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The Story of Cain and Abel

4:1Now1 the man lay with2 Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain; and she said, “I have created3 a man with4 the LORD!” 4:2 Then she gave birth5 to his brother Abel.6 Abel was a shepherd7 of the flocks, while Cain was a tiller of the ground.

4:3 At the end of the season8 Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground for an offering9 to the LORD. 4:4 But as for Abel—he also brought10 from the firstborn of his flock, the fattest11 of them. And the LORD had respect12 for Abel and for his offering; 4:5 but for Cain and his offering he did not have respect.13 So Cain became very angry,14 and his expression was downcast.15

4:6 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why is your expression downcast? 4:7 Is it not so16 that if you do what is right, you will be fine?17 But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching18 at the door, and its desire is to have you, but you can have the mastery over it.”19

4:8 And Cain said to Abel his brother20…and when they were in the field, Cain attacked21 Abel his brother22 and killed him.

4:9 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”23 And he said, “I don’t know! Am I the keeper of my brother?”24

4:10 But the LORD said, “What have you done?25 The voice26 of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! 4:11 So now, cursed are you from the ground which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.27 4:12 When you work the ground it will no longer yield28 its best29 for you. You will be a ceaseless wanderer30 in the earth.”

4:13 And Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment31 is too great to bear!”32 4:14 Since you are driving me out from the land today and I must hide from your presence,33 I will be a ceaseless wanderer in the earth; anyone finding me will kill me.”

4:15 But the LORD said to him, “Therefore,34 if anyone kills Cain he will be avenged seven times.” Then the LORD put a sign on Cain35 so that anyone finding him would not strike him. 4:16 So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD; and he lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

The Beginning of Civilization

4:17 Cain lay36 with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was building a city, and he named the city after the name of his son, Enoch. 4:18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father37 of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methusael, and Methusael was the father of Lamech.

4:19 Lamech took38 for himself two wives; the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah. 4:20 And Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father39 of those who live in tents and keep40 livestock. 4:21 Now the name of his brother was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and the flute. 4:22 Now Zillah also gave birth to Tubal-Cain, a forger of all kinds of tools of bronze and iron. The sister41 of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.

4:25 And Adam lay45 with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has appointed46 for me another seed in place of Abel, because Cain killed him.” 4:26 And to Seth a son was also born, and he named him Enosh. At that time people47 began to make proclamation48 in the name of the LORD.

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