Genesis 4:1-16

1 Adam made love to his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "I have gotten the man that the LORD promised."

2 Then she gave birth to another child, Abel, Cain's brother. Abel was a shepherd, and Cain was a farmer.

3 Later Cain brought some crops from the land as an offering to the LORD.

4 Abel also brought some choice parts of the firstborn animals from his flock. The LORD approved of Abel and his offering,

5 but he didn't approve of Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry and was disappointed.

6 Then the LORD asked Cain, "Why are you angry, and why do you look disappointed?

7 If you do well, won't you be accepted? But if you don't do well, sin is lying outside your door ready to attack. It wants to control you, but you must master it."

8 Cain talked to his brother Abel. Later, when they were in the fields, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

9 The LORD asked Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he answered. "Am I supposed to take care of my brother?"

10 The LORD asked, "What have you done? Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground.

11 So now you are cursed from the ground, which has received the blood of your brother whom you killed.

12 When you farm the ground, it will no longer yield its best for you. You will be a fugitive, a wanderer on the earth."

13 But Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can stand!

14 You have forced me off this land today. I have to hide from you and become a fugitive, a wanderer on the earth. Now anyone who finds me will kill me!"

15 So the LORD said to him, "Not so! Anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over." The LORD gave Cain a sign so that anyone meeting him would not kill him.

16 Then Cain left the LORD's presence and lived in Nod [The Land of Wandering], east of Eden.

Genesis 4:1-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 4

In this chapter an account is given of the two eldest children of Adam and Eve, their names and calling, Ge 4:1,2 and of their different offerings to the Lord, and the different respect had unto them by him, which in Cain issued in wrath and envy, which appeared in his countenance, and were taken notice of by the Lord, and about which he reasoned with him, Ge 4:3-7 but it had no effect upon him, he murdered his brother, upon which he was examined about him, but denied he knew anything of him where he was, Ge 4:8,9 he is arraigned, convicted and condemned, sentence passed upon him, and that executed, which he complains of, and is mitigated, or however a protection is granted him, and a mark set on him for his security, Ge 4:10-15 after which we have an account of his posterity for several generations, their names, and the business of some of them, Ge 4:16-24 and the chapter is closed with the birth of another son, and of a grandson to Adam and Eve, in whose days was the beginning of social religion.