Genesis 4

¹ The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with the LORD’s help.”

² Again she gave birth, to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

³ As time passed, Cain brought an offering to the LORD from the fruit of the ground.

⁴ Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. The LORD respected Abel and his offering,

⁵ but he didn’t respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell.

⁶ The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen?

⁷ If you do well, won’t it be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.”

⁸ Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” While they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.

⁹ The LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?” He said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

¹⁰ The LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground.

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

¹² From now on, when you till the ground, it won’t yield its strength to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

¹³ Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.

¹⁴ Behold, you have driven me out today from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. Whoever finds me will kill me.”

¹⁵ The LORD said to him, “Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” The LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that anyone finding him would not strike him.

¹⁶ Cain left the LORD’s presence, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

¹⁷ Cain knew his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Enoch. He built a city, and named the city after the name of his son, Enoch.

¹⁸ Irad was born to Enoch. Irad became the father of Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became the father of Lamech.

¹⁹ Lamech took two wives: the name of the first one was Adah, and the name of the second one was Zillah.

²⁰ Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock.

²¹ His brother’s name was Jubal, who was the father of all who handle the harp and pipe.

²² Zillah also gave birth to Tubal Cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of bronze and iron. Tubal Cain’s sister was Naamah.

²³ Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice. You wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, for I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for bruising me.

²⁴ If Cain will be avenged seven times, truly Lamech seventy-seven times.”

²⁵ Adam knew his wife again. She gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, saying, “for God has given me another child instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.”

²⁶ A son was also born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the LORD’s name.