1 Adam had intercourse with Eve his wife; she became pregnant and gave birth to a child. She named him Cain, for she said, “I have got a man with help from Yahweh.”
2 She later gave birth to Abel, his brother. Abel was a shepherd and kept flocks, and Cain tilled the soil.
3 It happened after a time that Cain brought fruits of the soil as an offering to Yahweh.
4 Abel for his part brought the firstborn of his flock, and some fat as well. Now Yahweh was well pleased with Abel and his offering,
5 but towards Cain and his offering he showed no pleasure. This made Cain very angry and downcast.
6 Then Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry and downcast?
7 If you do right, why do you not look up? But if you are not doing what is right, sin is lurking at the door. It is striving to get you, but you must control it.”
8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go to the fields.” Once there, Cain turned on his brother Abel and killed him.
9 Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is your brother, Abel?” He answered, “I don’t know; am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 Yahweh asked, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.
11 Now be cursed and driven from the ground that has opened its mouth to receive your broth er’s blood that your hand has shed.
12 When you till the soil, it will no longer yield you its produce. You will be a fugitive wandering on the earth.”
13 Cain said to Yahweh, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14 See! Today you drive me from this land. I must hide from you and be a wanderer and a fugitive on the earth, and it will so happen that whoever meets me will kill me.”
15 Yahweh said to him, “Well then, whoever kills Cain, will suffer ven geance seven times.” And Yahweh put a mark on Cain to prevent anyone who met him from killing him.
16 Cain then went from Yahweh’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, to the east of Eden.
The descendants of Cain and Seth
17 Cain had intercourse with his wife; she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. As he was building a town, he called it by the name of his son, Enoch.
18 A son, Irad, was born to Enoch. Irad became father of Mehujael, and Mehujael of Metusael, and Metusael of Lamech.
19 Lamech had two wives, Adah and Zillah.
20 Adah gave birth to Jabel: he was father to those who live in tents and keep flocks.
21 His brother was Jubal: he was father to all those who play the lyre and flute.
22 As for Zillah, she gave birth to Tubal-Cain, forger of all tools in bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives:
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
wives of Lamech, listen to what I say,
for I killed a man for wounding me
and a boy for striking me.
24If Cain will be avenged seven times,
then Lamech seventy-seven times.”
25 Adam again had intercourse with his wife and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth; for she said, “Yahweh has given me another child in place of Abel since Cain killed him.”
26 To Seth also a son was born and he called him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of Yahweh.
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Comments Genesis, Chapter 4
• 4.1 The story of Cain, a religious story, like the story of earthly Paradise, teaches us the depth of the human condition, by way of comparison. It shows violence as a decisive factor in our history, with its roots deep in the human heart (4:7) and its first victims those who, like Abel, are pleasing to God (4:4). Abel’s spilled blood cries out to God (4:10) who does justice in his way, not as we would with vengeance and violence (4:15).
Originally Cain’s story had nothing to do with the story of Adam and Eve and their descen dants. The biblical author who took the story and placed it here, related it to the previous one by fictitiously making Cain become Adam’s son. (There is, therefore, no room for questions about whom Cain and Abel married: the Bible does not intend to relate the beginnings of the human race.)
This is like the national history of the tribe of the Cainites (or Kenites: Jdg 1:16; 4:17) who became part of Israel. As often related in ancient legends, Cain, the founder of the tribe, had killed his brother, who could become his rival, since that was the only way to establish political authority. Later, a society with different functions saw the light (4:19-22); then Lamech would become the spokes man of national pride (4:23); the peo ple would learn how to get even with aggressors.
In borrowing this legend the biblical author gave it another meaning and inserted a dialogue between God and Cain as judgment on violence: “You pretended to act justly: wrong! You have committed a crime.” It is like us saying: “You who pretend to serve the sacred interests of the nation, how long will you eliminate and expel those who do not agree with you?”
In the Bible, Abel is the first and the model of innocent victims who are murdered. This and other passages suggest that they are eliminated because they are just people (Mt 23:35; Heb 11:4; Jn 8:44; 1 Jn 3:12).
• 17. The sacred authors inserted between the origins of the world and the beginning of their own history (the call to Abraham) what they knew about the past of humankind. They knew it in their own way through traditions and legends.