- And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and brought forth
Cain and said I have gained a man through God.
- And she again bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of
sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
- And it was so [a] after some time that
Cain brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice to the Lord.
- And Abel [b] also brought of the
firstborn of his sheep and of his fatlings and God looked upon Abel
and his gifts,
- but Cain and his sacrifices he regarded not, and Cain was
exceedingly sorrowful and his countenance fell.
- And the Lord God said to Cain, Why art thou become very sorrowful
and why is thy countenance fallen?
- Hast thou not sinned if thou hast brought it rightly, but not
rightly divided it? be still, to thee shall be his submission, and thou
shalt rule over him.
- And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go out into the plain;
and it came to pass that when they were in the plain Cain rose up
against Abel his brother and slew him.
- And the Lord God said to Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? and he
said, I know not, am I my brother's keeper?
- And the Lord said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's
blood cries to me out of the ground.
- And now thou art cursed from the earth which has opened
her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand.
- When thou tillest the earth, then it shall not continue to give
its strength to thee: thou shalt be groaning and trembling on the
earth.
- And Cain said to the Lord God, My crime is too great for
me to be forgiven.
- If thou castest me out this day from the face of the earth, [c] and I shall be hidden from thy presence,
and I shall be groaning and trembling upon the earth, then it will be
that any one that finds me shall slay me.
- And the Lord God said to him, Not so, any one that slays Cain
shall [d] suffer seven-fold vengeance; and
the Lord God set a mark upon Cain that no one that found him might
slay him.
- So Cain went forth from the presence of God and dwelt in the land
of Nod over against Edem.
- And Cain knew his wife, and having conceived she bore Enoch; and
he [e] built a city; and he named the city
after the name of his son, Enoch.
- And to Enoch was born Gaidad; and Gaidad begot Maleleel; and
Maleleel begot Mathusala; and Mathusala begot Lamech.
- And Lamech took to himself two wives; the name of the one was Ada,
and the name of the second Sella.
- And Ada bore Jobel; he was the father of those that dwell in
tents, feeding cattle.
- And the name of his brother was Jubal; he it was who [f] invented the psaltry and harp.
- And Sella [g] also bore Thobel; he was
a smith, a manufacturer both of brass and iron: and the sister of
Thobel was Noëma.
- And Lamech said to his wives, Ada and Sella, Hear my voice, ye
wives of Lamech, consider my words, because I have slain a man to my
[h] sorrow and a youth to my [i] grief.
- Because vengeance has been exacted seven times on Cain's behalf,
on Lamech's it shall be seventy times seven.
- And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore a son, and
called his name Seth, saying, For God has raised up to me another seed
instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
- And Seth had a son, and he called his name Enos: he [j] hoped to call on the name of the Lord God.
[a] Gr. after days.
[b] Gr. he also.
[c] Or, then shall I be.
[d] Gr. pay seven penalties.
[e] Or, was building.
[f] Gr. made known.
[g] Gr. she also.
[h] Gr. wound.
[i] Gr. hurt.
[j] Or, trusted, q.d. had
faith to call &c.
[English translation of the Septuagint by Sir Lancelot Charles Lee
Brenton (1807-18originally published by Samuel Bagster & Sons,
Ltd., London, 18