Genesis 4:8–26

^8*Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out in the fields.”^v When they were out in the fields, Cain turned on his brother and killed him.

⁹The Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

He answered, “I don’t know. Am I supposed to take care of my brother?”

^10*Then the Lord said, “Why have you done this terrible thing? Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground, like a voice calling for revenge. ¹¹You are placed under a curse and can no longer farm the soil. It has soaked up your brother’s blood as if it had opened its mouth to receive it when you killed him. ¹²If you try to grow crops, the soil will not produce anything; you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”

¹³And Cain said to the Lord, “This punishment is too hard for me to bear. ¹⁴You are driving me off the land and away from your presence. I will be a homeless wanderer on the earth, and anyone who finds me will kill me.”

¹⁵But the Lord answered, “No. If anyone kills you, seven lives will be taken in revenge.” So the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who met him not to kill him. ¹⁶And Cain went away from the Lord’s presence and lived in a land called “Wandering”, which is east of Eden.

The Descendants

¹⁷Cain and his wife had a son and named him Enoch. Then Cain built a city and named it after his son. ¹⁸Enoch had a son named Irad, who was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael had a son named Methushael, who was the father of Lamech. ¹⁹Lamech had two wives, Adah and Zillah. ²⁰Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the ancestor of those who raise livestock and live in tents. ²¹His brother was Jubal, the ancestor of all musicians who play the harp and the flute. ²²Zillah gave birth to Tubal Cain, who made all kinds of tools^w out of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal Cain was Naamah.

²³Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, listen to me: I have killed a young man because he struck me.

²⁴If seven lives are taken to pay for killing Cain,

Seventy-seven will be taken if anyone kills me.”

Seth and Enosh

²⁵Adam and his wife had another son. She said, “God has given me a son to replace Abel, whom Cain killed.” So she named him Seth.^{x 26}Seth had a son whom he named Enosh. It was then that people began using the Lord’s holy name in worship.