Birth of Cain and Abel
1. And the man knew Eve his wife,
and she conceived and bore Cain,
and she said, “I have gotten a man child with the help of Jehovah.”
2. And she again bore his brother Abel.
And Abel was a keeper of sheep,
and Cain was a worker of the ground.
3. And it came to pass, at the end of days,
that Cain brought from the fruit of the ground an offering to Jehovah.
4. And Abel, he also brought from the firstborn of his flock and from their fat portions.
And Jehovah looked with favor toward Abel and toward his offering,
5. but toward Cain and toward his offering He did not look.
And Cain was very angry, and his face fell.
6. And Jehovah said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your face fallen?
7. If you do well, is there not acceptance?
And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door,
and its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”
The First Murder
8. And Cain spoke to Abel his brother.
And it came to pass, when they were in the field,
that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
9. And Jehovah said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?”
And he said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”
10. And He said, “What have you done?
The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to Me from the ground.
11. And now you are cursed from the ground,
which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
12. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you;
a wanderer and a fugitive you shall be on the earth.”
13. And Cain said to Jehovah, “My punishment is greater than I can bear!
14. Behold, You have driven me today from the face of the ground,
and from Your face I shall be hidden;
and I shall be a wanderer and a fugitive on the earth,
and it will be that whoever finds me will kill me.”
15. And Jehovah said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain,
vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.”
And Jehovah set a sign for Cain,
lest anyone finding him should strike him.
16. And Cain went out from the presence of Jehovah,
and he dwelt in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17. And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch.
And he built a city, and he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch.
18. And to Enoch was born Irad;
and Irad fathered Mehujael;
and Mehujael fathered Methushael;
and Methushael fathered Lamech.
19. And Lamech took for himself two wives:
the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah.
20. And Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock.
21. And the name of his brother was Jubal;
he was the father of all who handle the lyre and pipe.
22. And Zillah, she also bore Tubal-cain,
the forger of every cutting instrument of bronze and iron;
and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23. And Lamech said to his wives:
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
wives of Lamech, give ear to my speech,
for I have killed a man for my wound,
and a young man for my bruise.
24. If Cain is avenged sevenfold,
then Lamech seventy and sevenfold.”
The Birth of Seth
25. And Adam knew his wife again,
and she bore a son and called his name Seth,
for she said, “God has appointed for me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.”
26. And to Seth also there was born a son,
and he called his name Enosh.
Then it was begun to call upon the name of Jehovah.
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