Genesis 4:2

Genesis 4:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
• New International Version (NIV)Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

Context of Genesis 4:2

1And Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man,” she said. Later she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil. 3So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD, 4while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:2 word by word

וַתֹּ֣סֶף לָלֶ֔דֶת אֶת־אָחִ֖יו אֶת־הָ֑בֶל וַֽיְהִי־הֶ֙בֶל֙ רֹ֣עֵה צֹ֔אן וְקַ֕יִן הָיָ֖ה עֹבֵ֥ד אֲדָמָֽה׃Read the interlinear

• Laterיָסַףyâsaph · to add: againH3254
• she gave birthיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• to Cain’s brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• Abelהֶ֫בֶלhebel · AbelH1893
• Nowהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• a keeperרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
• of sheepצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
• while Cainקַ֫יִןqayin · CainH7014
• was a tillerעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: labourH5647
• of the soilאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: soilH127

Cross-references for Genesis 4:2

• Genesis 30:29Then Jacob answered, “You know how I have served you and how your livestock have thrived under my care.
• Genesis 37:13Israel said to him, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flocks at Shechem? Get ready; I am sending you to them.” “I am ready,” Joseph replied.
• Genesis 46:32The men are shepherds; they raise livestock, and they have brought their flocks and herds and all that they own.’
• Genesis 47:3“What is your occupation?” Pharaoh asked Joseph’s brothers. “Your servants are shepherds,” they replied, “both we and our fathers.”
• Exodus 3:1Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
• Psalms 78:70He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds;
• Amos 7:15But the LORD took me from following the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’
• Genesis 4:25And Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another seed in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”
• Psalms 127:3Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward.
• John 8:44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
• 1 John 3:10By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
• Genesis 3:23Therefore the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.
• Genesis 9:20Now Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard.

Commentaries on Genesis 4:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2And she again bare his brother Abel - Literally, She added to bear (ללדת ותסף vattoseph laledeth ) his brother. From the very face of this account it appears evident that Cain and Abel were twins. In most cases where a subject of this kind is introduced in the Holy Scriptures, and the successive births of children of the same parents are noted, the acts of conceiving and bringing forth are mentioned in reference to each child; here it is not said that she…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-16Verses 1-16 - Section IV - The Family of Adam - Cain and Abel 1. קין qayı̂n Qain (Cain), “spear-shaft,” and קנה qānah “set up, establish, gain, buy,” contain the biliteral root קן qan “set up, erect, gain.” The relations of root words are not confined to the narrow rules of our common etymology, but really extend to such instinctive usages as the unlettered speaker will invent or employ. A full examination of the Hebrew tongue leads to the conclusion…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Cain's brother Abel: The name "Abel" may come from the Hebrew word habel, meaning "breath," "vapor," or "meaningless." This might hint at Abel's tragically short life (compare Ecclesiastes 1:2). Alternatively, it may come from the Akkadian word ablu, meaning "son."Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Abel was a keeper of sheep--literally, "a feeder of a flock," which, in Oriental countries, always includes goats as well as sheep. Abel, though the younger, is mentioned first, probably on account of the pre-eminence of his religious character.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 4:2

• Abel
• Adam
• Agriculture
• Antediluvians
• Eve
• Shepherd

In the dictionaries

• Abel
• Cain
• Adam
• Agriculture
• Blood
• Call
• Cursed
• Fall
• Fat
• Hurt

Commentaries on Genesis 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings