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

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

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

4. And 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:

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

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

7. If 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.

8. And 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.

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

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

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

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

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

14. Behold, 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.

15. And 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.

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

17. And 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.

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

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

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

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

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

23. And 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.

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

25. And 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.

26. And 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.

1. And Adam knew Eue his wife, and shee conceiued, and bare Cain, and said, I haue gotten a man from the LORD.

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

3. And in processe of time it came to passe, that Cain brought of the fruite of the ground, an offering vnto the LORD.

4. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flocke, and of the fat thereof: and the LORD had respect vnto Abel, and to his offering.

5. But vnto Cain, and to his offring he had not respect: and Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

6. And the LORD said vnto Cain, Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen?

7. If thou doe well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sinne lieth at the doore: And vnto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule ouer him.

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

9. And the LORD said vnto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And hee said, I know not: Am I my brothers keeper?

10.And he said, What hast thou done? the voyce of thy brothers blood cryeth vnto me, from the ground.

11. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receiue thy brothers blood from thy hand.

12. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yeeld vnto thee her strength: A fugitiue and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

13. And Cain said vnto the LORD, My punishment is greater, then I can beare.

14. Behold, thou hast driuen me out this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face shall I be hid, and I shall be a fugitiue, and a vagabond in the earth: and it shall come to passe, that euery one that findeth me, shall slay me.

15. And the LORD said vnto him, Therefore whosoeuer slayeth Cain, vengeance shalbe taken on him seuen fold. And the LORD set a marke vpon Cain, lest any finding him, should kill him.

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

17. And Cain knew his wife, and she conceiued and bare Enoch, and hee builded a City, and called the name of the City, after the name of his sonne, Enoch.

18. And vnto Enoch was borne Irad: and Irad begate Mehuiael, and Mehuiael begate Methusael, and Methusael begate Lamech.

19. And Lamech tooke vnto him two wiues: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

20. And Adah bare Iabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as haue cattell.

21. And his brothers name was Iubal: hee was the father of all such as handle the harpe and organ.

22. And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-Cain, an instructer of euery artificer in brasse and iron: and the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.

23. And Lamech sayd vnto his wiues, Adah and Zillah, Heare my voyce, yee wiues of Lamech, hearken vnto my speech: for I haue slaine a man to my wounding, and a yong man to my hurt.

24. If Cain shall bee auenged seuen fold, truely Lamech seuenty and seuen folde.

25. And Adam knew his wife againe, and she bare a sonne, & called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed mee another seed in stead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

26. And to Seth, to him also there was borne a sonne, and he called his name Enos: then began men to call vpon the Name of the LORD.

 

 

II == Gen 3:23 ; 9:20

 

III == Num 18:12 ; Jude 1:1 ; Heb 11:4

 

IV == Num 18:17 ; Prov 3:9 ; Heb 11:4

 

V == Gen 31:2

 

 

 

 

 

VII == Gen 3:16 ; Heb 11:4 ; Rom 6:12

 

VIII == Matt 23:35 ; Lk 11:51 ; 1st John 3:12 ; Jude 11

 

IX == Ps 9:12 ; John 8:44

 

 

X == Heb 12:24 ; Rev 6:10 ; Jaw 5:4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIV == Gen 9:6 ; Num 35:19 , 21 , 27 ; Job 15:20-24 ; Ps 51:11

 

 

XV ==Ps 79:12 ; Ezek 9:4 , 6

 

 

 

XVI 2nd Kings 13:23 ; 24:20 ; Jer 23:39 ; 52:3

 

XVII == Ps 49:11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXI == Rom 4:11-12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXV == Gen 5:3

 

 

XXVI == Gen 5:6 ; 1st Kings 18:24 ; Ps 116:17 ; Joel 2:32 ; Zeph 3:9 ; 1st Cor 1:2

1 The man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have produced a man with the help of the LORD."

2 Next she bore his brother Abel. Abel became a keeper of flocks, and Cain a tiller of the soil.

3 In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the LORD from the fruit of the soil,

4 while Abel, for his part, brought one of the best firstlings of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

5 but on Cain and his offering he did not. Cain greatly resented this and was crestfallen.

6 So the LORD said to Cain: "Why are you so resentful and crestfallen?

7 If you do well, you can hold up your head; but if not, sin is a demon lurking at the door: his urge is toward you, yet you can be his master."

8 Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out in the field." When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

9 Then the LORD asked Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He answered, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"

10 The LORD then said: "What have you done! Listen: your brother's blood cries out to me from the soil!

11 Therefore you shall be banned from the soil that opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

12 If you till the soil, it shall no longer give you its produce. You shall become a restless wanderer on the earth."

13 Cain said to the LORD: "My punishment is too great to bear.

14 Since you have now banished me from the soil, and I must avoid your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, anyone may kill me at sight."

15 Not so!" the LORD said to him. "If anyone kills Cain, Cain shall be avenged sevenfold." So the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest anyone should kill him at sight.

16 Cain then left the LORD'S presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

17 Cain had relations with his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. Cain also became the founder of a city, which he named after his son Enoch.

18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad became the father of Mehujael; Mehujael became the father of Methusael, and Methusael became the father of Lamech.

19 Lamech took two wives; the name of the first was Adah, and the name of the second Zillah.

20 Adah gave birth to Jabal, the ancestor of all who dwell in tents and keep cattle.

21 His brother's name was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all who play the lyre and the pipe.

22 Zillah, on her part, gave birth to Tubalcain, the ancestor of all who forge instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, listen to my utterance: I have killed a man for wounding me, a boy for bruising me.

