3:22
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֗ים
And the LORD God said:
הֵ֤ן הָֽאָדָם֙ הָיָה֙ כְּאַחַ֣ד מִמֶּ֔נּוּ
“Behold man has become like one of us,
לָדַ֖עַת טֹ֣וב וָרָ֑ע
in relation to knowing good and evil;”
וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ פֶּן־יִשְׁלַ֣ח יָדֹ֗ו
And in these circumstances,
so that he should not put forth his hand,
וְלָקַח֙ גַּ֚ם מֵעֵ֣ץ הַֽחַיִּ֔ים
וְאָכַ֖ל וָחַ֥י לְעֹלָֽם׃
And take also from the Tree of Life,
And eat and live for eternity,
3:23
וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵ֛הוּ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים מִגַּן־עֵ֑דֶן
Then the LORD God expelled him from the Garden of Eden,
לַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֻקַּ֖ח מִשָּֽׁם׃
to work the soil from whence he was taken;
3:24
וַיְגָ֖רֶשׁ אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם
And so He drove man out,
וַיַּשְׁכֵּן֩ מִקֶּ֨דֶם לְגַן־עֵ֜דֶן
אֶת־הַכְּרֻבִ֗ים
and He stationed Cherubim east of the Garden of Eden,
וְאֵ֨ת לַ֤הַט הַחֶ֙רֶב֙ הַמִּתְהַפֶּ֔כֶת
and the flame of the sword turning every which way,
לִשְׁמֹ֕ר אֶת־דֶּ֖רֶךְ עֵ֥ץ הַֽחַיִּֽים׃ ס
To preserve the Way of the Tree of Life.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4:1
וְהָ֣אָדָ֔ם יָדַ֖ע אֶת־חַוָּ֣ה אִשְׁתֹּ֑ו
And the man had intimacy with Eve his wife,
וַתַּ֙הַר֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד אֶת־קַ֔יִן
and she conceived and bore Cain.
וַתֹּ֕אמֶר קָנִ֥יתִי אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃
and she said:
“I have procreated a man
with the help of the LORD”
4:2
וַתֹּ֣סֶף לָלֶ֔דֶת אֶת־אָחִ֖יו אֶת־הָ֑בֶל
And she went on to bear his brother Abel;
וַֽיְהִי־הֶ֙בֶל֙ רֹ֣עֵה צֹ֔אן
And Abel became a shepherd of flocks,
וְקַ֕יִן הָיָ֖ה עֹבֵ֥ד אֲדָמָֽה׃
And Cain had become a cultivator of soil.
4:3
וַֽיְהִ֖י מִקֵּ֣ץ יָמִ֑ים
And it came to pass after some time,
וַיָּבֵ֨א קַ֜יִן מִפְּרִ֧י הָֽאֲדָמָ֛ה מִנְחָ֖ה לַֽיהוָֽה׃
That Cain brought, from the produce of the ground,
an offering for the LORD;
4:4
וְהֶ֨בֶל הֵבִ֥יא גַם־ה֛וּא
And Abel, he on his part had brought
מִבְּכֹרֹ֥ות צֹאנֹ֖ו וּמֵֽחֶלְבֵהֶ֑ן
from the firstborn of his flocks,
and from their fat;
וַיִּ֣שַׁע יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־הֶ֖בֶל וְאֶל־מִנְחָתֹֽו׃
And the LORD looked with favour
towards Abel and towards his offering;
4:5
וְאֶל־קַ֥יִן וְאֶל־מִנְחָתֹ֖ו לֹ֣א שָׁעָ֑ה
But towards Cain and towards his offering,
He had not looked favourably;
וַיִּ֤חַר לְקַ֙יִן֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ פָּנָֽיו׃
And as to Cain, he became glowing hot,
and his facial expressions fell;
4:6
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־קָ֑יִן
And the LORD said to Cain:
לָ֚מָּה חָ֣רָה לָ֔ךְ
“For what reason has it become hot for you,
וְלָ֖מָּה נָפְל֥וּ פָנֶֽיךָ׃
and why have your facial expressions fallen?”
4:7
הֲלֹ֤וא אִם־תֵּיטִיב֙ שְׂאֵ֔ת
“When you do well, is it not uplifting!
וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תֵיטִ֔יב
But if you should not do well,
לַפֶּ֖תַח חַטָּ֣את רֹבֵ֑ץ
Sin is lying in wait by the door;
וְאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָתֹ֔ו
And it’s craving is for you,
וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּמְשָׁל־בֹּֽו׃
But you, you must rule over it!”
