Genesis 4

King James Version

Full text for Genesis Chapter 4

1¶ And 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.

3¶ And 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.

6¶ And 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.

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?

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.

13¶ And 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.

16¶ And 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.

19¶ And 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 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.

24If 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.

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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Genesis 4 recounts the birth of Cain and Abel, sons of Adam and Eve. Cain, a tiller of the ground, slew his brother Abel, a keeper of sheep, after the LORD accepted Abel's offering but not his own. As a result, Cain was cursed and became a fugitive, though the LORD placed a mark upon him for protection. The chapter concludes with Cain's lineage, the establishment of early civilization, and the birth of Seth, from whom men began to call upon the name of the LORD.

Medium Summary

Genesis chapter four begins with the birth of Cain and Abel, the first sons of Adam and Eve. Cain, a farmer, and Abel, a shepherd, both brought offerings to the LORD, but only Abel's was accepted, leading to Cain's deep resentment. Despite a divine warning regarding sin, Cain lured Abel into a field and murdered him. The LORD confronted Cain, who denied knowledge of Abel's whereabouts, but was cursed to be a fugitive from the earth, which would no longer yield its strength to him. Cain expressed fear for his life, so the LORD placed a protective mark upon him and promised severe vengeance on anyone who might slay him. Cain then departed to the land of Nod, where he founded a city and began a lineage that included Lamech, who boasted of his own violence. The chapter concludes with the birth of Seth to Adam and Eve, intended as a replacement for Abel, and notes that in the days of Seth's son Enos, men began to call upon the name of the LORD.

Long Summary

Genesis chapter four details the earliest generations of humanity following the expulsion from Eden, beginning with the birth of Adam and Eve's first two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain pursued agriculture, while Abel became a shepherd. In due course, both brothers presented offerings to the LORD: Cain brought fruit of the ground, but Abel offered the firstlings and fat of his flock. The LORD showed favor to Abel's offering but not to Cain's, which caused Cain to become exceedingly wroth and his countenance to fall. The LORD then addressed Cain, questioning his anger and warning him that sin "lieth at the door," yet assuring him he could master it if he acted righteously. Disregarding this admonition, Cain spoke with Abel and subsequently slew him in the field. When the LORD inquired about Abel's whereabouts, Cain feigned ignorance, famously asking, "Am I my brother's keeper?" The LORD, however, declared that Abel's blood cried out from the ground, pronouncing a curse upon Cain that would render the earth unproductive for him and condemn him to a life as a fugitive and vagabond. Cain lamented his punishment as greater than he could bear, expressing fear that anyone finding him would kill him. In response, the LORD placed a protective mark upon Cain and decreed a sevenfold vengeance upon anyone who should slay him. Cain then departed from the LORD's presence, settling in the land of Nod, east of Eden, where he married, had a son named Enoch, and built a city also named Enoch. His lineage continued through Irad, Mehujael, Methusael, and Lamech. Lamech took two wives, Adah and Zillah, whose children were significant figures: Jabal, the father of tent-dwellers and cattle-keepers; Jubal, the father of musicians; and Tubalcain, an instructor of artificers in brass and iron. Lamech further distinguished himself by boasting to his wives of slaying a man for wounding him, claiming a seventy-sevenfold vengeance for himself, far exceeding Cain's. Finally, Adam and Eve conceived another son, Seth, whom Eve regarded as a divine replacement for Abel. Seth later had a son named Enos, and it was during Enos's time that men "began to call upon the name of the LORD."

Core Concepts

  • FratricideCain's murder of his brother Abel, driven by jealousy over divine favor, represents the first recorded act of homicide in biblical narrative. This act results in Cain's curse and banishment from the fertile ground.
  • Divine Favor and DisfavorThe LORD's acceptance of Abel's offering of firstlings and fat, contrasted with the rejection of Cain's offering of ground fruit, highlights the concept of God's discerning judgment regarding human offerings and intentions. This distinction triggers Cain's wrath and subsequent sin.
  • The Mark of CainAfter Cain's lament and fear of retribution, the LORD places a protective "mark" upon him, ensuring that no one who finds him would slay him. This mark serves as a divine safeguard against immediate vengeance, despite Cain's curse.
  • Early Civilization and InnovationCain's lineage is depicted as the originators of various aspects of early human culture, including city-building (Enoch), nomadic pastoralism (Jabal), music (Jubal), and metallurgy (Tubalcain). This section illustrates the development of human society and skills.
  • Lamech's BoastLamech, a descendant of Cain, boasts to his wives of his own violent act, claiming a seventy-sevenfold vengeance for himself, far exceeding the sevenfold protection granted to Cain. This demonstrates a progression of human violence and a defiant attitude towards divine justice.
  • The Line of SethFollowing Abel's death and Cain's banishment, Adam and Eve bear Seth, who is seen as a replacement for Abel. Through Seth's son Enos, the chapter notes that "men began to call upon the name of the LORD," indicating a renewed spiritual connection or public worship.