Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to Genesis 4-6
Close NKJV

Genesis 4-6
New King James Version

Cain Murders Abel(A)

4 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore [a]Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.” 2 Then she bore again, this time his brother [b]Abel. Now (B)Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And [c]in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit (C)of the ground to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought of (D)the firstborn of his flock and of (E)their fat. And the Lord (F)respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

6 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is [d]for you, but you should rule over it.”

8 Now Cain [e]talked with Abel his [f]brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and (G)killed him.

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

He said, (H)“I do not know. Am I (I)my brother’s keeper?”

10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood (J)cries out to Me from the ground. 11 So now (K)you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.”

13 And Cain said to the Lord, “My [g]punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; (L)I shall be (M)hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that (N)anyone who finds me will kill me.”

15 And the Lord said to him, [h]“Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him (O)sevenfold.” And the Lord set a (P)mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.

The Family of Cain

16 Then Cain (Q)went out from the (R)presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of [i]Nod on the east of Eden. 17 And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, (S)and called the name of the city after the name of his son—Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lamech.

19 Then Lamech took for himself (T)two wives: the name of 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 His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and [j]flute. 22 And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.

23 Then Lamech said to his wives:

“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech!
For I have [k]killed a man for wounding me,
Even a young man [l]for hurting me.
24 (U)If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,
Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”

A New Son

25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and (V)named him [m]Seth, “For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.” 26 And as for Seth, (W)to him also a son was born; and he named him [n]Enosh. Then men began (X)to call on the name of the Lord.

The Family of Adam(Y)

5 This is the book of the (Z)genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in (AA)the likeness of God. 2 He created them (AB)male and female, and (AC)blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created. 3 And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son (AD)in his own likeness, after his image, and (AE)named him Seth. 4 After he begot Seth, (AF)the days of Adam were eight hundred years; (AG)and he had sons and daughters. 5 So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; (AH)and he died.

6 Seth lived one hundred and five years, and begot (AI)Enosh. 7 After he begot Enosh, Seth lived eight hundred and seven years, and had sons and daughters. 8 So all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he died.

9 Enosh lived ninety years, and begot [o]Cainan. 10 After he begot Cainan, Enosh lived eight hundred and fifteen years, and had sons and daughters. 11 So all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years; and he died.

12 Cainan lived seventy years, and begot Mahalalel. 13 After he begot Mahalalel, Cainan lived eight hundred and forty years, and had sons and daughters. 14 So all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years; and he died.

15 Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and begot Jared. 16 After he begot Jared, Mahalalel lived eight hundred and thirty years, and had sons and daughters. 17 So all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred and ninety-five years; and he died.

18 Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and begot (AJ)Enoch. 19 After he begot Enoch, Jared lived eight hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 20 So all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years; and he died.

21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. 22 After he begot Methuselah, Enoch (AK)walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 And (AL)Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God (AM)took him.

25 Methuselah lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and begot Lamech. 26 After he begot Lamech, Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years, and had sons and daughters. 27 So all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years; and he died.

28 Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and had a son. 29 And he called his name (AN)Noah,[p] saying, “This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground (AO)which the Lord has cursed.” 30 After he begot Noah, Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years, and had sons and daughters. 31 So all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years; and he died.

32 And Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begot (AP)Shem, Ham, (AQ)and Japheth.

The Wickedness and Judgment of Man

6 Now it came to pass, (AR)when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they (AS)took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.

3 And the Lord said, (AT)“My Spirit shall not (AU)strive[q] with man forever, (AV)for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 4 There were [r]giants on the earth in those (AW)days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

5 Then [s]the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every (AX)intent[t] of the thoughts of his heart was only evil [u]continually. 6 And (AY)the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and (AZ)He was grieved in His (BA)heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will (BB)destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah (BC)found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Noah Pleases God

9 This is the genealogy of Noah. (BD)Noah was a just man, [v]perfect in his generations. Noah (BE)walked with God. 10 And Noah begot three sons: (BF)Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11 The earth also was corrupt (BG)before God, and the earth was (BH)filled with violence. 12 So God (BI)looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for (BJ)all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

The Ark Prepared(BK)

13 And God said to Noah, (BL)“The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; (BM)and behold, (BN)I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make [w]rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. 15 And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred [x]cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 (BO)And behold, I Myself am bringing (BP)floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall (BQ)die. 18 But I will establish My (BR)covenant with you; and (BS)you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring (BT)two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind (BU)will come to you to keep them alive. 21 And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them.”

22 (BV)Thus Noah did; (BW)according to all that (BX)God commanded him, so he did.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 4:1 Lit. Acquire
  2. Genesis 4:2 Lit. Breath or Nothing
  3. Genesis 4:3 Lit. at the end of days
  4. Genesis 4:7 Lit. toward
  5. Genesis 4:8 Lit. said to
  6. Genesis 4:8 Sam., LXX, Syr., Vg. add “Let us go out to the field.”
  7. Genesis 4:13 iniquity
  8. Genesis 4:15 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Syr., Vg. Not so;
  9. Genesis 4:16 Lit. Wandering
  10. Genesis 4:21 pipe
  11. Genesis 4:23 slain a man for my wound
  12. Genesis 4:23 for my hurt
  13. Genesis 4:25 Lit. Appointed
  14. Genesis 4:26 Gr. Enos, Luke 3:38
  15. Genesis 5:9 Heb. Qenan
  16. Genesis 5:29 Lit. Rest
  17. Genesis 6:3 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. abide
  18. Genesis 6:4 Heb. nephilim, fallen or mighty ones
  19. Genesis 6:5 So with MT, Tg.; Vg. God; LXX Lord God
  20. Genesis 6:5 thought
  21. Genesis 6:5 all the day
  22. Genesis 6:9 blameless or having integrity
  23. Genesis 6:14 Lit. compartments or nests
  24. Genesis 6:15 A cubit is about 18 inches.
Listen to Genesis 4-6
Close NIV

