Genesis 4:1-15 ▼

1 Now Adam had marital relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, |I have gotten a man from God.|

2 Again she gave birth, to Cain's brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

3 As time passed, it happened that Cain brought an offering to God from the fruit of the ground.

4 And Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. And God looked favorably on Abel and his offering,

5 but he did not look favorably on Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell.

6 God said to Cain, |Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen?

7 If you do well, will it not be lifted up? If you do not do well, sin lies in wait at the door. It desires to control you, but you must rule over it.|

8 Cain said to Abel, his brother, |Let's go into the field.| It happened when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.

9 Then God said to Cain, |Where is Abel, your brother?| He said, |I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?|

10 And God said, |What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.

11 Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

12 From now on, when you till the ground, it won't yield its strength to you. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth.|

13 Cain said to God, |My punishment is greater than I can bear.

14 Look, you have driven me out this day from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth. It will happen that whoever finds me will kill me.|

15 God said to him, |Not so. Whoever kills Cain vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.| God appointed a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should strike him.