1 And Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man,” she said. 2 Later she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil. 3 So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD, 4 while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 “Why are you angry,” said the LORD to Cain, “and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.” 8 Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 “What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11 Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 “Not so!” replied the LORD. “If anyone slays Cain, then Cain will be avenged sevenfold.” And the LORD placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. 17 And Cain had relations with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain built a city and named it after his son Enoch. 18 Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methusael, and Methusael was the father of Lamech. 19 And Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and raise livestock. 21 And his brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. 22 And Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain, a forger of every implement of bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. 23 Then Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, listen to my speech. For I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. 24 If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.” 25 And Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another seed in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” 26 And to Seth also a son was born, and he called him Enosh. At that time men began to call upon the name of the LORD.
Genesis · Berean Standard Bible
Genesis 4 Berean Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Abel
A shepherd whose faithful offering pleased God, murdered by his own brother.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 4; Hebrews 11:4
Adah
One of Lamech's two wives, who gave birth to Jabal and was addressed with Zillah in Lamech's boast.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 4:19; Genesis 4:20; Genesis 4:23
Adam
Formed from the dust by God's own hand, the father of all who live.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 1–5
Cain
The firstborn of humanity, whose jealousy led to the first murder.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 4
Enoch
Cain's son, after whom Cain named the first city recorded in Scripture.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 4:17-18
Enosh
In his days people first began to call on the name of the LORD.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 4:26; 5:6–11
Eve
The first woman, formed from Adam and named "the mother of all living."
Cited in the guide: Genesis 2-4
Irad
Son of Enoch and grandson of Cain, listed in Cain's genealogy.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 4:18
Jabal
Son of Lamech, called the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 4:20
Jubal
Son of Lamech, called the father of all who play the harp and flute.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 4:21
Lamech
Descendant of Cain who took two wives and boasted of avenging himself with violence.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 4:18-24
Mehujael
Son of Irad in the line of Cain, named only in the genealogy.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 4:18
Naamah
Named in Lamech's family as the sister of Tubal-cain.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 4:22
Seth
The son granted in Abel's place, through whom the godly line continued.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 4:25–5:8
Tubal-cain
Son of Lamech and Zillah, a forger of all tools of bronze and iron.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 4:22
Zillah
One of Lamech's two wives, who gave birth to Tubal-cain and was addressed with Adah in Lamech's boast.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 4:19; Genesis 4:22; Genesis 4:23
Cross references (26)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 John 3:12; Genesis 3:15; Genesis 4:25
- 2 1 John 3:12; 1 John 3:15; Luke 11:51; John 8:44; 1 John 3:10
- 3 Numbers 18:12; Leviticus 2:1–11
- 4 Hebrews 11:4; Proverbs 3:9; Exodus 13:12; Numbers 18:17; 1 Peter 1:19–20
- 5 Hebrews 11:4; Job 5:2; Isaiah 3:10–11; Luke 15:28–30; Matthew 20:15
- 6 Isaiah 1:18; Job 5:2; Luke 15:31–32; Jeremiah 2:31; Matthew 20:15
- 7 James 1:15; Romans 2:6–10; Isaiah 3:10–11; Romans 6:16; Hebrews 11:4
- 8 Matthew 23:35; 1 John 3:12–15; Jude 11; Proverbs 26:24–26; Luke 11:51
- 9 Proverbs 28:13; John 8:44; Psalm 9:12; Psalm 10:13–14; Genesis 37:32
- 10 Hebrews 12:24; Psalm 72:14; Hebrews 11:4; Isaiah 5:7; James 5:4
- 11 Galatians 3:10; Job 16:18; Genesis 3:14; Deuteronomy 28:15–20; Job 31:38–40
- 12 Hosea 9:17; Leviticus 26:20; Leviticus 26:36; Deuteronomy 28:23–24; Psalm 109:10
- 13 Job 15:22; Revelation 16:9
- 14 Numbers 35:19; Psalm 143:7; Job 15:20–24; Proverbs 28:1; Deuteronomy 28:65
- 15 Ezekiel 9:4; Psalm 79:12; Genesis 4:24; Ezekiel 9:6; Revelation 14:11
- 16 Job 2:7; Genesis 4:14; 2 Kings 13:23; Jeremiah 23:39; Genesis 3:8
- 17 Daniel 4:30; Ecclesiastes 2:4–11; Psalm 49:11; Genesis 5:18; Luke 17:28–29
- 18 Genesis 36:2; Genesis 5:21
- 19 Genesis 2:24; Genesis 2:18; Matthew 19:4–6; Matthew 19:8
- 20 Genesis 25:27; Romans 4:11–12; John 8:44; Jeremiah 35:9–10; 1 Chronicles 2:50–52
- 21 Amos 6:5; Job 21:12; Romans 4:11–12; Isaiah 5:12; Genesis 31:27
- 22 Deuteronomy 33:25; 2 Chronicles 2:7; Numbers 31:22; Deuteronomy 8:9; Exodus 25:3
- 23 Numbers 23:18; Leviticus 19:18; Exodus 20:13; Judges 9:7
- 24 Matthew 18:22; Genesis 4:15
- 25 Genesis 4:8; Luke 3:38; Genesis 5:3–4; Genesis 4:10–11; 1 Chronicles 1:1
- 26 Psalm 116:17; 1 Kings 18:24; Joel 2:32; Zephaniah 3:9; Luke 3:38
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
And it came to pass, while they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him." Ye see, brethren, how envy and jealousy led to the murder of a brother.
… is without blame, and worketh no evil --that God who reveals what is hidden [in the heart], but who worketh not evil--when Cain was by no means at rest, He saith to him: "To thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." Thus did He in like manner speak to Pilate: "Thou shouldest have no power at …
Therefore, although it is written, "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," it does not follow that we are to believe this to have been his first-born; for we cannot suppose that this is proved by the …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Heardest thou not Lamech saying, "Of Lamech vengeance shall be taken seventy times sevenfold;" that is, "I am deserving of more punishment than Cain." Why could this be?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Thus Enos "hoped to call upon the Name of the Lord." Hope was that for which he is commended; and that, not that he should know God, but that he should call upon him.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)