1 Adam had sexual intercourse with his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said: »With the help of Jehovah I have brought forth a man.«

2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.

3 As time went by, Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to Jehovah.

4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn firstlings of his flock. Jehovah looked with favor on Abel and his offering.

5 He did not look with favor on Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his face was downcast he had a bad attitude.

6 Jehovah said to Cain: »Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?

7 »If you do what is right, will not your attitude improve? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door. It desires to have you, but you must master it.«

8 While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

9 Jehovah asked Cain: »Where is your brother Abel?« »I do not know,« he replied. »Am I my brother’s keeper?«

10 Jehovah said: »What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood life cries out to me from the ground.

11 »Now you are under a curse 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. You will be a restless wanderer vagabond on the earth.«

13 Cain said to Jehovah: »My punishment is more than I can bear.

14 »You are driving me from the land today. I will be hidden from your presence. I will be a restless homeless wanderer on the earth. And whoever finds me will kill me.«

15 Jehovah replied to him: »If anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over.« Then Jehovah put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.

16 Cain went out from Jehovah’s presence and lived in the land of Nod Fugitiveness. Nod is east of Eden.

17 Cain had intercourse with his wife. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Later Cain built a city. He named it after his son 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 two women, 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 the harp and flute.

22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of copper 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 a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me.

24 »If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.«

25 Adam had intercourse with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth. She said: »God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.«

26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on proclaim the name of Jehovah.