24 If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold."

25 Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son whom she called Seth. "God has granted me more offspring in place of Abel," she said, "because Cain slew him."

26 To Seth, in turn, a son was born, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to invoke the LORD by name.

v 1. They probably sinned soon after creation, or Cain meaning acquired, would have been born in the garden. She probably thought she acquired a son and the promised redeemer.

v 2. Abel means vanity. She thought Cain was the redeemer, so Able was only vanity, of much less importance to her. By the time he was born, she probably had daughters, maybe even unnamed sons, and hard life on this earth was seeming futile. Some think twins were common in the beginning, and that Cain and Able were twins because “conceived” isn’t repeated. Such reasoning is without foundation.

v 3.-5. In these verses, Cain and Abel were adults. Whereas Adam had made sacrifice for the family, they are now responsible to make their own sacrifice to the Lord. From Adam’s experience and Heb. 11:4, Abel’s offering was of faith. They had been taught the proper sacrifice. There was nothing wrong in Cain bringing a thank offering of his produce, and it may have been the very best, but for sacrifice, God required a blood offering. From Lev. 9:24; Jud. 6:21; 13:19; 1 Kings 18:24, 38; 1 Chr. 21:26; and 2 Chr. 7:1-3, it seems likely that God showed his approval on Abel’s offering by sending fire from heaven. Indeed, the use of “respect” here is an intense gaze, which some translate as to kindle into a fire. Cain lacked faith, Heb. 11:4; love, 1 Jn. 3:12; and truth, Jude 1. His reaction to God’s rejection of him and his sacrifice showed his true heart attitude.

v 6,7. Some think part of Cain’s anger was that since his offering wasn’t accepted, he thought he had lost his birthright as the older brother. However, the principle of the older brother birthright may not have even been established yet. God was willing to accept a proper sacrifice from Cain even yet. Some think that since “sin” here is translated “sin offering” about half the time, it can be assumed God had a lamb waiting at the door for him. Also that he had not lost his birthright, Abel’s desire would be to him and he would rule over Abel. However, I believe the context shows this is not identical words sin offering, but sin, lying at the door to engulf him. His desire, craving for sin, would be as man’s desire for woman unless he repented and gained mastery over it.

v 8. Original versions indicate Cain planned for his brother to go into the field. Luke 11:51 infers that Abel was a prophet. He probably urged Cain to make a proper sacrifice, and was hated for it like later prophets.

v 9 If Cain had been repentant he would have gone before the Cherubim and called out to God, but God had to seek him in the field. He was foolish to think he could hide this from God. We are responsible to others from the standpoint of both deliberate action and neglect.

10. The blood cried out in grief or for help, as an aborted baby cries. It could cry out as stones could have cried out at Christ’s entry, Lk. 19:40. Christ’s blood speaks better than Abel’s blood, Heb. 12:29. 

v 11,12. Adam was punished, but Cain is cursed with hard life and wandering. Crop yields for him would be reduced.

v 13,14. Cain has only despair, not confession or repentance. He was afraid he would always be on the run because the other brothers would kill him in revenge.

v 15. We don’t know what the mark was,. More literally, God appointed him a sign, some miraculous token. He was to live a vagabond, a living monument of the guilt of murder and of the wrath of God against it.
God did not permit the vengeance because human government was not yet established on earth.

v 16. Nod means wandering, it may not have been a specific place, but he is completely separated from the Lord.

v 17. Cain’s wife, a sister or niece, fled with him, and we don’t know if any of his children were born yet. In starting a simple city he hoped to alleviate his curse. Cain's city (4:17) as we will call it was possibly somewhere east of Eden. It properly was just a hut for him, wifes, and his family he would have.

In Cain's family the sin of murder, then Polygamy. God had ordained at the start of one-man and one-women in marriage (2:24)

v 18. Genealogy list. This covered a period of many years.

v 19. The first case of bigamy from this wicked family. Their names, “ornament and shadow” may indicate the physical attraction they had to him.

v 20. Simple husbandry probably developed into other commerce for city life. Man was still vegetarian, but these people may have started eating meat.

v 21,22. Contrary to evolutionist belief, early man quickly developed a very complex way of life. The development of music and fine arts and skills in craftsmanship. The ungodly quickly developed things for the satisfaction of the flesh (not always bad). 

v 23,24. This is the first case of bigamy recorded. Some call this verse the first poetry sung by Lamech to his wives. At any rate, Lamech boasts about killing a young man who struck him. He probably had the advantage of a metal weapon forged by his son. He claims he can avenge himself better than God avenged Cain., to the extent of seventy seven fold. In Contrast, Jesus said to forgive seventy and seven times. Mt. 18:22. This is the seventh generation. and all we have upon record in scripture concerning the family and posterity of cursed Cain, till we find them all cut off and perishing in the universal deluge.

v 25. This does not imply Adam had no other children in the meantime. This is the important line God wants traced. This will be the line of Christ.
v 26. Seth means “appointed”, or substituted, indication Eve believed a redeemer would come from this line. Not that Adam and some of his family had not called on the Lord, but now, seeing the wickedness of Cain’s family, they see the need of spiritual revival possibly public instead of private worship. (Some say, “they began to call themselves by the name of the Lord”.) Any way, separated.
Names which will be listed in the genealogy are not always first born sons. God is recording those who are in the line of Christ. Many of he other sons became corrupt, as we will see by he flood.
Ability to read and write is noted in 5:1, by the “book”.