Cain & Abel
Genesis 4:1-16
Now
Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have
gotten[a] a man with the help of the LORD.” 2 And again, she bore his
brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain
brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of
the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard
for Abel and his offering, 5 but
for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his
face fell. 6 The LORD said to Cain, “Why
are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you
not be accepted?[b] And if you do not do well,
sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to[c] you, but you must rule over
it.”
8 Cain
spoke to Abel his brother.[d] And
when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed
him. 9 Then the LORD said to Cain,
“Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?” 10 And the LORD said, “What
have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying 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 to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a
wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain
said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.[e] 14 Behold, you have driven me
today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a
fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 Then the LORD said to him,
“Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And
the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. 16 Then Cain went away from
the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod,[f] east of Eden.
Footnotes:
a. Genesis 4:1 Cain sounds like the Hebrew
for gotten
b. Genesis 4:7 Hebrew will there not be a
lifting up [of your face]?
c. Genesis 4:7 Or is toward
d. Genesis 4:8 Hebrew; Samaritan,
Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate add Let us go out to the field
e. Genesis 4:13 Or My guilt is too great
to bear
f. Genesis 4:16 Nod means wandering
Illustration "Abel's Sacrifice,"
"Cain kills Abel," from a woodcut by Baron Julius Schnoor von
Carolsfeld, 1794-1872, a distinguished German artist known especially for his
book, Das Buch der Bücher in Bilden (The Book of Books in Pictures). copyright
© WELS used by permission for personal and congregational use.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version.
ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing
ministry of Good News Publishers.
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