Genesis 4
1 Adam slept with his wife Eve and she became pregnant. She gave birth to Cain, and said, “With the Lord's help I have made a man.”
The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with the LORD’s help.”
2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Abel became a shepherd, while Cain was a crop farmer.
Again she gave birth, to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3 Sometime later Cain brought some of the produce he'd grown as an offering to the Lord.
As time passed, Cain brought an offering to the LORD from the fruit of the ground.
4 Abel also brought an offering: the firstborn lambs of his flock, selecting the very best parts to offer. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering,
Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. The LORD respected Abel and his offering,
5 but he wasn't pleased with Cain and his offering, which made Cain very angry and he frowned in annoyance.
but he did not respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell.
6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you so angry? Why do you look so annoyed?
The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen?
7 If you were doing what's right, then you'd be looking happy. But if you don't do what's right, then sin will be like animal crouching outside your home, ready to pounce on you. It wants to have you, but you must be the one in control.”
If you do well, will not it be lifted up? If you do not do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.”
8 Later, when Cain was talking with his brother Abel they went out into the fields where Cain attacked his brother and killed him.
Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” While they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.
9 “Where is your brother Abel?” the Lord asked Cain. “How should I know?” he replied. “Am I supposed to be my brother's care-giver?”
The LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 “What have you done?” the Lord asked. “Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground.
The LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground.
11 Consequently you are more cursed than the ground because you soaked it with your brother's blood.
Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
12 When you cultivate the ground, it won't produce crops for you. You'll be always on the run, wandering all over the earth.”
From now on, when you till the ground, it will not yield its strength to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth.”
13 “My punishment is more than I can take,” Cain replied.
Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14 “Look! You're driving me away right now—cursing the ground and banishing me from your presence. I'm going to have to hide and always be on the run, left to wander all over the earth. Anyone who finds me is going to kill me!”
Behold, you have driven me out today from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth. Whoever finds me will kill me.”
15 But the Lord replied, “No, Cain. Anyone who kills you will be punished seven times over.” The Lord placed a mark on Cain so that no one who came across him would kill him.
The LORD said to him, “Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” The LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that anyone finding him would not strike him.
16 So Cain left the Lord's presence and went to live in a land called Nod, east of Eden.
Cain left the LORD’s presence, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17 Cain slept with his wife and she became pregnant. She had a son named Enoch. At that time Cain was building a town, so he named it after his son Enoch.
Cain knew his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Enoch. He built a city, and named the city after the name of his son, Enoch.
18 Enoch had a son named Irad. Irad was the father of Mehujael, Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.
Irad was born to Enoch. Irad became the father of Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became the father of Lamech.
19 Lamech married two women. The first was named Adah, and the second was named Zillah.
Lamech took two wives: the name of the first one was Adah, and the name of the second one was Zillah.
20 Adah had a son named Jabal. He was the father of those who live in tents and have livestock.
Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock.
21 He had a brother named Jubal; he was the father of all those who play stringed and wind instruments.
His brother’s name was Jubal, who was the father of all who handle the harp and pipe.
22 Zillah also had a son. He was named Tubal-cain and he was a blacksmith, making different kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-cain's sister was named Naamah.
Zillah also gave birth to Tubal Cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of bronze and iron. Tubal Cain’s sister was Naamah.
23 At one time Lamech told his wives, “Adah and Zillah, listen to me. You wives of Lamech, pay attention to what I have to say. I killed a man because he wounded me; I killed a young man because he injured me.
Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice. You wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, for I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for bruising me.
24 If the sentence for killing Cain was to be punished seven times over, then if someone kills me, Lamech, the punishment should be seventy-seven times.”
If Cain will be avenged seven times, truly Lamech seventy-seven times.”
25 Adam slept with his wife again, and she had a son and named him Seth, explaining that, “God has given me another child to replace Abel, the one Cain killed.”
Adam knew his wife again. She gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, saying, “for God has given me another child instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.”
26 Later Seth had a son named Enosh, because at that time people began to worship the Lord by name.
A son was also born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the LORD’s name.
