Genesis 4

Genesis · Chapter 4

Genesis 4:8

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
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.Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.And Cain told 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.

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
and he saidוַיֹּ֥אמֶרvai-YO-merH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Cainקַ֖יִןKA-yinH7014B
Cain

קַ֫יִן (qa.yin) A man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.4.1; son of: Adam (H0121) and Eve (H2332); brother of: Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352); father of: Enoch (H2585) Also named: Kain (Κάϊν "Cain" G2535) § Cain = "possession" eldest son of Adam and Eve and the first murderer having murdered his brother

toאֶל־'el-H0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Abelהֶ֣בֶלHE-velH1893
Abel

הֶ֫בֶל (he.vel) A man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.4.2; son of: Adam (H0121) and Eve (H2332); brother of: Cain (H7014B) and Seth (H8352) Also named: Abel (Ἄβελ "Abel" G0006) § Abel = "breath" second son of Adam and Eve, killed by his brother Cain

brother hisאָחִ֑יו'a-CHIVH0251G
brother: male-sibling

אָח (ach) : male-sibling 1) brother 1a) brother of same parents 1b) half-brother (same father) 1c) relative, kinship, same tribe 1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship) 1e) (fig.) of resemblance

let us goנֵלְכָהne-le-KHAHH1980G
to go: went

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) : went/go[away] 1) to go, walk, come 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away 1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.) 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to walk 1b2) to walk (fig.) 1c) (Hithpael) 1c1) to traverse 1c2) to walk about 1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

[into] the fieldהַשָּׂדֶהha-sa-DEHH7704GNo entry
and it wasוַֽיְהִי֙vay-HIH1961
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) …

when were theyבִּהְיוֹתָ֣םbih-yo-TAMH1961
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) …

in the fieldבַּשָּׂדֶ֔הba-sa-DEHH7704GNo entry
and he rose upוַיָּ֥קָםvai-YA-komH6965B
to arise: rise

קוּם (qum) : rise/get_going 1) to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to arise 1a2) to arise (hostile sense) 1a3) to arise, become powerful 1a4) to arise, come on the scene 1a5) to stand 1a5a) to maintain oneself 1a5b) to be established, be confirmed 1a5c) to stand, endure 1a5d) to be fixed 1a5e) to be valid 1a5f) to be proven 1a5g) to be fulfilled 1a5h) to persist 1a5i) to be set, be fixed 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to fulfil 1b2) to confirm, ratify, establish, impose 1c) (Polel) to raise up 1d) (Hithpael) to raise oneself, rise up 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to cause to arise, raise …

Cainקַ֛יִןKA-yinH7014B
Cain

קַ֫יִן (qa.yin) A man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.4.1; son of: Adam (H0121) and Eve (H2332); brother of: Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352); father of: Enoch (H2585) Also named: Kain (Κάϊν "Cain" G2535) § Cain = "possession" eldest son of Adam and Eve and the first murderer having murdered his brother

againstאֶל־'el-H0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Abelהֶ֥בֶלHE-velH1893
Abel

הֶ֫בֶל (he.vel) A man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.4.2; son of: Adam (H0121) and Eve (H2332); brother of: Cain (H7014B) and Seth (H8352) Also named: Abel (Ἄβελ "Abel" G0006) § Abel = "breath" second son of Adam and Eve, killed by his brother Cain

brother hisאָחִ֖יו'a-CHIVH0251G
brother: male-sibling

אָח (ach) : male-sibling 1) brother 1a) brother of same parents 1b) half-brother (same father) 1c) relative, kinship, same tribe 1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship) 1e) (fig.) of resemblance

and he killed himוַיַּהַרְגֵֽהוּ׃vai-ya-har-GE-huH2026
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.