Cain and Abel
1Adam loved his wife Eve and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the Lord’s help I have had a baby boy.” 2Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Abel took care of sheep. Cain farmed the land. 3After some time, Cain gathered some things he had grown. He brought them as an offering to the Lord. 4And Abel also brought an offering. He brought the fattest parts of some animals from his flock. They were the first animals born to their mothers. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering. 5But he wasn’t pleased with Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his face was sad.
6Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why are you looking so sad? 7Do what is right and then you will be accepted. If you don’t do what is right, sin is waiting at your door to grab you. It desires to control you. But you must rule over it.”
8Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” So they went out. There Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” Cain replied. “Am I supposed to take care of my brother?”
10The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground. 11So I am putting a curse on you. I am driving you away from this ground. It has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12When you farm the land, it will not produce its crops for you anymore. You will be a restless person who wanders around on the earth.”
13Cain said to the Lord, “You are punishing me more than I can take. 14Today you are driving me away from the land. I will be hidden from you. I’ll be a restless person who wanders around on the earth. Anyone who finds me will kill me.”
15But the Lord said to him, “No. Anyone who kills you will be paid back seven times.” The Lord put a mark on Cain. Then anyone who found him wouldn’t kill him. 16So Cain went away from the Lord. He lived in the land of Nod. It was east of Eden.
17Cain loved his wife and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. At that time Cain was building a city. He named it after his son Enoch. 18Enoch had a son named Irad. Irad was the father of Mehujael. Mehujael was the father of Methushael. And Methushael was the father of Lamech.
19Lamech married two women. One was named Adah, and the other was named Zillah. 20Adah gave birth to Jabal. He was the father of people who live in tents and raise livestock. 21His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of everyone who plays stringed instruments and wind instruments. 22Zillah also had a son. His name was Tubal-Cain. He made all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.
23Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah, listen to me!
You wives of Lamech, hear my words!
I have killed a man because he wounded me.
I have killed a young man because he hurt me.
24Anyone who would have killed Cain would have been paid back seven times.
But anyone who hurts me will be paid back 77 times.”
25Adam slept with his wife again. She gave birth to a son and named him Seth. She said, “God has given me another child. He will take the place of Abel, because Cain killed him.” 26Seth also had a son and named him Enosh.
Then people began to call on the name of the Lord.
Det første mord
1Adam lå hos sin kone, Eva, og hun blev gravid og fødte en søn, som fik navnet Kain, for—som hun sagde: „Med Guds hjælp har jeg fået4,1 På hebraisk er der et ordspil mellem Kain og „fået”. en søn.” 2Hendes næste søn fik navnet Abel.4,2 Eva fik sikkert også døtre, men ifølge datidens tradition blev de normalt ikke nævnt eller talt med.
Abel vogtede får, og Kain dyrkede jorden. 3Engang bragte Kain en offergave til Gud af sin høst. 4Abel bragte også en offergave, det bedste kød fra sine førstefødte lam. Gud accepterede Abels offergave, 5men ikke Kains. Det blev Kain meget vred og bitter over.
6„Hvorfor er du vred?” spurgte Gud. „Hvorfor går du og kigger ned i jorden? 7Når du gør det gode, kan du frit se andre i øjnene. Hvis du derimod gør, hvad der er ondt, så lurer synden ved din dør. Den ønsker at overmande dig, men du skal være herre over den.”
8En dag sagde Kain til sin bror, Abel: „Lad os gå en tur ud på marken.” Mens de var derude, overfaldt Kain sin bror og slog ham ihjel. 9Så spurgte Gud Kain: „Hvor er din bror, Abel?” „Hvor skulle jeg vide det fra?” svarede Kain. „Jeg skal vel ikke gå og holde øje med ham!” 10Men Gud sagde: „Hvad har du dog gjort? Din brors blod råber til mig fra jorden. 11Derfor skal du forvises fra agerjorden, som har drukket din brors blod. 12Den skal ikke længere give dig føden. Fra nu af skal du vandre hvileløst fra sted til sted.”
13Kain blev fortvivlet. „Den straf er ikke til at bære!” udbrød han. 14„Du jager mig væk fra mine marker og gør mig hjemløs. Du støder mig bort fra din beskyttelse, så enhver, der ser mig, kan slå mig ihjel.” 15Men Gud svarede: „Hvis du bliver slået ihjel, skal du blive hævnet syv gange.” Så satte Gud et mærke på Kain som en advarsel, så ingen ville turde slå ham ihjel. 16Derpå rejste Kain væk fra Gud og bosatte sig i landet Nod,4,16 Et ordspil mellem Nod og „hjemløs”. som lå øst for Eden.
Kains slægt
17Kain lå hos sin kone, og hun blev gravid og fødte en søn, som fik navnet Enok. Kain grundlagde også en by og kaldte den Enok efter sin søn. 18Enok blev far til Irad, Irad blev far til Mehujael, Mehujael blev far til Metushael, og Metushael blev far til Lemek. 19Lemek tog sig to koner, Ada og Silla. 20Ada fik en søn, som fik navnet Jabal. Han blev stamfar til dem, der bor i telte og holder kvæg. 21Hans bror hed Jubal og blev stamfar til dem, der spiller på lyre og fløjte. 22Silla fik en søn, som blev kaldt Tubal-Kain. Han blev stamfar til dem, der smeder kobber4,22 Eller: „bronze”. På hebraisk brugte man samme ord for kobber og bronze. og jern. Tubal-Kain havde en søster ved navn Na’ama.
23Lemek sagde engang til sine koner:
„Ada og Silla, hør på mig,
lyt til, hvad jeg siger!
Jeg har dræbt en ung mand som hævn for et sår,
en dreng som hævn for en skramme.
24Hvis Kain skulle hævnes 7 gange,
så skal jeg hævnes 77 gange!”
Adam og Eva får sønnen Set
25Adam og Eva fik en søn mere, som de kaldte Set,4,25 Et ordspil mellem Set og „sætte i stedet”. for—som Eva sagde: „Gud har givet mig en anden søn i stedet for Abel, som Kain slog ihjel.” 26Set fik senere en søn, som han kaldte Enosh. På den tid begyndte man at påkalde og tilbede Gud som Herren over alle ting.
