Genesis 4
1 Adam (had sex/slept) with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son whom she named Cain, [which sounds like the word that means ‘produce’], because, she said, “By Yahweh’s help I have produced a son.” Some time later she gave birth to another son, and she named him Abel.
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 [After those boys grew up], Abel (tended/took care of) sheep and goats, and Cain became a farmer.
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 One day Cain harvested some of the crops he had grown and brought them to Yahweh as a gift for him,
So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD,
4 and Abel took from his flock some of the first lambs that had been born [and killed them] and, as a gift, gave to Yahweh the fatty parts, [which were the best parts]. Yahweh was pleased with Abel and his offering,
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 he was not pleased with Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his face looked dejected.
but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.
6 Yahweh said to Cain, “(You should not be angry!/Why are you angry?) [RHQ] (You should not scowl like that!/Why do you scowl like that?) [RHQ]
“Why are you angry,” said the LORD to Cain, “and why has your countenance fallen?
7 If you had done what was right (OR, if you do what is right) [RHQ], I would accept your offering. But if you do not do what is right, [your desire to] sin [is ready to attack you like a wild animal that] [PRS] crouches outside the doorway, [ready to spring on its victim] [MET]. [Your desire to] sin wants to control you, but you must (control/not obey) it.”
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 But one day, Cain said to his younger brother Abel, “Let’s go for a walk in the fields.” [So they went together]. And when they were in the countryside, suddenly Cain attacked Abel and killed 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 [Later, even though] Yahweh [knew what Cain had done], he said to Cain, “[Do you know] where Abel, your younger brother, is?” Cain replied, “No, I do not know. (My job is not to guard my younger brother!/Am I supposed to take care of my younger brother?)” [RHQ]
And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 Yahweh said, “You have done a terrible thing [RHQ]! So now [it is as though] your younger brother’s voice is crying to me from the ground, demanding that his death must be avenged.
“What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.
11 You have killed your younger brother, and the ground has soaked up his blood. So now I will expel you from this land and curse your efforts to produce crops.
Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
12 You will till the ground to plant crops, but the ground will produce very few [HYP] crops. And you will continually wander around the earth, and not have any place to live permanently.”
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 Cain replied, “You are punishing me more then I can endure.
But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14 You are about to expel me from the ground [that I have been cultivating], and I will no longer be able to come (into your presence/and talk with you). Furthermore, I will be continually wandering around the earth with no place to live permanently, and anyone who sees me will kill 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 But Yahweh said to him, “No, that will not happen. I will put a mark on you to warn anyone who sees you that [I will punish him severely if] he kills you. I will punish that person seven times as severely as I am punishing you.” Then Yahweh put a mark on Cain’s forehead.
“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 left Yahweh and went to live in the land called Nod, [which means ‘wandering’], which was east of Eden.
So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17 Some time later, Cain (had sex/slept) with his wife, and she [became pregnant and] gave birth to a son, whom she named Enoch. Then Cain started to build a city, and he named the city ‘Enoch’, the same name that his son had.
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 Enoch [grew up and married and] became the father of a son whom he named Irad. When Irad [grew up he] became the father of a son whom he named Mehujael. Mehujael [grew up and] became the father of a son whom he named Methuselah. Methuselah [grew up and] became the father of 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 When Lamech [grew up he] married two women. The name of one was Adah and the other was Zillah.
And Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah.
20 Adah gave birth to [a son she named] Jabal.
Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and raise livestock.
21 Later, Jabal was the first person who lived in tents because he traveled from place to place to take care of livestock. His younger brother’s name was Jubal. He was the first person who made/played a (lyre/stringed instrument) and a flute.
And his brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute.
22 [Lamech’s other wife] Zillah gave birth to a son whom she named Tubal-Cain. Later Tubal-Cain became a (blacksmith/one who made tools from bronze and iron). Tubal-Cain had a younger sister whose name was Naamah.
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 One day Lamech said to his two wives, “Adah and Zillah, listen carefully to what I am saying. A young man struck me and wounded me, so I killed him.
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 Yahweh said long ago that he would avenge and punish anyone who killed Cain seven times as much as he punished Cain [for killing his younger brother]. So if anyone [tries to] kill me, I will punish him 77 times as much [as Yahweh punished Cain].”
If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”
25 Adam continued to (have sex/sleep) with [EUP] his wife, and she [became pregnant and] gave birth to another son, whom she named Seth, [which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘given’], because, she said, “God has given me another child to take the place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”
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 When Seth grew up, he became the father of a son whom he named Enosh. About that time people began to worship Yahweh [again].
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.
