Genesis 4
1 The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with Yahweh’s help.”
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.”
2 Again she gave birth, to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Abel became a shepherd, while Cain was a crop farmer.
3 As time passed, Cain brought an offering to Yahweh from the fruit of the ground.
Sometime later Cain brought some of the produce he'd grown as an offering to the Lord.
4 Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. Yahweh respected Abel and his offering,
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,
5 but he didn’t respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell.
but he wasn't pleased with Cain and his offering, which made Cain very angry and he frowned in annoyance.
6 Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen?
The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you so angry? Why do you look so annoyed?
7 If you do well, won’t it be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.”
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.”
8 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.
Later, when Cain was talking with his brother Abel they went out into the fields where Cain attacked his brother and killed him.
9 Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?” He said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
“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?”
10 Yahweh said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground.
“What have you done?” the Lord asked. “Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground.
11 Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
Consequently you are more cursed than the ground because you soaked it with your brother's blood.
12 From now on, when you till the ground, it won’t yield its strength to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth.”
When you cultivate the ground, it won't produce crops for you. You'll be always on the run, wandering all over the earth.”
13 Cain said to Yahweh, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.
“My punishment is more than I can take,” Cain replied.
14 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.”
“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!”
15 Yahweh said to him, “Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain, so that anyone finding him would not strike him.
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.
16 Cain left Yahweh’s presence, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
So Cain left the Lord's presence and went to live in a land called Nod, east of Eden.
17 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.
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.
18 Irad was born to Enoch. Irad became the father of Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became the father of Lamech.
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.
19 Lamech took two wives: the name of the first one was Adah, and the name of the second one was Zillah.
Lamech married two women. The first was named Adah, and the second was named Zillah.
20 Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock.
Adah had a son named Jabal. He was the father of those who live in tents and have livestock.
21 His brother’s name was Jubal, who was the father of all who handle the harp and pipe.
He had a brother named Jubal; he was the father of all those who play stringed and wind instruments.
22 Zillah also gave birth to Tubal Cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of bronze and iron. Tubal Cain’s sister was Naamah.
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.
23 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.
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.
24 If Cain will be avenged seven times, truly Lamech seventy-seven times.”
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.”
25 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.”
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.”
26 A son was also born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on Yahweh’s name.
Later Seth had a son named Enosh, because at that time people began to worship the Lord by name.
