Genesis 4–5

Cain and Abel

Adam made love to his wife^a Eve,^b and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.^c She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.^d

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.^e In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering^f to the Lord.^g But Abel also brought an offering—fat portions^h from some of the firstborn of his flock.ⁱ The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,^j but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry?^k Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door;^l it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.^m”

Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.ⁿ

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

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

The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.^q Now you are under a curse^r and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you.^s You will be a restless wanderer^t on the earth.^u”

Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence;^v I will be a restless wanderer on the earth,^w and whoever finds me will kill me.”^x

But the Lord said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain^y will suffer vengeance^z seven times over.^a” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence^b and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.^c

Cain made love to his wife,^d and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city,^e and he named it after his son^f Enoch. To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.

Lamech married^g two women,^h one named Adah and the other Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instrumentsⁱ and pipes.^j Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged^k all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.

Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, listen to me;

wives of Lamech, hear my words.

I have killed^l a man for wounding me,

a young man for injuring me.

If Cain is avenged^m seven times,ⁿ

then Lamech seventy-seven times.^o”

Adam made love to his wife^p again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth,^q saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”^r Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh.^s

At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.^t

From Adam to Noah

This is the written account^a of Adam’s family line.^b

When God created human beings, he made them in the likeness of God.^c He created them^d male and female^e and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them “human beings.”

When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image;^f and he named him Seth.^g After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.^h

When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh.ⁱ After he became the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Seth lived a total of 912 years, and then he died.

When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan.^j After he became the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enosh lived a total of 905 years, and then he died.

When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel.^k After he became the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Kenan lived a total of 910 years, and then he died.

When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared.^l After he became the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Mahalalel lived a total of 895 years, and then he died.

When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch.^m After he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then he died.

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah.ⁿ After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God^o 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God;^p then he was no more, because God took him away.^q

When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech.^r After he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died.

When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. He named him Noah^s and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.^t” After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Lamech lived a total of 777 years, and then he died.

After Noah was 500 years old,^u he became the father of Shem,^v Ham and Japheth.^w