Genesis 4:1-26 (New American Standard)

Cain and Abel

1 Now the man ^ahad relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to ^bCain, and she said, "I have gotten a ^cmanchild with the help of the LORD." 2 Again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. And ¹Abel was ²a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 So it came about ^din the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground. 4 ³Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And ⁴the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering ; 5 but ⁵for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So ⁶Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. 6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "⁷Why are you angry ? And why has your countenance fallen ? 7 "⁸If you do well, ^ewill not your countenance be lifted up? ⁹And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door ; and its desire is for you, ¹⁰but you must master it." 8 Cain ^ftold Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and ¹¹killed him. 9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "¹²Where is Abel your brother ?" And he said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper ?" 10 He said, "What have you done ? ¹³The voice of your brother's blood is crying to Me from the ground. 11 "Now ¹⁴you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 "¹⁵When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; ¹⁶you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth." 13 Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is too great to bear ! 14 "Behold, You have ¹⁷driven me this day from the face of the ground ; and from Your face I will be hidden, and ¹⁸I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and ¹⁹whoever finds me will kill me." 15 So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him ²⁰sevenfold." And the LORD ^g21appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. 16 Then Cain went out from the presence ²²of the LORD, and ^hsettled in the land of ⁱNod, east of Eden. 17 Cain ^jhad relations with 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. 18 Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad ^kbecame the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael ^lbecame the father of Methushael, and Methushael ^mbecame the father of Lamech. 19 Lamech took to himself ²³two wives : the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal ; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother's name was Jubal ; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 As 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. 23 Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, Listen to my voice, You wives of Lamech, Give heed to my speech, ²⁴For I ⁿhave killed a man for wounding me; And a boy for striking me; 24 If Cain is avenged ²⁵sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold." 25 ²⁶Adam ^ohad relations with his wife again ; and she gave birth to a son, and named him ^pSeth, for, she said, "God ^qhas appointed me another ^roffspring in place of Abel, ²⁷for Cain killed him." 26 To Seth, to him also ²⁸a son was born ; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began ²⁹to call ^supon the name of the LORD.