Cain And His Brother Abel


Adam named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living

beings. She had two sons, Cain and Abel. Abel was a shepherd, but Cain

was a farmer.



One day Cain brought, as an offering to Jehovah, some fruit and grain

that he had grown. Abel, too, brought some of the best animals of his

flock and sacrificed their fat pieces to Jehovah. Jehovah was pleased

with Abel and his offering, but Cain and his of
ering did not please

him.



This made Cain very angry and his face showed it. So Jehovah said to

Cain, "Why are you angry and why do you scowl? If you do what is right

and good, will not your offering be accepted? But if you do wrong, sin

crouches like a wild beast at the door and the desire to sin will

overcome you; but you should master it."



Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go into the field." And while

they were in the field, Cain struck his brother Abel and killed him.



When Jehovah said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" Cain answered,

"I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?" Jehovah said, "What have you

done? Hark! your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. Even

now you are condemned by the very ground that has opened to receive your

brother's blood from your hand. Whenever you till the ground, it shall

no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a tramp and a wanderer

on the earth."



Then Cain said to Jehovah, "My punishment is more than I can bear. See,

thou hast driven me out to-day from this land, and I shall no longer be

able to worship thee; I shall become a tramp and a wanderer on the

earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."



But Jehovah said to him, "If any one kills you, he shall be punished

sevenfold." So Jehovah placed a mark on Cain, to keep any one who found

him from killing him. And Cain went out from Jehovah's presence and

lived as a wanderer, away from Eden.



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