Genesis 4

1 The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with the LORD’s help.”

2 Again she gave birth, to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

3 As time passed, Cain brought an offering to the LORD from the fruit of the ground.

4 Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. The LORD respected Abel and his offering,

5 but he didn’t respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell.

6 The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen?

7 If you do well, won’t it be lifted up? If you don’t do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.”

8 Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” While they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.

9 The LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel, your brother?” He said, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”

10 The LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground.

11 Now you are cursed because of the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

12 From now on, when you till the ground, it won’t yield its strength to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

13 Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.

14 Behold, you have driven me out today from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. Whoever finds me will kill me.”

15 The LORD said to him, “Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” The LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that anyone finding him would not strike him.

16 Cain left the LORD’s presence, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

17 Cain knew his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Enoch. He built a city, and named the city after the name of his son, Enoch.

18 Irad was born to Enoch. Irad became the father of Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became the father of Lamech.

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

20 Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock.

21 His brother’s name was Jubal, who was the father of all who handle the harp and pipe.

22 Zillah also gave birth to Tubal Cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of bronze and iron. Tubal Cain’s sister was Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice. You wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, for I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for bruising me.

24 If Cain will be avenged seven times, truly Lamech seventy-seven times.”

25 Adam knew his wife again. She gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, saying, “for God has given me another child instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.”

26 A son was also born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the LORD’s name.

Around Genesis 4

Context

Context for this book is being written. A note appears here only once it names its sources.

AI explanation

Genesis 4 · Written by an AI model · Not reviewed by a theological reader

This explanation was written by an AI model to help you get started. It names no sources and can contain mistakes. Scripture comes first, and context with sources is shown separately on this page.

What this chapter says

Eve gives birth to a son and says she has gotten a man with the LORD’s help. Then a second son is born. Cain farms, and Abel keeps sheep. Each brings an offering, and the LORD respects Abel’s but not Cain’s. Cain is very angry, and his face falls. God speaks to him gently: if he does well, will he not be lifted up? And if not, “sin crouches at the door.”

Cain says to his brother, Let’s go into the field, and there he kills him. When God asks where Abel is, Cain answers, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” God says, “The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground.” Cain becomes a wanderer, afraid for his life, and God marks him so that no one will kill him. The chapter follows Cain’s line, with a city and craftsmen and a boastful song of Lamech, and ends with Seth, whose son Enosh is born in a time when people began to call on the LORD’s name.

Background

The first death in the Bible is a murder between brothers. The text does not say why the offering was not respected; the New Testament links it to the heart of the giver (see Hebrews 11:4 and 1 John 3:12). Notice that God speaks to Cain before and after, and protects him even after the crime. Lamech’s song takes the sevenfold protection and turns it into boasting of seventy-seven times. The chapter moves from violence to the beginning of worship.

About this explanation

Written by Claude Sonnet 5.5, an AI model, on 20 October 2026. It draws on the WEB text and general knowledge and was not checked against sources by a person. Every quotation from Scripture is checked automatically against the WEB text.

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World English Bible. Public-domain source and edition notes