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The Torah · Old Testament

Genesis 4

A brother’s blood and a growing family

General context

Cain and Abel bring offerings from their work in the fields and with sheep. God regards Abel and his offering, while Cain becomes angry when his own is not regarded. A warning about doing well and sin at the door precedes Cain's killing of Abel. God confronts Cain, announces the loss of the ground's yield and a wandering life, then gives him a mark to protect him from being killed. The account follows Cain's family through a city, several occupations and Lamech's violent speech. It closes with the births of Seth and Enos and people beginning to call upon the Lord's name.

Cited passages: Genesis 4:1, Genesis 4:2, Genesis 4:3, Genesis 4:4, Genesis 4:5, Genesis 4:6, Genesis 4:7, Genesis 4:8, Genesis 4:9, Genesis 4:10, Genesis 4:11, Genesis 4:12, Genesis 4:14, Genesis 4:15, Genesis 4:17, Genesis 4:18, Genesis 4:19, Genesis 4:20, Genesis 4:21, Genesis 4:22, Genesis 4:23, Genesis 4:24, Genesis 4:25, Genesis 4:26

Genesis 4 (KJV)

1And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.

2And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

3And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.

4And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

5But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

6And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

7If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

8And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

9And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?

10And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.

11And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;

12When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

13And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.

14Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

15And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

16And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

17And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.

18And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.

19And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

20And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.

21And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.

22And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

23And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.

24If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

25And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

26And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.

This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.

Historical context

Cain is a cultivator and Abel a keeper of sheep, so their offerings come from the ground and the flock. Cain later settles in Nod, east of Eden, and builds a city named after his son Enoch. His descendants include Lamech, whose wives are named Adah and Zillah. Their household is associated with tents and cattle, musical instruments, and work in brass and iron. The account also names Naamah as Tubal-cain's sister. Cain's wife is unnamed, and the protective mark's appearance is not described.

Cited passages: Genesis 4:2, Genesis 4:3, Genesis 4:4, Genesis 4:15, Genesis 4:16, Genesis 4:17, Genesis 4:18, Genesis 4:19, Genesis 4:20, Genesis 4:21, Genesis 4:22

Literary context

The repeated word brother holds Cain's family bond beside his violence and his reply to God's question. Abel's blood is pictured as crying from the ground, joining the killing to the soil Cain cultivates and to his punishment. The sevenfold vengeance attached to Cain's protection reappears in Lamech's claim of seventy-sevenfold vengeance. A family list places the growth of settlements and skills alongside this later speech. The final births turn attention back to Adam and his wife, who names Seth in relation to the loss of Abel.

Cited passages: Genesis 4:2, Genesis 4:8, Genesis 4:9, Genesis 4:10, Genesis 4:11, Genesis 4:12, Genesis 4:15, Genesis 4:17, Genesis 4:18, Genesis 4:20, Genesis 4:21, Genesis 4:22, Genesis 4:23, Genesis 4:24, Genesis 4:25, Genesis 4:26

Key moments

  1. A warning before the violence (Genesis 4:7). God speaks to Cain about doing well and about sin lying at the door.
  2. The brother’s blood cries out (Genesis 4:10). God describes Abel’s blood as crying to him from the ground.
  3. Cain receives protection (Genesis 4:15). God sets a mark on Cain so that someone finding him will not kill him.
  4. Seth is named after loss (Genesis 4:25). Adam’s wife names Seth while speaking of another offspring in place of Abel.

For reflection

What do the repeated references to a brother and the image of blood crying from the ground bring into focus?

People in this chapter

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