Cain and Abel

¹Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have gotten a man with the help of Yahweh.”[#4:1 Or had relations with; #4:1 Or bore Cain , cf. 3:16; #4:1 Lit gotten one; #4:1 Or man, Yahweh]

²And again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a cultivator of the ground.[#4:2 Or bore his brother Abel , cf. 3:16]

³So it happened in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to Yahweh of the fruit of the ground.[#4:3 Lit at the end of days]

⁴Abel, on his part, also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And Yahweh had regard for Abel and for his offering;

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

⁶Then Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?

⁷If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is lying at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”[#4:7 Or surely you will be accepted.]

⁸Then Cain spoke to Abel his brother; and it happened when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.[#4:8 Lit said ; ancient versions add let us go into the field]

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

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

¹¹And now, cursed are you from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

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

¹³And Cain said to Yahweh, “My punishment is too great to bear!

¹⁴Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and it will be that whoever finds me will kill me.”

¹⁵So Yahweh said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” And Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one who found him would strike him.[#4:15 Or set a mark on]

¹⁶Then Cain went out from the presence of Yahweh and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.[#4:16 Lit dwelt; #4:16 Wandering]

¹⁷Then Cain knew 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.[#4:17 Or had relations; #4:17 Or bore Enoch , cf. 3:16]

¹⁸Now 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.[#4:18 Lit begot; #4:18 Lit begot; #4:18 Lit begot]

¹⁹And Lamech took for himself two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah.

²⁰And Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and have livestock.[#4:20 Or bore Jabal , cf. 3:16]

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

²²As 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.[#4:22 Or bore Tubal-cain , cf. 3:16]

²³And Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah,

Hear my voice,

You wives of Lamech,

Give ear to my word,

For I have killed a man for striking me;

And a boy for wounding me;

²⁴If Cain is avenged sevenfold,

Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”

²⁵Then Adam knew his wife again; and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, for she said , “God has set for me another seed in place of Abel, for Cain killed him.”[#4:25 Or had relations; #4:25 Or bore; #4:25 Heb Sheth; #4:25 Heb shath; #4:25 Or offspring]

²⁶And to Seth, to him also, a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of Yahweh.[#4:26 Or by]