Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain,
saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.” And again,
she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain
a worker of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the
LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought
of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the
LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his
offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face
fell. The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your
face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you
do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is
contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field,
Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD
said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not
know; am I my brother's keeper?” And the LORD said, “What have you
done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the
ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened
its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you
work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You
shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” Cain said to the
LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have
driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be
hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and
whoever finds me will kill me.” Then the LORD said to him, “Not so!
If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.”
And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should
attack him. Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and
settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he
built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his
son, Enoch. To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and
Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. And
Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name
of the other Zillah. Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those
who dwell in tents and have livestock. His brother's name was
Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.
Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments
of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
Lamech said to his wives:
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say:
I have killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for striking me.
If Cain's revenge is sevenfold,
then Lamech's is seventy-sevenfold.”
And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called
his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another
offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” To Seth also a son
was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began
to call upon the name of the LORD.
