Genesis 4 #catechesis/bible/genesis
[!abstract] The history of Cain and Abel, including the account of the first homicide.
Book: Genesis · ← Genesis 3 · Genesis 5 →
1
GR Αδαμ δὲ ἔγνω Ευαν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ συλλαβοῦσα ἔτεκεν τὸν Καιν καὶ εἶπεν ἐκτησάμην ἄνθρωπον διὰ τοῦ θεοῦ
LA Adam vero cognovit uxorem suam Hevam, quæ concepit et peperit Cain, dicens: Possedi hominem per Deum.
EN And Adam knew Eve his wife; who conceived and brought forth Cain, saying: I have gotten a man through God.
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2
GR καὶ προσέθηκεν τεκεῖν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν Αβελ καὶ ἐγένετο Αβελ ποιμὴν προβάτων Καιν δὲ ἦν ἐργαζόμενος τὴν γῆν
LA Rursumque peperit fratrem ejus Abel. Fuit autem Abel pastor ovium, et Cain agricola.
EN And again she brought forth his brother Abel. And Abel was a shepherd, and Cain a husbandman.
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GR καὶ ἐγένετο μεθ’ ἡμέρας ἤνεγκεν Καιν ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς θυσίαν τῷ κυρίῳ
LA Factum est autem post multos dies ut offerret Cain de fructibus terræ munera Domino.
EN And it came to pass after many days, that Cain offered, of the fruits of the earth, gifts to the Lord.
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GR καὶ Αβελ ἤνεγκεν καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπὸ τῶν πρωτοτόκων τῶν προβάτων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν στεάτων αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπεῖδεν ὁ θεὸς ἐπὶ Αβελ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς δώροις αὐτοῦ
LA Abel quoque obtulit de primogenitis gregis sui, et de adipibus eorum: et respexit Dominus ad Abel, et ad munera ejus.
EN Abel also offered of the firstlings of his flock, and of their fat: and the Lord had respect to Abel, and to his offerings.
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[!note]- Had respect…
That is, showed his acceptance of his sacrifice (as coming from a heart full of devotion): and that, as we may suppose, by some visible token, such as sending fire from heaven upon his offerings.
5
GR ἐπὶ δὲ Καιν καὶ ἐπὶ ταῖς θυσίαις αὐτοῦ οὐ προσέσχεν καὶ ἐλύπησεν τὸν Καιν λίαν καὶ συνέπεσεν τῷ προσώπῳ
LA Ad Cain vero, et ad munera illius non respexit: iratusque est Cain vehementer, et concidit vultus ejus.
EN But to Cain and his offerings he had no respect: and Cain was exceeding angry, and his countenance fell.
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GR καὶ εἶπεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς τῷ Καιν ἵνα τί περίλυπος ἐγένου καὶ ἵνα τί συνέπεσεν τὸ πρόσωπόν σου
LA Dixitque Dominus ad eum: Quare iratus es? et cur concidit facies tua?
EN And the Lord said to him: Why are you angry? And why is your countenance fallen?
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GR οὐκ ἐὰν ὀρθῶς προσενέγκῃς ὀρθῶς δὲ μὴ διέλῃς ἥμαρτες ἡσύχασον πρὸς σὲ ἡ ἀποστροφὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ σὺ ἄρξεις αὐτοῦ
LA nonne si bene egeris, recipies: sin autem male, statim in foribus peccatum aderit? sed sub te erit appetitus ejus, et tu dominaberis illius.
EN If you do well, shall you not receive? But if ill, shall not sin forthwith be present at the door? But the lust thereof shall be under you, and you shall have dominion over it.
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GR καὶ εἶπεν Καιν πρὸς Αβελ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ διέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πεδίον καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ καὶ ἀνέστη Καιν ἐπὶ Αβελ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτόν
LA Dixitque Cain ad Abel fratrem suum: Egrediamur foras. Cumque essent in agro, consurrexit Cain adversus fratrem suum Abel, et interfecit eum.
EN And Cain said to Abel his brother: Let us go forth abroad. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and slew him.
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GR καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεὸς πρὸς Καιν ποῦ ἐστιν Αβελ ὁ ἀδελφός σου ὁ δὲ εἶπεν οὐ γινώσκω μὴ φύλαξ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μού εἰμι ἐγώ
LA Et ait Dominus ad Cain: Ubi est Abel frater tuus? Qui respondit: Nescio: num custos fratris mei sum ego?
EN And the Lord said to Cain: Where is your brother Abel? And he answered: I know not: am I my brother’s keeper?
