Offerings of Cain and Abel
1 The man slept with Eve his wife. She conceived and gave birth to Cain and said, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.”
2 Again she gave birth, to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3 As time passed, Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering, 5 but he was not pleased with Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the look on his face was downcast. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your countenance downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will it not be accepted? If you do not do what is right, sin crouches at the door. It desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
God Confronts Cain’s Murder of Abel
8 Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” While they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.
9 The Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?”
He said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 The Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground. 11 Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 From now on, when you till the ground, it will not yield produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the land.”
13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 You have driven me out today from the face of the earth. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the land. Whoever finds me will kill me.”
15 The Lord said to him, “Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him seven-fold.” The Lord appointed a sign for Cain so that anyone finding him would not strike him. 16 Cain left the presence of the Lord and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Cain’s Descendants
17 Cain slept with his wife. She conceived and gave birth to Enoch. He built a city and named the city after his son, Enoch.
18 Irad was born to Enoch.
Irad became the father of Mehujael.
Mehujael became the father of Methushael.
Methushael became the father of Lamech.
19 Lamech took two wives: the name of the first one was Adah, and the name of the second one was Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock.
21 His brother’s name was Jubal, who was the father of all who handle the harp and pipe. 22 Zillah also gave birth to Tubal Cain, the forger of every bronze and iron cutting tool. Tubal Cain’s sister was Naamah. 23 Lamech 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.
24 If Cain will be avenged seven times,
truly Lamech seventy-seven times.”
The Birth of Seth
25 Adam slept with his wife again. She gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “For God has given me another child instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26 A son was also born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord.