| Cain and Abel |
Chapter 4 |
Chapter 4 |
| 1 Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man." |
1 Adam slept with Eve his wife. She conceived and had Cain. She said, "I've gotten a man, with God's help!" |
1 AND ADAM knew Eve as his wife, and she became pregnant and bore Cain; and she said, I have gotten and gained a man with the help of the Lord. |
| 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. |
2 Then she had another baby, Abel. Abel was a herdsman and Cain a farmer. |
2 And [next] she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. |
| 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. |
3 Time passed. Cain brought an offering to God from the produce of his farm. |
3 And in the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground. |
| 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, |
4 Abel also brought an offering, but from the firstborn animals of his herd, choice cuts of meat. God liked Abel and his offering, |
4 And Abel brought of the firstborn of his flock and of the fat portions. And the Lord had respect and regard for Abel and for his offering, |
| 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. |
5 but Cain and his offering didn't get his approval. Cain lost his temper and went into a sulk. |
5 But for Cain and his offering He had no respect or regard. So Cain was exceedingly angry and indignant, and he looked sad and depressed. |
| 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? |
6 God spoke to Cain: "Why this tantrum? Why the sulking? |
6 And the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? And why do you look sad and depressed and dejected? |
| 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." |
7 If you do well, won't you be accepted? And if you don't do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it's out to get you, you've got to master it." |
7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you, but you must master it. |
| 8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. |
8 Cain had words with his brother. They were out in the field; Cain came at Abel his brother and killed him. |
8 And Cain said to his brother, Let us go out to the field. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. |
| 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?" |
9 God said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "How should I know? Am I his babysitter?" |
9 And the Lord said to Cain, Where is Abel your brother? And he said, I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper? |
| 10 The Lord said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. |
10 God said, "What have you done! The voice of your brother's blood is calling to me from the ground. |
10 And [the Lord] said, What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground. |
| 11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. |
11 From now on you'll get nothing but curses from this ground; you'll be driven from this ground that has opened its arms to receive the blood of your murdered brother. |
11 And now you are cursed by reason of the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s [shed] blood from your hand. |
| 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth." |
12 You'll farm this ground, but it will no longer give you its best. You'll be a homeless wanderer on Earth." |
12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth [in perpetual exile, a degraded outcast]. |
| 13 Cain said to the Lord, "My punishment is more than I can bear. |
13 Cain said to God, "My punishment is too much. I can't take it! |
13 Then Cain said to the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. |
| 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." |
14 You've thrown me off the land and I can never again face you. I'm a homeless wanderer on Earth and whoever finds me will kill me." |
14 Behold, You have driven me out this day from the face of the land, and from Your face I will be hidden; and I will be a fugitive and a vagabond and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me. |
| 15 But the Lord said to him, "Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. |
15 God told him, "No. Anyone who kills Cain will pay for it seven times over." God put a mark on Cain to protect him so that no one who met him would kill him. |
15 And the Lord said to him, Therefore, if anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark or sign upon Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him. |
| 16 So Cain went out from the Lord's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. |
16 Cain left the presence of God and lived in No-Man's-Land, east of Eden. |
16 So Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod [wandering], east of Eden. |
| 17 Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. |
17 Cain slept with his wife. She conceived and had Enoch. He then built a city and named it after his son, Enoch. |
17 And Cain’s wife [one of Adam’s offspring] became pregnant and bore Enoch; and Cain built a city and named it after his son Enoch. |
| 18 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. |
18 Enoch had Irad, Irad had Mehujael, Mehujael had Methushael, Methushael had Lamech. |
18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael the father of Methusael, and Methusael the father of Lamech. |
| 19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. |
19 Lamech married two wives, Adah and Zillah. |
19 And Lamech took two wives; the name of the one was Adah and of the other was Zillah. |
| 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. |
20 Adah gave birth to Jabal, the ancestor of all who live in tents and herd cattle. |
20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have cattle and purchase possessions. |
| 21 His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. |
21 His brother's name was Jubal, the ancestor of all who play the lyre and flute. |
21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. |
| 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah. |
22 Zillah gave birth to Tubal-Cain, who worked at the forge making bronze and iron tools. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah. |
22 Zillah bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all [cutting] instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. |
| 23 Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. |
23 Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah, listen to me; you wives of Lamech, hear me out: I killed a man for wounding me, a young man who attacked me. |
23 Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say; for I have slain a man [merely] for wounding me, and a young man [only] for striking and bruising me. |
| 24 If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times." |
24 If Cain is avenged seven times, for Lamech it's seventy-seven! |
24 If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech [will be avenged] seventy-sevenfold. |
| 25 Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, "God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him." |
25 Adam slept with his wife again. She had a son whom she named Seth. She said, "God has given me another child in place of Abel whom Cain killed." |
25 And Adam’s wife again became pregnant, and she bore a son and called his name Seth. For God, she said, has appointed for me another child instead of Abel, for Cain slew him. |
| 26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord. |
26 And then Seth had a son whom he named Enosh. That's when men and women began praying and worshiping in the name of God. |
26 And to Seth also a son was born, whom he named Enosh. At that time men began to call [upon God] by the name of the Lord. |