4:8
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יו
But Cain muttered towards Abel his brother;
וַֽיְהִי֙ בִּהְיֹותָ֣ם בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה
And it happened, when they were in the field,
וַיָּ֥קָם קַ֛יִן אֶל־הֶ֥בֶל אָחִ֖יו וַיַּהַרְגֵֽהוּ׃
Then Cain rose up towards Abel his brother,
and murdered him.
4:9
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־קַ֔יִן
Then the LORD said to Cain:
אֵ֖י הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יךָ
“Where is Abel your brother!?”
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי
And he uttered, “I don’t know,
הֲשֹׁמֵ֥ר אָחִ֖י אָנֹֽכִי׃
Am I keeping watch over my brother!?”
4:10
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ
Then He declared: “What have you done!?
קֹ֚ול דְּמֵ֣י אָחִ֔יךָ
צֹעֲקִ֥ים אֵלַ֖י מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָֽ
The voice of the lifeblood of your brother
is crying out to me from the ground;”
4:11
וְעַתָּ֖ה אָר֣וּר אָ֑תָּה
“And now you are cursed;—
מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּצְתָ֣ה אֶת־פִּ֔יהָ
By the ground which opened wide its mouth,
לָקַ֛חַת אֶת־דְּמֵ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ מִיָּדֶֽךָ׃
to receive the lifeblood of your brother,
from your hand;”
4:12
כִּ֤י תַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה
“When you cultivate the ground,
לֹֽא־תֹסֵ֥ף תֵּת־כֹּחָ֖הּ לָ֑ךְ
it shall not continue to yield its strength for you;
נָ֥ע וָנָ֖ד תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה בָאָֽרֶץ׃
Wandering about and aimless you shall be on the earth.”
4:13
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה
Then Cain said to the LORD:
גָּדֹ֥ול עֲוֹנִ֖י מִנְּשֹֽׂא׃
“My punishment is too great to bear!”
4:14
הֵן֩ גֵּרַ֨שְׁתָּ אֹתִ֜י הַיֹּ֗ום
“Behold you have driven me out this day,
מֵעַל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה
from over the face of the soil;
וּמִפָּנֶ֖יךָ אֶסָּתֵ֑ר
Then from your presence I will be hidden;
וְהָיִ֜יתִי נָ֤ע וָנָד֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ
And I shall be wandering about and aimless on the Earth,
וְהָיָ֥ה כָל־מֹצְאִ֖י יַֽהַרְגֵֽנִי׃
And then it shall happen, anyone who finds me,
they will want to kill me.”
4:15
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר לֹ֣ו יְהוָ֗ה
But the LORD said to him:
לָכֵן֙ כָּל־הֹרֵ֣ג קַ֔יִן
“Assuredly, anyone who kills Cain,
שִׁבְעָתַ֖יִם יֻקָּ֑ם
He will incur vengeance sevenfold.”
וַיָּ֨שֶׂם יְהוָ֤ה לְקַ֙יִן֙ אֹ֔ות
Then the LORD appointed a sign for Cain,
לְבִלְתִּ֥י הַכֹּות־אֹתֹ֖ו כָּל־מֹצְאֹֽו׃
lest any encountering him should strike him dead.
4:16
וַיֵּ֥צֵא קַ֖יִן מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה
Then Cain moved away from the LORD’s presence;
וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־נֹ֖וד קִדְמַת־עֵֽדֶן׃
And he dwelt in the Land of Nod (Wandering), east of Eden.
4:17
וַיֵּ֤דַע קַ֙יִן֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתֹּ֔ו
And Cain had intimacy with his wife,
וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֣לֶד אֶת־חֲנֹ֑וךְ
And she conceived and bore Enoch;
וַֽיְהִי֙ בֹּ֣נֶה עִ֔יר
Now he was building a city,
וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הָעִ֔יר כְּשֵׁ֖ם בְּנֹ֥ו חֲנֹֽוךְ׃
And he called the name of the city
after the name of his son Enoch.
4:18
וַיִּוָּלֵ֤ד לַֽחֲנֹוךְ֙ אֶת־עִירָ֔ד
And to Enoch was born Irad,
וְעִירָ֕ד יָלַ֖ד אֶת־מְחֽוּיָאֵ֑ל
then Irad begat MechuyaEl,
וּמְחִיּיָאֵ֗ל יָלַד֙ אֶת־מְת֣וּשָׁאֵ֔ל
and MechuyaEl begat MetushaEl (Man that is of God),
וּמְתוּשָׁאֵ֖ל יָלַ֥ד אֶת־לָֽמֶךְ׃
And MetushaEl begat Lemech.
