, any one that slays Cain shall suffer seven-fold vengeance; and the Lord God set a mark upon Cain that no one that found him might slay him.
“Not so!” replied the LORD. “If anyone slays Cain, then Cain will be avenged sevenfold.” And the LORD placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him.
16 So Cain went forth from the presence of God and dwelt in the land of Nod over against Edem.
So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17 And Cain knew his wife, and having conceived she bore Enoch; and he built a city; and he named the city after the name of his son, Enoch.
And Cain had relations with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain built a city and named it after his son Enoch.
18 And to Enoch was born Gaidad; and Gaidad begot Maleleel; and Maleleel begot Mathusala; and Mathusala begot Lamech.
Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methusael, and Methusael was the father of Lamech.
19 And Lamech took to himself two wives; the name of the one was Ada, and the name of the second Sella.
And Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah.
20 And Ada bore Jobel; he was the father of those that dwell in tents, feeding cattle.
Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and raise livestock.
21 And the name of his brother was Jubal; he it was who invented the psaltery and harp.
And his brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute.
22 And Sella also bore Thobel; he was a smith, a manufacturer both of brass and iron; and the sister of Thobel was Noëma.
And Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain, a forger of every implement of bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23 And Lamech said to his wives, Ada and Sella, Hear my voice, ye wives of Lamech, consider my words, because I have slain a man to my sorrow and a youth to my grief.
Then Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, listen to my speech. For I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me.
24 Because vengeance has been exacted seven times on Cain's behalf, on Lamech's [it shall be] seventy times seven.
If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
25 And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Seth, saying, For God has raised up to me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
And Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another seed in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”
26 And Seth had a son, and he called his name Enos: he hoped to call on the name of the Lord God.
And to Seth also a son was born, and he called him Enosh. At that time men began to call upon the name of the LORD.

< Genesis 4 >