Genesis 4: Cain and Abel, and the first families
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Eve gives birth to Cain and Abel. Yahweh looks with favor on Abel's offering but not on Cain's, warns Cain about sin, and Cain kills his brother. Yahweh sends Cain away as a wanderer, Cain's family line is listed, and Adam and Eve have another son, Seth.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God speaks in 7 of the 26 verses: his warning to Cain, his questions after the killing, the sentence on Cain, and his promise to protect him. Eve, Cain and Lamech also speak. In verse 9 only Yahweh's question is gold; the answer is Cain's. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with Yahweh’s help.”
In plain English: The man knew his wife Eve (that is, he slept with her). She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain, and she said, "With Yahweh's help I have gotten a man."
Good to know: "Cain" (Qayin) sounds like Eve's word qaniti, "I have gotten". Her words in Hebrew are "I have gotten a man with Yahweh": the word "help" is added in English to make sense of "with".
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2Again she gave birth, to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
In plain English: She gave birth again, to Cain's brother Abel. Abel kept sheep, and Cain worked the ground.
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3As time passed, Cain brought an offering to Yahweh from the fruit of the ground.
In plain English: After some time, Cain brought Yahweh an offering from the crops of the ground.
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4Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. Yahweh respected Abel and his offering,
In plain English: Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock, and their fat. Yahweh looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
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5but he didn’t respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell.
In plain English: but he did not look with favor on Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and his face fell.
Church tradition: Genesis 4 does not say why Yahweh looked with favor on Abel's offering and not on Cain's. Some point to what was brought (the firstborn and the fat, ), others to the heart of the one who brought it. says Abel offered "by faith".
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6Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen?God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why has your face fallen?
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7If you do well, won’t it be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.”God speaks
In plain English: If you do well, won't your face be lifted up (or: won't you be accepted)? If you don't do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it (or: you will, or you may, rule over it)."
The Hebrew word: "Desire" is teshuqah, the same rare word as in : "your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you". Both verses also use the same word for "rule" (mashal).
What changes: "You are to rule over it" can be read as a command (you must rule over it), a promise (you will rule over it), or an open choice (you may rule over it). The Hebrew allows each.
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8Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” While they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.
In plain English: Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go into the field." While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
Good to know: In the standard Hebrew text, Cain's words are missing: it says only "Cain said to Abel, his brother". The words "Let's go into the field" come from old translations, such as the Greek.
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9Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?” He said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" Cain said, "I don't know. Am I my brother's keeper?"
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10Yahweh said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground.God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground.
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11Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.God speaks
In plain English: Now you are under a curse, driven from the ground (or: cursed because of the ground), which opened its mouth to take in your brother's blood from your hand.
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12From now on, when you till the ground, it won’t yield its strength to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”God speaks
In plain English: From now on, when you work the ground, it will not give you its strength. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth."
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13Cain said to Yahweh, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.
In plain English: Cain said to Yahweh, "My punishment is more than I can bear (or: my sin is too great to be forgiven).
The Hebrew word: "Punishment" is avon, which means a wrong, and also the guilt or punishment that comes from it.
How it is translated: In its 215 verses this Bible says "iniquity" about 9 times out of 10, and "punishment" in only 7.
What changes: Read as "iniquity", Cain says his sin is too great to bear, or too great to be forgiven. The same two Hebrew words, "bear" and "iniquity", mean "forgiving iniquity" in .
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14Behold, you have driven me out today from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. Whoever finds me will kill me.”
In plain English: Look, today you have driven me away from the surface of the ground, and I will be hidden from your face. I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."
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15Yahweh said to him, “Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain, so that anyone finding him would not strike him.God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to him, "Then whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over." Yahweh set a sign for Cain, so that no one who found him would strike him.
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16Cain left Yahweh’s presence, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
In plain English: Cain went out from Yahweh's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Good to know: "Nod" sounds like the Hebrew word for "wanderer" (nad) in : the man sentenced to wander lives in the land of Wandering.
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17Cain knew his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Enoch. He built a city, and named the city after the name of his son, Enoch.
In plain English: Cain knew his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. He built a city and named it after his son, Enoch.
Good to know: Genesis does not say who Cain's wife was. says Adam had other sons and daughters, and many readers take her to be one of them, or a later relative.
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18Irad was born to Enoch. Irad became the father of Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became the father of Lamech.
In plain English: Enoch had a son, Irad. Irad was the father of Mehujael, Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.
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19Lamech took two wives: the name of the first one was Adah, and the name of the second one was Zillah.
In plain English: Lamech married two wives. The first was named Adah, and the second Zillah.
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20Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock.
In plain English: Adah gave birth to Jabal. He was the father of those who live in tents and keep livestock.
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21His brother’s name was Jubal, who was the father of all who handle the harp and pipe.
In plain English: His brother was named Jubal. He was the father of all who play the harp and the pipe.
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22Zillah also gave birth to Tubal Cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of bronze and iron. Tubal Cain’s sister was Naamah.
In plain English: Zillah also gave birth to Tubal Cain, who made every kind of cutting tool from bronze and iron. Tubal Cain's sister was Naamah.
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23Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice. You wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, for I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for bruising me.
In plain English: Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice. Wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for bruising me.
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24If Cain will be avenged seven times, truly Lamech seventy-seven times.”
In plain English: If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times."
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25Adam knew his wife again. She gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, saying, “for God has given me another child instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.”
In plain English: Adam knew his wife again, and she gave birth to a son. She named him Seth, saying, "God has given me another child in place of Abel, because Cain killed him."
Good to know: Until now the Hebrew mostly calls him ha-adam, "the man". Here he is called Adam with no "the", as a personal name, and Genesis 5 goes on that way. In a few earlier verses, like , "Adam" and "the man" can be read either way.
The Hebrew words: "Seth" (Shet) sounds like shat, "has given" or "has set". "Another child" is "another zera", another seed: the word for "offspring" in .
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26A son was also born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on Yahweh’s name.
In plain English: Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on Yahweh's name.
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