Genesis 4

1Adam made love to his wife Eve, and Eve became pregnant. Eve gave birth to a son and named him Cain. Eve said, With the help of the LORD I have given birth to a male child.

2Later Eve gave birth again to Cain's brother, Abel. Abel became a shepherd, and Cain became a farmer.

3After some time, Cain brought some food that he had grown from the ground and gave it as an offering to the LORD.

4Then Abel brought the first lamb born to one of his sheep, killed it, and gave the best parts of it as an offering. The LORD was pleased with Abel and his offering,

5But God rejected Cain's offering. Cain became very angry, and Cain's face fell in sadness.

6Then the LORD said to Cain, Why are you angry? Why has your face fallen?

7If you had done the right thing, I will accept you. But if you don't, sin is crouching at the door, ready to attack you. Sin desires to have you, but you must rule over it.

8Cain talked with Abel, Cain's brother. Cain said, Let's go out into the field. When Cain and Abel were out in the field, Cain attacked Abel and killed Abel.

9The LORD asked Cain, Where is your brother Abel? Cain answered, I don't know. Am I supposed to take care of my brother?

10Then the LORD said, why have you done this terrible thing? Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground.

11You are placed under a curse and can no longer farm the soil. It has soaked up your brother's blood, as if it had opened its mouth to receive it when you killed him.

12If you try to grow crops, the ground will not help your plants grow. You will not have a home in this land. You will wander from place to place.

13And Cain said to the LORD, this punishment is too hard for me to bear.

14You are forcing me to leave the land, and I will not be able to be near you or have a home! Now I must wander from place to place, and anyone I meet could kill me.

15Then the LORD said to Cain, No, if anyone kills you, I will punish that person seven times as much. Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one would kill Cain.

16And Cain went away from the LORD's presence in the land of Nod, which is east of Eden.

17Cain and his wife had a son and named him Enoch. Then Cain built a city and named it after his son, Enoch.

18Enoch had a son named Irad, who was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael had a son named Methushael, who was the father of Lamech.

19Lamech had two wives, Adah and Zillah.

20Adah gave birth to Jabal. Jabal was the father of people who live in tents and earn their living by keeping cattle.

21Jabal's brother was Jubal. Jubal was the father of people who play the harp and flute.

22Zillah gave birth to Tubalcain, who was the father of people who work with bronze and iron. The sister of Tubalcain was named Naamah.

23Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah, listen to me: A man hurt me, so I killed him. I also killed a young man for hitting me.

24If Cain is avenged seven times, then I, Lamech, will be avenged seventy-seven times.

25Adam and Eve made love again and had another son. Eve said, God has given me a son to replace Abel, whom Cain killed. So Eve named him Seth.

26Seth had a son whom Seth named Enos. At that time people began to pray to the LORD.