Genesis 4

Genesis · Chapter 4

Genesis 4:12

1And 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.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
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.When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee its strength; a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
forכִּ֤יkiH3588A
for

כִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

you will tillתַֽעֲבֹד֙ta-'a-VODH5647I
to serve

עָבַד (a.vad) : serve[someone] 1) to work, serve 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to labour, work, do work 1a2) to work for another, serve another by labour 1a3) to serve as subjects 1a4) to serve (God) 1a5) to serve (with Levitical service) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be worked, be tilled (of land) 1b2) to make oneself a servant 1c) (Pual) to be worked 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to serve 1d2) to cause to serve as subjects 1e) (Hophal) to be led or enticed to serve

the groundהָ֣אֲדָמָ֔הha-'a-da-MAHH0127G
land: soil

אֲדָמָה (a.da.mah) : soil 1) ground, land 1a) ground (as general, tilled, yielding sustenance) 1b) piece of ground, a specific plot of land 1c) earth substance (for building or constructing) 1d) ground as earth's visible surface 1e) land, territory, country 1f) whole inhabited earth 1g) city in Naphtali

notלֹֽא־lo'-H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

it will repeatתֹסֵ֥ףto-SEFH3254G
to add: again

יָסַף (ya.saph) : again/continue/more[instances] 1) to add, increase, do again 1a) (Qal) to add, increase, do again 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to join, join oneself to 1b2) to be joined, be added to 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to add, increase 1c2) to do more, do again

to giveתֵּת־tet-H5414G
to give: give

נָתַן (na.tan) : give/deliver/send/produce 1) to give, put, set 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend 1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate 1a3) to make, constitute 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned 1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted …

produce itsכֹּחָ֖הּko-CHAHH3581B
strength

כֹּחַ (ko.ach) 1) strength, power, might 1a) human strength 1b) strength (of angels) 1c) power (of God) 1d) strength (of animals) 1e) strength, produce, wealth (of soil)

a wandererנָ֥עna'H5128
to shake

נוּעַ (nu.a) 1) to quiver, totter, shake, reel, stagger, wander, move, sift, make move, wave, waver, tremble 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to wave, quiver, vibrate, swing, stagger, tremble, be unstable 1a2) to totter, go tottering 1a2a) vagabond (participle) 1b) (Niphal) to be tossed about or around 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to toss about 1c2) to shake, cause to totter 1c3) to shake, disturb 1c4) to cause to wander

and a fugitiveוָנָ֖דva-NADH5110
to wander

נוּד (nud) 1) to shake, waver, wander, move to and fro, flutter, show grief, have compassion on 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to move to and fro, wander (aimlessly), take flight 1a2) to flutter 1a3) to waver, wave, shake 1a4) to show grief 1a4a) to lament, condole, show sympathy 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to wander (aimlessly) 1b2) to make a wagging, wag (with the head) 1c) (Hithpolel) 1c1) to move oneself to and fro, sway, totter 1c2) to shake oneself 1c3) to bemoan oneself

you will beתִּֽהְיֶ֥הtih-YEHH1961
to be

הָיָה (ha.yah) 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) …

on the earthבָאָֽרֶץ׃va-'A-retzH0776G
land: country/planet

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) : country/field 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.