After they were cast out from the garden, Adam and Eve came to “know” one another. As a result, Eve conceived child, bare Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man from Jehovah”. Similarly, she again bare his brother Abel. The two brothers grew, and Abel came to be a shepherd whereas Cain became a farmer of plants. After a time, it came to be that they both offered some of what they had produced unto God.

               Abel was noble in his sacrifice. He offered the firstlings, the best of his flock and the fattest of them. God saw this and respected both Abel and what he had offered Him. However, Cain did not sacrifice with such nobility. He offered neither the first nor the best of his produce such that it can not be called the firstlings but merely “the fruit of the ground”. God, seeing this, knew Cain’s heart and did not respect Cain or his offering. Cain became wroth at this and his facial expression fell. Then, Jehovah knowing Cain’s heart and seeing his face gave teaching to him saying, “Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” Sadly, though, Cain would not hear the words of Him and went to speak to Abel.

               And it came to be, when they were working in the field, that Cain assaulted his brother, and slew him, becoming the first murderer known to man. And Jehovah, seeing what Cain had done asked Cain, “Where is Abel thy brother?”, offering him one more opportunity to repent of his deed. Yet, it would not be so, for Cain said, “I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?” Though Cain foolishly thought to deceive Him, God knew from the start and replied to Cain, “What has thou done? The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the Earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the Earth.” Cain, aware now that he could not escape this, said to God, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the Earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the Earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.” And Jehovah placed a mark of Cain and said unto him, “Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.”

               Following this, Cain left the presence of God and went to dwell in the land of Nod, the land of wandering, on the east of Eden. Still, Cain’s progeny continued as he “knew” his wife. From this came Enoch. And Cain chose to build a city that he called Enoch, after his son.

               Of Enoch, came Irad, from Irad, Mehujael, from Mehujael, Methusael, and from Methusael, came one called Lamech. This Lamech is known for very little but for murdering a young man as disproportionate punishment for harm which came to himself. After murdering this young man, he spoke to his wives, boasting of the sin which he had committed, saying, “Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.” Now, whether his word was said such that he sought to invoke protection of God or whether he was mocking God, this much is known today only by God. Either way, he was in no way righteous in his doing. And so is the Word of God.

¹All quotes are taken from the KJV Bible unless otherwise specified. The section from which quotes arise will be noted by the chapter names unless otherwise specified.