4 Chapter 4

Cain and Abel

4:1Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man."4:2Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.4:3In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD.4:4But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,4:5but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.4:6Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?4:7If 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; it desires to have you, but you must master it."4:8Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.4:9Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"4:10The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.4:11Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.4:12When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."4:13Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear.4:14Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."4:15But the LORD said to him, "Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.4:16So Cain went out from the LORD'S presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.4:17Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch.4:18To 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.4:19Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah.4:20Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock.4:21His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute.4:22Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah.4:23Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me.4:24If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times."4:25Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, "God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him."4:26Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD.