THE MURDER OF ABEL.

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain,and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. And she again barehis brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was atiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass,that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto theLord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flockand of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and tohis offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had notrespect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. Andthe Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thycountenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not beaccepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door, andunto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. AndCain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass,—whenthey were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel hisbrother, and slew him.

And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And hesaid, I know not Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hastthou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me fromthe ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hathopened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield untothee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in theearth. And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater thanI can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from theface of the earth and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shallbe a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come topass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. And the Lordsaid unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shallbe taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain,lest any finding him should kill him.

And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt inthe land of Nod, on the east of Eden.—Genesis iv, 1-16