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GR καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός τί ἐποίησας φωνὴ αἵματος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου βοᾷ πρός με ἐκ τῆς γῆς
LA Dixitque ad eum: Quid fecisti? vox sanguinis fratris tui clamat ad me de terra.
EN And he said to him: What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the earth.
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GR καὶ νῦν ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἣ ἔχανεν τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς δέξασθαι τὸ αἷμα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου
LA Nunc igitur maledictus eris super terram, quæ aperuit os suum, et suscepit sanguinem fratris tui de manu tua.
EN Now therefore cursed shall you be upon the earth, which has opened her mouth and received the blood of your brother at your hand.
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GR ὅτι ἐργᾷ τὴν γῆν καὶ οὐ προσθήσει τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτῆς δοῦναί σοι στένων καὶ τρέμων ἔσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
LA Cum operatus fueris eam, non dabit tibi fructus suos: vagus et profugus eris super terram.
EN When you shall till it, it shall not yield to you its fruit: a fugitive and a vagabond shall you be upon the earth.
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GR καὶ εἶπεν Καιν πρὸς τὸν κύριον μείζων ἡ αἰτία μου τοῦ ἀφεθῆναί με
LA Dixitque Cain ad Dominum: Major est iniquitas mea, quam ut veniam merear.
EN And Cain said to the Lord: My iniquity is greater than that I may deserve pardon.
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GR εἰ ἐκβάλλεις με σήμερον ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου κρυβήσομαι καὶ ἔσομαι στένων καὶ τρέμων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἔσται πᾶς ὁ εὑρίσκων με ἀποκτενεῖ με
LA Ecce ejicis me hodie a facie terræ, et a facie tua abscondar, et ero vagus et profugus in terra: omnis igitur qui invenerit me, occidet me.
EN Behold you do cast me out this day from the face of the earth, and from your face I shall be hid, and I shall be a vagabond and a fugitive on the earth: every one therefore that finds me, shall kill me.
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GR καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ κύριος ὁ θεός οὐχ οὕτως πᾶς ὁ ἀποκτείνας Καιν ἑπτὰ ἐκδικούμενα παραλύσει καὶ ἔθετο κύριος ὁ θεὸς σημεῖον τῷ Καιν τοῦ μὴ ἀνελεῖν αὐτὸν πάντα τὸν εὑρίσκοντα αὐτόν
LA Dixitque ei Dominus: Nequaquam ita fiet: sed omnis qui occiderit Cain, septuplum punietur. Posuitque Dominus Cain signum, ut non interficeret eum omnis qui invenisset eum.
EN And the Lord said to him: No, it shall not so be: but whosoever shall kill Cain, shall be punished sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, that whosoever found him should not kill him.
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GR ἐξῆλθεν δὲ Καιν ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ᾤκησεν ἐν γῇ Ναιδ κατέναντι Εδεμ
LA Egressusque Cain a facie Domini, habitavit profugus in terra ad orientalem plagam Eden.
EN And Cain went out from the face of the Lord, and dwelt as a fugitive on the earth at the east side of Eden.
^16
[!note]- Every one that finds me shall kill me…
His guilty conscience made him fear his own brothers and nephews; of whom, by this time, there might be a good number upon the earth; which had now endured near 130 years; as may be gathered from Genesis 5:3, compared with Genesis 4:25, though in the compendious account given in the scriptures, only Cain and Abel are mentioned.
[!note]- Set a mark, etc…
The more common opinion of the interpreters of holy writ supposes this mark to have been a trembling of the body; or a horror and consternation in his countenance.
17
GR καὶ ἔγνω Καιν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ συλλαβοῦσα ἔτεκεν τὸν Ενωχ καὶ ἦν οἰκοδομῶν πόλιν καὶ ἐπωνόμασεν τὴν πόλιν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ Ενωχ
LA Cognovit autem Cain uxorem suam, quæ concepit, et peperit Henoch: et ædificavit civitatem, vocavitque nomen ejus ex nomine filii sui, Henoch.
EN And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived, and brought forth Henoch: and he built a city, and called the name thereof by the name of his son Henoch.
^17
[!note]- His wife…
She was a daughter of Adam, and Cain’s own sister; God dispensing with such marriages in the beginning of the world, as mankind could not otherwise be propagated.
[!note]- He built a city, viz…
In process of time, when his race was multiplied, so as to be numerous enough to people it. For in the many hundred years he lived, his race might be multiplied even to millions.
18
GR ἐγενήθη δὲ τῷ Ενωχ Γαιδαδ καὶ Γαιδαδ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Μαιηλ καὶ Μαιηλ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Μαθουσαλα καὶ Μαθουσαλα ἐγέννησεν τὸν Λαμεχ
LA Porro Henoch genuit Irad, et Irad genuit Maviaël, et Maviaël genuit Mathusaël, et Mathusaël genuit Lamech.
