Chapter 4

Cain and Abel

1 Now the man 1had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to 2Cain, and she said, “I have gotten a 3manchild with the help of the Lord.”

2 Again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. And aAbel was ba keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

3 So it came about 1in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground.

4 aAbel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And bthe Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering;

5 but afor Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So bCain became very angry and his countenance fell.

6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “aWhy are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?

7 “aIf you do well, 1will not your countenance be lifted up? bAnd if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, cbut you must master it.”

8 Cain 1told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and akilled him.

9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “aWhere is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

10 He said, “What have you done? aThe voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground.

11 “Now ayou are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

12 “aWhen you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; byou will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.”

13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to bear!

14 “Behold, You have adriven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and bI will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and cwhoever finds me will kill me.”

15 So the Lord said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him asevenfold.” And the Lord 1bappointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him.

16 Then Cain went out from the presence aof the Lord, and 1settled in the land of 2Nod, east of Eden.

17 Cain 1had relations with his wife and she conceived, and gave birth to Enoch; and he built a city, and called the name of the city Enoch, after the name of his son.

18 Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad 1became the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael 1became the father of Methushael, and Methushael 1became the father of Lamech.

19 Lamech took to himself atwo wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah.

20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock.

21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.

22 As for Zillah, she also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the forger of all implements of bronze and iron; and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah,

Listen to my voice,

You wives of Lamech,

Give heed to my speech,

aFor I 1have killed a man for wounding me;

And a boy for striking me;

24 If Cain is avenged asevenfold,

Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”

25 aAdam 1had relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him 2Seth, for, she said, “God 3has appointed me another 4offspring in place of Abel, bfor Cain killed him.”

26 To Seth, to him also aa son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began bto call 1upon the name of the Lord.