Genesis 4-6

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Cain Murders Abel

4 Adam was intimate with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have had a male child with the Lord’s help.”^{[a] 2} Then she also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground. ³ In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord.^{(A) 4} And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions.^(B) The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,^{(C) 5} but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent.^[b]

⁶ Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious?^(D) And why do you look despondent?^{[c] 7} If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”^(E)

⁸ Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”^[d] And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.^(F)

⁹ Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

¹⁰ Then He said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground!^{(G) 11} So now you are cursed, alienated, from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed.^{[e] 12} If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”^(H)

¹³ But Cain answered the Lord, “My punishment^[f] is too great to bear! ¹⁴ Since You are banishing me today from the soil, and I must hide myself from Your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.”^(I)

¹⁵ Then the Lord replied to him, “In that case,^[g] whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.”^[h] And He placed a mark^(J) on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him. ¹⁶ Then Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

The Line of Cain

¹⁷ Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son. ¹⁸ Irad was born to Enoch, Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. ¹⁹ Lamech took two wives for himself, one named Adah and the other named Zillah. ²⁰ Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of the nomadic herdsmen.^{[i] 21} His brother was named Jubal; he was the father of all who play the lyre and the flute. ²² Zillah bore Tubal-cain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah.

²³ Lamech said to his wives:

²⁵ Adam was intimate with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, for she said, “God has given^[j] me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” ²⁶ A son was born to Seth^(K) also, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of Yahweh.^(L)

The Line of Seth

5 These are the family^[k] records^(M) of the descendants of Adam. On the day that God created man,^[l] He made him in the likeness of God; ² He created them male and female. When they were created, He blessed them and called them man.^[m]

³ Adam was 130 years old when he fathered a son in his likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth. ⁴ Adam lived 800 years after the birth of Seth, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ⁵ So Adam’s life lasted 930 years; then he died.

⁶ Seth was 105 years old when he fathered Enosh. ⁷ Seth lived 807 years after the birth of Enosh, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ⁸ So Seth’s life lasted 912 years; then he died.

⁹ Enosh was 90 years old when he fathered Kenan. ¹⁰ Enosh lived 815 years after the birth of Kenan, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ¹¹ So Enosh’s life lasted 905 years; then he died.

¹² Kenan was 70 years old when he fathered Mahalalel. ¹³ Kenan lived 840 years after the birth of Mahalalel, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ¹⁴ So Kenan’s life lasted 910 years; then he died.

¹⁵ Mahalalel was 65 years old when he fathered Jared. ¹⁶ Mahalalel lived 830 years after the birth of Jared, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ¹⁷ So Mahalalel’s life lasted 895 years; then he died.

¹⁸ Jared was 162 years old when he fathered Enoch. ¹⁹ Jared lived 800 years after the birth of Enoch, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ²⁰ So Jared’s life lasted 962 years; then he died.

²¹ Enoch was 65 years old when he fathered Methuselah. ²² And after the birth of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God^(N) 300 years and fathered other sons and daughters. ²³ So Enoch’s life lasted 365 years. ²⁴ Enoch walked with God; then he was not there because God took him.^(O)

²⁵ Methuselah was 187 years old when he fathered Lamech. ²⁶ Methuselah lived 782 years after the birth of Lamech, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ²⁷ So Methuselah’s life lasted 969 years; then he died.

²⁸ Lamech was 182 years old when he fathered a son. ²⁹ And he named him Noah,^[n] saying, “This one will bring us relief from the agonizing labor of our hands, caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.”^{(P) 30} Lamech lived 595 years after Noah’s birth, and he fathered other sons and daughters. ³¹ So Lamech’s life lasted 777 years; then he died.

³² Noah was 500 years old, and he fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Sons of God and Daughters of Men

6 When mankind began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them, ² the sons of God^(Q) saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives^[o] for themselves.^{(R) 3} And the Lord said, “My Spirit will not remain^[p] with^[q] mankind forever,^(S) because they are corrupt.^[r](T) Their days will be 120 years.” ⁴ The Nephilim^[s] were on the earth both in those days and afterward, when the sons of God came to the daughters of mankind, who bore children to them. They were the powerful men of old, the famous men.

Judgment Decreed

⁵ When the Lord saw that man’s wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every scheme his mind thought of was nothing but evil all the time,^{(U) 6} the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth,^(V) and He was grieved in His heart. ⁷ Then the Lord said, “I will wipe off from the face of the earth mankind, whom I created, together with the animals, creatures that crawl, and birds of the sky—for I regret that I made them.” ⁸ Noah, however, found favor in the sight of the Lord.^(W)

God Warns Noah

⁹ These are the family records^(X) of Noah. Noah was a righteous man,^(Y) blameless among his contemporaries;^(Z) Noah walked with God.^{(AA) 10} And Noah fathered three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

¹¹ Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with wickedness.^{[t] 12} God saw how corrupt the earth was, for every creature had corrupted its way on the earth.^{(AB) 13} Then God said to Noah, “I have decided to put an end to every creature, for the earth is filled with wickedness^[u] because of them; therefore I am going to destroy them along with the earth.

¹⁴ “Make yourself an ark of gopher^[v] wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it with pitch inside and outside. ¹⁵ This is how you are to make it: The ark will be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high.^{[w] 16} You are to make a roof,^[x] finishing the sides of the ark to within 18 inches^[y] of the roof. You are to put a door in the side of the ark. Make it with lower, middle, and upper decks.

¹⁷ “Understand that I am bringing a flood—floodwaters on the earth^(AC) to destroy every creature under heaven with the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will die. ¹⁸ But I will establish My covenant with you,^(AD) and you will enter the ark with your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives. ¹⁹ You are also to bring into the ark two of all the living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. ²⁰ Two of everything—from the birds according to their kinds, from the livestock according to their kinds, and from the animals that crawl on the ground according to their kinds—will come to you so that you can keep them alive. ²¹ Take with you every kind of food that is eaten; gather it as food for you and for them.” ²² And Noah did this. He did everything that God had commanded him.^(AE)