EN And Henoch begot Irad, and Irad begot Maviael, and Maviael begot Mathusael, and Mathusael begot Lamech,
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GR καὶ ἔλαβεν ἑαυτῷ Λαμεχ δύο γυναῖκας ὄνομα τῇ μιᾷ Αδα καὶ ὄνομα τῇ δευτέρᾳ Σελλα
LA Qui accepit duas uxores, nomen uni Ada, et nomen alteri Sella.
EN who took two wives: the name of the one was Ada, and the name of the other Sella.
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GR καὶ ἔτεκεν Αδα τὸν Ιωβελ οὗτος ἦν ὁ πατὴρ οἰκούντων ἐν σκηναῖς κτηνοτρόφων
LA Genuitque Ada Jabel, qui fuit pater habitantium in tentoriis, atque pastorum.
EN And Ada brought forth Jabel: who was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of herdsmen.
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GR καὶ ὄνομα τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ Ιουβαλ οὗτος ἦν ὁ καταδείξας ψαλτήριον καὶ κιθάραν
LA Et nomen fratris ejus Jubal: ipse fuit pater canentium cithara et organo.
EN And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of them that play upon the harp and the organs.
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GR Σελλα δὲ ἔτεκεν καὶ αὐτὴ τὸν Θοβελ καὶ ἦν σφυροκόπος χαλκεὺς χαλκοῦ καὶ σιδήρου ἀδελφὴ δὲ Θοβελ Νοεμα
LA Sella quoque genuit Tubalcain, qui fuit malleator et faber in cuncta opera æris et ferri. Soror vero Tubalcain, Noëma.
EN Sella also brought forth Tubalcain, who was a hammerer and artificer in every work of brass and iron. And the sister of Tubalcain was Noema.
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GR εἶπεν δὲ Λαμεχ ταῖς ἑαυτοῦ γυναιξίν Αδα καὶ Σελλα ἀκούσατέ μου τῆς φωνῆς γυναῖκες Λαμεχ ἐνωτίσασθέ μου τοὺς λόγους ὅτι ἄνδρα ἀπέκτεινα εἰς τραῦμα ἐμοὶ καὶ νεανίσκον εἰς μώλωπα ἐμοί
LA Dixitque Lamech uxoribus suis Adæ et Sellæ: Audite vocem meam, uxores Lamech; auscultate sermonem meum: quoniam occidi virum in vulnus meum, et adolescentulum in livorem meum.
EN And Lamech said to his wives Ada and Sella: Hear my voice, you wives of Lamech, hearken to my speech: for I have slain a man to the wounding of myself, and a stripling to my own bruising.
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GR ὅτι ἑπτάκις ἐκδεδίκηται ἐκ Καιν ἐκ δὲ Λαμεχ ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά
LA Septuplum ultio dabitur de Cain: de Lamech vero septuagies septies.
EN Sevenfold vengeance shall be taken for Cain: but for Lamech seventy times sevenfold.
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[!note]- I have slain a man, etc…
It is the tradition of the Hebrews, that Lamech in hunting slew Cain, mistaking him for a wild beast; and that having discovered what he had done, he beat so unmercifully the youth, by whom he was led into that mistake, that he died of the blows.
25
GR ἔγνω δὲ Αδαμ Ευαν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ συλλαβοῦσα ἔτεκεν υἱὸν καὶ ἐπωνόμασεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Σηθ λέγουσα ἐξανέστησεν γάρ μοι ὁ θεὸς σπέρμα ἕτερον ἀντὶ Αβελ ὃν ἀπέκτεινεν Καιν
LA Cognovit quoque adhuc Adam uxorem suam: et peperit filium, vocavitque nomen ejus Seth, dicens: Posuit mihi Deus semen aliud pro Abel, quem occidit Cain.
EN Adam also knew his wife again: and she brought forth a son, and called his name Seth, saying: God has given me another seed for Abel, whom Cain slew.
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GR καὶ τῷ Σηθ ἐγένετο υἱός ἐπωνόμασεν δὲ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ενως οὗτος ἤλπισεν ἐπικαλεῖσθαι τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ
LA Sed et Seth natus est filius, quem vocavit Enos: iste cœpit invocare nomen Domini.
EN But to Seth also was born a son, whom he called Enos: this man began to call upon the name of the Lord.
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[!note]- Began to call upon, etc…
Not that Adam and Seth had not called upon God, before the birth of Enos; but that Enos used more solemnity in the worship and invocation of God.
