book of Genesis ( NKJV
)
4:1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived
and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the LORD."
2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was
a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3
And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering
of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. 4 Abel also
brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected
Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain
and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
6 So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your
countenance fallen? 7 "If you do well, will you not
be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire
[is] for you, but you should rule over it." 8 Now Cain
talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the
field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where [is] Abel your brother?" He
said, "I do not know. [Am] I my brother's keeper?" 10 And
He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out
to Me from the ground. 11 "So now you [are] cursed from
the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from
your hand. 12 "When you till the ground, it shall no
longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be
on the earth." 13 And Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment
[is] greater than I can bear! 14 "Surely You have driven
me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your
face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen
[that] anyone who finds me will kill me." 15 And the
LORD said to him, "Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken
on him sevenfold." And the LORD set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding
him should kill him. 16 Then Cain went out from the
presence of the LORD and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden.
17 And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And
he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his
son -- Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begot
Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lamech.
19 Then Lamech took for himself two wives: the name of one [was]
Adah, and the name of the second [was] Zillah. 20 And
Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have
livestock. 21 His brother's name [was] Jubal. He was
the father of all those who play the harp and flute. 22
And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every
craftsman in bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-Cain [was] Naamah.
23 Then Lamech said to his wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding
me, Even a young man for hurting me. 24 If Cain shall
be avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold." 25
And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth,
"For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed."
26 And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him
Enosh. Then [men] began to call on the name of the LORD. |