Chapter 4
26 verses — switch translations with the toolbar below.
Scripture
KJV1And 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.
3And 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.
6And 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.
8And 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.
9And 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.
13And 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.
16And 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.
19And 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.
23And 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.
25And 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.
“If 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.”
Overview
Adam and Eve's firstborn sons, Cain and Abel, bring offerings to God. God accepts Abel's animal sacrifice but rejects Cain's offering of the ground. Consumed by jealousy, Cain murders Abel in the field — the first human death in Scripture. God confronts Cain, pronounces a curse, and sends him away as a wanderer. The chapter traces Cain's descendants, who build cities and advance in culture but move further from God. It closes with the birth of Seth, through whom the godly line continues.
Key Themes
Acceptable Worship and Blood Sacrifice
Abel's accepted offering involves the firstlings of his flock and their fat, establishing early in Scripture that approaching God requires a blood sacrifice offered in faith.
The Destructive Power of Sin
God warns Cain that sin 'lieth at the door' desiring to master him — sin left unchecked escalates from jealousy to rage to murder in a single generation.
Two Lines of Humanity
Cain's line advances in civilization but declines spiritually, while Seth's line begins calling upon the name of the Lord — a pattern that continues throughout Scripture.
Study Questions
Why does God accept Abel's offering but reject Cain's, and what does Hebrews 11:4 add to our understanding?
When God warns Cain that sin 'lieth at the door' (v. 7), what does this personification of sin teach about temptation?
How does Cain's question 'Am I my brother's keeper?' (v. 9) reveal his hardened heart, and how does it challenge us?
What does the contrast between Cain's line (vv. 17-24) and Seth's line (vv. 25-26) teach about civilization without God?
How does Abel's blood 'crying from the ground' (v. 10) foreshadow the blood of Christ, which 'speaketh better things than that of Abel' (Hebrews 12:24)?
Connection to Christ
Abel's sacrifice of a firstling from the flock, offered by faith, prefigures the Lamb of God who would be slain for the sins of the world. Hebrews 12:24 explicitly contrasts Abel's blood with Christ's blood — Abel's cries for vengeance, but Christ's blood speaks forgiveness. Jesus is the ultimate righteous one murdered by His own brothers, yet His death brings not a curse but salvation.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Genesis 4. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?