Genesis 4

Genesis · Chapter 4

Genesis 4:14

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
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.Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the ground; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whosoever findeth me will slay me.

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
here!הֵן֩henH2005
look!

הֵן (hen) interj 1) behold, lo, though hypothetical part 2) if Aramaic equivalent: hen (הֵן "look!" H2006A)

you have driven awayגֵּרַ֨שְׁתָּge-RASH-taH1644G
to drive out: drive out

גָּרַשׁ (ga.rash) : drive out 1) to drive out, expel, cast out, drive away, divorce, put away, thrust away, trouble, cast up 1a) (Qal) to thrust out, cast out 1b) (Niphal) to be driven away, be tossed 1c) (Piel) to drive out, drive away 1d) (Pual) to be thrust out Also means: ga.rash (גָּרַשׁ ": divorce" H1644H)

this dayהַיּ֗וֹםhai-YOMH3117G
day

יוֹם (yom) : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow

from onמֵעַל֙me-'ALH5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

[the] surface ofפְּנֵ֣יpe-NEIH6440J
face: before

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) : before/to/front 1) face 1a) face, faces 1b) presence, person 1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim) 1d) face (of animals) 1e) face, surface (of ground) 1f) as adv of loc/temp 1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before 1g) with prep 1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of

the groundהָֽאֲדָמָ֔הha-'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

and from before youוּמִפָּנֶ֖יךָu-mi-pa-NEI-khaH6440H
face: before

פָּנֶה (pa.neh) : before/to/front 1) face 1a) face, faces 1b) presence, person 1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim) 1d) face (of animals) 1e) face, surface (of ground) 1f) as adv of loc/temp 1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before 1g) with prep 1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of

I will be hiddenאֶסָּתֵ֑ר'e-sa-TERH5641
to hide

סָתַר (sa.tar) 1) to hide, conceal 1a) (Niphal) 1a1) to hide oneself 1a2) to be hidden, be concealed 1b) (Piel) to hide carefully 1c) (Pual) to be hidden carefully, be concealed 1d) (Hiphil) to conceal, hide 1e) (Hithpael) to hide oneself carefully Aramaic equivalent: se.tar (סְתַר "to hide" H5642A)

and I will beוְהָיִ֜יתִיve-ha-YI-tiH1961
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) …

a wandererנָ֤עna'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 fugitiveוָנָד֙va-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

on the earthבָּאָ֔רֶץba-'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 …

and it will beוְהָיָ֥הve-ha-YAHH1961
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) …

everyכָל־khol-H3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

[one who] finds meמֹצְאִ֖יmo-tze-'IH4672
to find

מָצָא (ma.tsa) 1) to find, attain to 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to find 1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought) 1a1b) to find (what is lost) 1a1c) to meet, encounter 1a1d) to find (a condition) 1a1e) to learn, devise 1a2) to find out 1a2a) to find out 1a2b) to detect 1a2c) to guess 1a3) to come upon, light upon 1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with 1a3b) to hit 1a3c) to befall 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be found 1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered 1b1b) to appear, be recognised 1b1c) to be discovered, be detected 1b1d) to be gained, be secured 1b2) to be, be found 1b2a) to be found in …

he will kill meיַֽהַרְגֵֽנִי׃YA-har-GE-niH2026
to kill

הָרַג (ha.rag) 1) to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to kill, slay 1a2) to destroy, ruin 1b) (Niphal) to be killed 1c) (Pual) to be killed, be slain

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