Genesis 4

Cain Murders Abel

4Adam was intimate with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have had a male child with the Lord’s help.” ^p2Then she also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground. ³In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord. ^q4And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. ^rThe Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, ^s5but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent. ^t

⁶Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious? ^uAnd why do you look despondent? ^v7If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” ^w

⁸Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” ^xAnd while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. ^y

⁹Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

¹⁰Then He said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground! ^z11So now you are cursed, alienated, from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed. ^a12If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” ^b

¹³But Cain answered the Lord, “My punishment ^cis too great to bear! ¹⁴Since You are banishing me today from the soil, and I must hide myself from Your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.” ^d

¹⁵Then the Lord replied to him, “In that case, ^ewhoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” ^fAnd He placed a mark ^gon Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him. ¹⁶Then Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

The Line of Cain

¹⁷Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son. ¹⁸Irad was born to Enoch, Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. ¹⁹Lamech took two wives for himself, one named Adah and the other named Zillah. ²⁰Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of the nomadic herdsmen. ^h21His brother was named Jubal; he was the father of all who play the lyre and the flute. ²²Zillah bore Tubal-cain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah.

²³Lamech said to his wives:

Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;

wives of Lamech, pay attention to my words.

For I killed a man for wounding me,

a young man for striking me.

²⁴If Cain is to be avenged seven times over,

then for Lamech it will be seventy-seven times!

²⁵Adam was intimate with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, for she said, “God has given ⁱme another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” ²⁶A son was born to Seth ^jalso, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of Yahweh. ^k