Genesis — Chapter 4

¹The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, "I have gotten a man with Yahweh`s help."

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

³As time passed, it happened that Cain brought an offering to Yahweh from the fruit of the ground.

⁴Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of the fat of it. Yahweh respected Abel and his offering,

⁵but he didn`t respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell.

⁶Yahweh said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen?

⁷If you do well, will it not 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."

⁸Cain said to Abel, his brother, "Let`s go into the field." It happened, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.

⁹Yahweh said to Cain, "Where is Abel, your brother?" He said, "I don`t know. Am I my brother`s keeper?"

¹⁰Yahweh said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother`s blood cries to me from the ground.

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

¹²From now on, when you till the ground, it won`t yield its strength to you. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth."

¹³Cain said to Yahweh, "My punishment is greater than I can bear.

¹⁴Behold, you have driven me out this day from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth. It will happen that whoever finds me will kill me."

¹⁵Yahweh said to him, "Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold." Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should strike him.

¹⁶Cain went out from Yahweh`s presence, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

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

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

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

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

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

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

²³Lamech 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.

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

²⁵Adam knew his wife again. She gave birth to a son, and named him Seth. For, she said, "God has appointed me another child instead of Abel, for Cain killed him."

²⁶There was also born a son to Seth, and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on Yahweh`s name.