4:19
וַיִּֽקַּֽח־לֹ֥ו לֶ֖מֶךְ שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֑ים
And Lemech took for himself two wives:
שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ עָדָ֔ה
The name of the first, Adah;
וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית צִלָּֽה׃
And the name of the second, Sillah.
4:20
וַתֵּ֥לֶד עָדָ֖ה אֶת־יָבָ֑ל
And Adah bore Javal;
ה֣וּא הָיָ֔ה אֲבִ֕י
יֹשֵׁ֥ב אֹ֖הֶל וּמִקְנֶֽה׃
He became patron of
such who dwell in a tent,
and live by means of cattle;
4:21
וְשֵׁ֥ם אָחִ֖יו יוּבָ֑ל
And the name of his brother was Juval;
ה֣וּא הָיָ֔ה אֲבִ֕י כָּל־תֹּפֵ֥שׂ כִּנֹּ֖ור וְעוּגָֽב׃
He was patron of everyone
handling a stringed instrument,
and of everyone who plays a wind instrument.
4:22
וְצִלָּ֣ה גַם־הִ֗וא יָֽלְדָה֙ אֶת־תּ֣וּבַל קַ֔יִן
Now Sillah, she on her part had given birth to Tuval-Cain,
לֹטֵ֕שׁ כָּל־חֹרֵ֥שׁ נְחֹ֖שֶׁת וּבַרְזֶ֑ל
he who could forge any artifice of bronze,
and of iron;
וַֽאֲחֹ֥ות תּֽוּבַל־קַ֖יִן נַֽעֲמָֽה׃
And to Tuval-Cain’s sister, Na’amah (Pleasantness).
4:23
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לֶ֜מֶךְ לְנָשָׁ֗יו
And Lemech said to his wives:
עָדָ֤ה וְצִלָּה֙ שְׁמַ֣עַן קֹולִ֔י
“Adah and Sillah, hear my voice;
נְשֵׁ֣י לֶ֔מֶךְ הַאְזֵ֖נָּה אִמְרָתִ֑י
Wives of Lemech, listen to my saying:
כִּ֣י אִ֤ישׁ הָרַ֙גְתִּי֙
לְפִצְעִ֔י וְיֶ֖לֶד לְחַבֻּרָתִֽי׃
Because I have killed a man,
on account of my wound,
even a young man, for my scar:”
4:24
כִּ֥י שִׁבְעָתַ֖יִם יֻקַּם־קָ֑יִן
“Because Cain will be avenged sevenfold,
וְלֶ֖מֶךְ שִׁבְעִ֥ים וְשִׁבְעָֽה׃ס
Then Lemech, seventy and seven times.”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4:25
וַיֵּ֨דַע אָדָ֥ם עֹוד֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתֹּ֔ו
And Adam again
had intimacy with his wife,
וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמֹ֖ו שֵׁ֑ת
and she gave birth to a son,
and she named him Seth:
כִּ֣י שָֽׁת־לִ֤י אֱלֹהִים֙ זֶ֣רַע אַחֵ֔ר
“For God has ordained for me another descendant,
תַּ֣חַת הֶ֔בֶל כִּ֥י הֲרָגֹ֖ו קָֽיִן׃
in place of Abel, because Cain killed him.”
4:26
וּלְשֵׁ֤ת גַּם־הוּא֙ יֻלַּד־בֵּ֔ן
Now to Seth, in turn, was a son born,
וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמֹ֖ו אֱנֹ֑ושׁ
and he called him Enosh (mortal man).
אָ֣ז הוּחַ֔ל לִקְרֹ֖א בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃ פ
At that time* it was made profane
to call on the name of the LORD.
*Approximately 250 years after Adam’s creation (c/f Gen 5: 1-5)
Website translation into English by Eddie Van Gent,
together with his wife, Maraea Van Gent (Masters of Humanities in Social Sciences, Majoring in Education)
The Hebrew Masoretic Text is Unicode/XML version 1.3 Leningrad Codex,
Build 26.2 from tanach.us
Audio excerpts from
Tanakh audio recording by Rabbi Dan Be’eri
3:22 to 4:26 Hebrew Audio
