Genesis 4 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
Primeval history, before any datable era, set at the beginning of human life outside Eden
Location
East of Eden, in farmland and pasture, and later the land of Nod
Audience
Ancient Israelites tracing the roots of violence, worship and city life
Situation
Cain the farmer and Abel the herdsman bring offerings, Cain's is not accepted, and he murders his brother in a field. God confronts him, marks him for protection, and sends him away, after which his line produces the first city and the first metalworkers and musicians.
Key Background
The tension between settled farmers and herders was a real and recurring conflict throughout the ancient Near East, and stories about it were common, though here it is a family rupture rather than a clash of peoples. Blood that cries from the ground reflects a widespread ancient belief that unavenged killing pollutes the land itself and demands a response. Lamech's boast about killing a young man for wounding him inverts the later legal principle of proportional payback, showing revenge escalating rather than being limited, and the chapter closes by noting that people began calling on God's name.
The man was with Chavah his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to She said, "I have a man with the help of
Then she gave birth to his brother, became a and Qayin the
After some time, Qayin brought some of the produce of the ground as an to Yahweh.
Hevel also brought an offering — from the of his flock, from their Yahweh on Hevel and his offering,
but on Qayin and offering he did not look favorably. This made Qayin and
Yahweh said to Qayin, "Why are you so angry? Why has your face fallen?"
"If you do what is right, won't you be But if you don't do what is right, is at your door. It wants to you, but you must master it."
Qayin said to his brother Hevel, "Let's go out to the And when they were in the Qayin attacked his brother Hevel and him.
Yahweh said to Qayin, "Where is your brother Hevel?" He said, "I don't know. Am I my brother's
Yahweh said, "What have you done? Your brother's is out to me from the
"Now you are — driven away from the ground that its to swallow your brother's blood from your hand."
"When you work the ground, it will no longer give you its You will be a on the earth."
Qayin said to Yahweh, "My is more than I can bear!"
"Look — today you are driving me away from the face of the ground, and I will be from I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and anyone who finds me will kill me."
Yahweh said to him, "Not so. If anyone kills Qayin, vengeance will be taken on them Then Yahweh put a on Qayin so that no one who found him would kill him.
So Qayin left Yahweh's presence and settled in the land of east of
Qayin was intimate with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Qayin was building a and he named the after his son — Chanokh.
To Chanokh was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mechuyael, and Mechuyael fathered Metushael, and Metushael fathered
Lemekh took for himself. The name of the first was and the name of the second was
Adah gave birth to He became the of those who live in tents and raise livestock.
His brother's name was He became the father of everyone who plays the and the
Tsillah also gave birth to who all kinds of tools from and Tuval-Qayin's sister was Na'amah.
Lemekh said to his wives: "Adah and Tsillah, my Wives of Lemekh, to what I I have a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me."
"If Qayin is avenged seven then Lemekh will be avenged
Adam was intimate with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him saying, "Because has another for me in place of Hevel, since Qayin killed him."
Shet also had a son, and he named him At that time, people began to on the of