Cain and Abel Bring Offerings to God
Study note
Cain becomes a farmer and Abel becomes a shepherd. Both bring offerings to God — Cain brings crops and Abel brings the best portions of his firstborn animals. God accepts Abel's offering but not Cain's. The text does not say exactly why, but it may be because Abel brought his very best while Cain did not. God warns Cain that sin is waiting to attack him, like an animal crouching at a door.
1 Adam and Eve slept together, and she got pregnant and had a baby boy named Cain. She said, "The Lord helped me bring this child into the world." And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
2 Later on, she had another son and named him Abel. Abel grew up to be a shepherd who tended sheep, while Cain became a farmer who worked the land. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3 As time went on, Cain brought some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
4 Abel also brought a gift — he picked out the very best parts from the firstborn animals in his flock. The Lord was happy with Abel and accepted his gift, And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
5 but he was not happy with Cain or his gift. This made Cain boil with anger, and you could see it all over his face. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
6 The Lord asked Cain, "Why are you so angry? Why do you look so upset?" And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 "If you had done the right thing, wouldn't everything be fine? But since you didn't, sin is hiding right outside your door, waiting to grab you. It wants to take over your life, but you have to be the one in control." If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Cain Kills Abel
Study note
Despite God's warning, Cain gives in to jealousy and anger. He lures Abel into a field and kills him, committing the first murder in the Bible. When God asks where Abel is, Cain famously answers, 'Am I my brother's keeper?' God tells Cain that Abel's blood is crying out from the ground. As punishment, the ground will no longer produce crops for Cain, and he must wander the earth. God places a mark on Cain to protect him from being killed by others.
8 One day Cain said something to his brother Abel. Then, when they were out in the field together, Cain turned on Abel and killed him. And 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 slew him.
9 The Lord asked Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" Cain shot back, "How should I know? Is it my job to keep track of him?" And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
10 God replied, "What have you done? I can hear your brother's blood crying out to me from the ground!" And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
11 "From now on, you are under a curse. The very ground that soaked up your brother's blood will turn against you." And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;
12 "When you try to farm the land, it will refuse to grow anything for you. You will spend the rest of your life wandering from place to place with no home." When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
13 Cain told the Lord, "This punishment is way too much for me to handle!" And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14 "You are kicking me off the land today and hiding me from your presence. I will be a homeless wanderer, and anyone who runs into me will kill me." Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
15 The Lord told him, "No, that will not happen. If anyone kills Cain, they will be punished seven times over." Then the Lord put a special mark on Cain to warn people not to harm him. And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
16 After that, Cain left the Lord's presence and went to live in a region called Nod, which was east of Eden. And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
The Descendants of Cain
Study note
Cain settles in a land called Nod, east of Eden. His descendants become the founders of different parts of human culture — city building, tent dwelling with livestock, music, and metalworking. But Cain's line also shows growing violence, as seen in Lamech's boast about killing a man and claiming even greater revenge than Cain received.
17 Cain and his wife had a baby, and she gave birth to a son named Enoch. Cain was building a city at the time, and he named it after his son Enoch. And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.
18 Enoch had a son named Irad. Irad had a son named Mehujael. Mehujael had a son named Methushael. And Methushael had a son named Lamech. And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.
19 Lamech took two wives — one named Adah and the other named Zillah. And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
20 Adah's son was Jabal. He was the very first person to live in tents and raise livestock. And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.
21 Jabal's brother was named Jubal. He was the very first person to play stringed and wind instruments. And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.
22 Zillah had a son too, named Tubal-Cain. He learned how to make all sorts of tools from bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain had a sister named Naamah. And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23 Lamech announced to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, pay attention to what I'm saying! I killed a man who hurt me — a young man who injured me." And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.
24 "Cain's killer gets punished seven times. But my killer gets punished seventy-seven times!" If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
The Birth of Seth
Study note
Adam and Eve have another son named Seth, who replaces Abel. Eve recognizes Seth as a gift from God. Seth has a son named Enosh, and at that time people begin to call on the name of the Lord in worship. Seth's line becomes the line through which God's plan will continue.
25 Adam and Eve had another son, and she named him Seth. She explained, "God has given me a new child to take the place of Abel, since Cain killed him." And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
26 Seth grew up and had a son of his own, whom he named Enosh. It was during that time that people first started praying to the Lord and worshiping him. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.