Cain and Abel

1Later, Adama had sexual relations withb his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have given birth toc a male child—the LORD.”d 2And she did it again, giving birth to his brother Abel. Abel shepherded flocks and Cain became a farmer.e

3Later, after a while, Cain brought an offering to the LORD from the fruit that he had harvested,f 4while Abel brought the best partsg of some of the firstborn from his flock. The LORD looked favorably upon Abel and his offering, 5but he did not look favorably upon Cain and his offering.

When Cain became very upset andh depressed, 6the LORD asked Cain, “Why are you so upset? Why are youi depressed? 7If you do what is appropriate,j you’ll be accepted, won’t you? But if you don’t do what is appropriate,k sin is crouching near your doorway, turning toward you. Now as for you, will you take dominion over it?”l

8Instead, Cain told his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the wilderness.”m When they were outside in the fields, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

9Later, the LORD asked Cain, “Where’s your brother Abel?”

“I don’t know,” he answered. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

10“What did you do?” Godn asked. “Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. 11Now you’re more cursed than the ground, which has openedo to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12Whenever you work the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you, and you’ll wander throughout the earth as a fugitive.”

13“My punishment is too great to bear,” Cain told the LORD. 14“You’re driving me from the soilp today. I’ll be hidden from you, and I’ll wander throughout the earth as a fugitive. In the future,q whoever finds me will kill me.”

15The LORD told him, “This won’t happen, because whoever kills your will suffer seven times the vengeance.” Then the LORD placed a sign on Cain so that no one finding him would kill him. 16After this, Cain left the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

From Cain to Lamech

17Later, Cain had sexual relations withs his wife. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Caint founded a city and named it afteru his son Enoch. 18Irad was born to Enoch. Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19Later, Lamech married two wives. One was named Adah and the other was namedv Zillah. 20Adah gave birth to Jabal, who became the ancestor of those who live in tents and herdw livestock. 21His brother was named Jubal; he became the ancestor of all those who play the lyre and the flute. 22Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain, who became a forger of bronze and iron work. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah. 23Lamech told his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, listen to what I have to say:

You wives of Lamech, hear what I’m announcing!

I’ve killed a man for wounding me,

a young man for bruising me.

24For if Cain is being avenged seven times,

then Lamech will be avengedx 77 times.”

25Later on, after Adam had sexual relations withy his wife, she gave birth to a son and named himz Seth, because

“God grantedaa me another offspring to replace Abel,

since Cain murdered him.”

26Seth also fathered a son, whom he named Enosh. At that time, profaningbb the name of the LORD began.