GenesisChapter 4

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¹Adam slept with his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the LORD's help I have brought a man into the world." ²Later she gave birth to Cain's brother Abel. Abel took care of sheep. Cain worked the soil. ³After some time, Cain brought some of the crops from the soil. He brought them as an offering to the LORD. ⁴Abel also brought an offering. He brought the best parts of the firstborn animals from his flock. The LORD was pleased with Abel and his offering. ⁵But he was not pleased with Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his face showed it. ⁶The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face so gloomy? ⁷If you do what is right, won't you be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door. It wants to have you, but you must rule over it." ⁸Then Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. ⁹Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know!" Cain answered. "Am I supposed to take care of my brother?" ¹⁰The LORD said, "What have you done? Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground. ¹¹Now you are cursed and driven away from the ground. The ground opened its mouth to take in your brother's blood from your hand. ¹²When you work the ground, it will not grow crops for you anymore. You will be a runaway and a wanderer on the earth." ¹³But Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear. ¹⁴Look! Today you are driving me away from the land. I will be hidden from your face. I will be a runaway and a wanderer on the earth. And anyone who finds me will kill me." ¹⁵"No!" the LORD answered. "If anyone kills Cain, Cain will be paid back seven times over." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain. That way, no one who found him would kill him. ¹⁶So Cain went away from the LORD's presence. He settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.a ¹⁷Cain slept with his wife. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain built a city. He named it after his son Enoch. ¹⁸Enoch had a son named Irad. Irad was the father of Mehujael. Mehujael was the father of Methusael. And Methusael was the father of Lamech. ¹⁹Lamech married two women. One was named Adah, and the other was named Zillah. ²⁰Adah gave birth to Jabal. He was the father of those who live in tents and raise animals. ²¹His brother's name was Jubal. He was the father of all who play the harp and flute. ²²Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain. He made all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-cain's sister was Naamah. ²³Lamech said to his wives,
"Adah and Zillah, hear my voice.
Wives of Lamech, listen to what I say.
For I have killed a man for hurting me.
I killed a young man for hitting me. ²⁴If Cain is paid back seven times,
then Lamech will be paid back seventy-seven times." ²⁵Adam slept with his wife again. She gave birth to a son and named him Seth. She said, "God has given me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him."b ²⁶Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the LORD.