Genesis 4
1 Adam lay with Eve, his wife. She conceived and bore Cain, saying, “With the LORD’s help, I have brought a man into the world.”
2 Later she bore his brother Abel. Abel tended sheep, while Cain worked the ground.
3 After some time, Cain presented an offering to the LORD from what the land had produced.
4 Abel, too, brought portions from the firstborn of his flock, including their fat. The LORD looked kindly on Abel and his offering.
5 But Cain and his offering found no favor with him. Cain grew furious, and his face fell.
6 The LORD asked Cain, “What has made you angry? Why has your face fallen?
7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin crouches at the doorway. It longs to have you, but you must rule over it.”
8 Cain spoke to his brother Abel. While they were out in the field, Cain turned on his brother Abel and killed him.
9 The LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” He answered, “I don’t know. Am I supposed to keep watch over my brother?”
10 The LORD said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground.
11 Now you are cursed, driven away from the ground that opened its mouth to take your brother’s blood from your hand.
12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you. You will wander restlessly across the earth.”
13 Cain said to the LORD, “This punishment is more than I can bear.”
14 “Today you have driven me from the face of the ground, and I will be hidden from your presence. I will roam the earth as a fugitive, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
15 The LORD replied, “Then anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance sevenfold.” The LORD placed a mark on Cain so that whoever came upon him would not kill him.
16 Cain went away from the LORD’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17 Cain lay with his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. Cain was building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch.
18 Enoch fathered Irad; Irad fathered Mehujael; Mehujael fathered Methushael; and Methushael fathered Lamech.
19 Lamech married two women: one was named Adah, and the other Zillah.
20 Adah bore Jabal, who became the ancestor of those who live in tents and raise livestock.
21 His brother was named Jubal, the ancestor of all who play the lyre and the pipe.
22 Zillah also bore Tubal-cain, who fashioned every kind of bronze and iron tool. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, hear me; wives of Lamech, listen to my words: I killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me.
24 If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech will be avenged seventy-seven times.”
25 Adam lay with his wife again, and she bore a son. She named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”
26 Seth also had a son, whom he named Enosh. It was then that people began calling on the name of the LORD.
Read and listen to this chapter in the Shalem app, free: narration, chapter video and reading progress. Get the app