Genesis 4-6
New International Version

Cain and Abel

4 Adam[a] made love to his wife(A) Eve,(B) and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.[b](C) She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth[c] a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.(D)

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.(E) 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering(F) to the Lord.(G) 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions(H) from some of the firstborn of his flock.(I) The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,(J) 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry?(K) Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door;(L) it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.(M)”

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

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

“I don’t know,(P)” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

10 The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.(Q) 11 Now you are under a curse(R) and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you.(S) You will be a restless wanderer(T) on the earth.(U)”

13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence;(V) I will be a restless wanderer on the earth,(W) and whoever finds me will kill me.”(X)

15 But the Lord said to him, “Not so[e]; anyone who kills Cain(Y) will suffer vengeance(Z) seven times over.(AA)” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence(AB) and lived in the land of Nod,[f] east of Eden.(AC)

17 Cain made love to his wife,(AD) and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city,(AE) and he named it after his son(AF) Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.

19 Lamech married(AG) two women,(AH) one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments(AI) and pipes.(AJ) 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged(AK) all kinds of tools out of[g] bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, listen to me;
    wives of Lamech, hear my words.
I have killed(AL) a man for wounding me,
    a young man for injuring me.
24 If Cain is avenged(AM) seven times,(AN)
    then Lamech seventy-seven times.(AO)”

25 Adam made love to his wife(AP) again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth,[h](AQ) saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”(AR) 26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh.(AS)

At that time people began to call on[i] the name of the Lord.(AT)

From Adam to Noah

5 This is the written account(AU) of Adam’s family line.(AV)

When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God.(AW) 2 He created them(AX) male and female(AY) and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind”[j] when they were created.

3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image;(AZ) and he named him Seth.(BA) 4 After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 5 Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.(BB)

6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father[k] of Enosh.(BC) 7 After he became the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters. 8 Altogether, Seth lived a total of 912 years, and then he died.

9 When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan.(BD) 10 After he became the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters. 11 Altogether, Enosh lived a total of 905 years, and then he died.

12 When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel.(BE) 13 After he became the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters. 14 Altogether, Kenan lived a total of 910 years, and then he died.

15 When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared.(BF) 16 After he became the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters. 17 Altogether, Mahalalel lived a total of 895 years, and then he died.

18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch.(BG) 19 After he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 20 Altogether, Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then he died.

21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah.(BH) 22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God(BI) 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. 24 Enoch walked faithfully with God;(BJ) then he was no more, because God took him away.(BK)

25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech.(BL) 26 After he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27 Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died.

28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. 29 He named him Noah[l](BM) and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.(BN)” 30 After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. 31 Altogether, Lamech lived a total of 777 years, and then he died.

32 After Noah was 500 years old,(BO) he became the father of Shem,(BP) Ham and Japheth.(BQ)

Wickedness in the World

6 When human beings began to increase in number on the earth(BR) and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God(BS) saw that the daughters(BT) of humans were beautiful,(BU) and they married(BV) any of them they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit(BW) will not contend with[m] humans forever,(BX) for they are mortal[n];(BY) their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”

4 The Nephilim(BZ) were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans(CA) and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.(CB)

5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth,(CC) and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.(CD) 6 The Lord regretted(CE) that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth(CF) the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.(CG)” 8 But Noah(CH) found favor in the eyes of the Lord.(CI)

Noah and the Flood

9 This is the account(CJ) of Noah and his family.

Noah was a righteous man, blameless(CK) among the people of his time,(CL) and he walked faithfully with God.(CM) 10 Noah had three sons: Shem,(CN) Ham and Japheth.(CO)

11 Now the earth was corrupt(CP) in God’s sight and was full of violence.(CQ) 12 God saw how corrupt(CR) the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.(CS) 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy(CT) both them and the earth.(CU) 14 So make yourself an ark of cypress[o] wood;(CV) make rooms in it and coat it with pitch(CW) inside and out. 15 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high.[p] 16 Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit[q] high all around.[r] Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. 17 I am going to bring floodwaters(CX) on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.(CY) 18 But I will establish my covenant with you,(CZ) and you will enter the ark(DA)—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you.(DB) 20 Two(DC) of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind(DD) of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive.(DE) 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”

22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.(DF)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 4:1 Or The man
  2. Genesis 4:1 Cain sounds like the Hebrew for brought forth or acquired.
  3. Genesis 4:1 Or have acquired
  4. Genesis 4:8 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Masoretic Text does not have “Let’s go out to the field.”
  5. Genesis 4:15 Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew Very well
  6. Genesis 4:16 Nod means wandering (see verses 12 and 14).
  7. Genesis 4:22 Or who instructed all who work in
  8. Genesis 4:25 Seth probably means granted.
  9. Genesis 4:26 Or to proclaim
  10. Genesis 5:2 Hebrew adam
  11. Genesis 5:6 Father may mean ancestor; also in verses 7-26.
  12. Genesis 5:29 Noah sounds like the Hebrew for comfort.
  13. Genesis 6:3 Or My spirit will not remain in
  14. Genesis 6:3 Or corrupt
  15. Genesis 6:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  16. Genesis 6:15 That is, about 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high or about 135 meters long, 23 meters wide and 14 meters high
  17. Genesis 6:16 That is, about 18 inches or about 45 centimeters
  18. Genesis 6:16 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
Next
Genesis 3
Genesis 7
Next
dropdown
New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Learn the Bible in 30 days
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV