English Standard Version
Genesis 4:16
16Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Genesis 4:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
- New International Version (NIV)So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden.
- New Living Translation (NLT)So Cain left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Context of Genesis 4:16
14Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." 15Then the Lord said to him, "Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. 17Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. 18To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech.
Read all of Genesis 4Genesis 4:16 word by word
וַיֵּ֥צֵא קַ֖יִן מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־נ֖וֹד קִדְמַת־עֵֽדֶן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Cainקַ֫יִןqayin · CainH7014
- went outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- from the presenceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- and dweltיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of Nodנוֹדnôd · NodH5113
- on the eastקִדְמָהqidmâh · eastH6926
- of Edenעֵ֫דֶן‛êden · EdenH5731
Cross-references for Genesis 4:16
- Genesis 4:14Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."
- Genesis 3:8And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
- Exodus 20:18Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off
- 2 Kings 13:23But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and he turned toward them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, nor has he cast them from his presence until now.
- 2 Kings 24:20For because of the anger of the Lord it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
- Job 1:12And the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand." So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
- Job 2:7So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.
- Job 20:17He will not look upon the rivers, the streams flowing with honey and curds.
- Psalms 5:11But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.
- Psalms 68:2As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God!
- Jeremiah 23:39therefore, behold, I will surely lift you up and cast you away from my presence, you and the city that I gave to you and your fathers.
- Jeremiah 52:3For because of the anger of the Lord it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
- John 1:3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
- Matthew 18:20For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."
- Luke 13:26Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.'
- 1 Thessalonians 1:9For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
Commentaries on Genesis 4:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16The land of Nod - As נוד nod signifies the same as sa נד , a vagabond, some think this verse should be rendered, And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, from the east of Eden, and dwelt a vagabond on the earth; thus the curse pronounced on him, Genesis 4:12, was accomplished.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
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-18Verses 16-18 Cain cast off all fear of God, and attended no more on God's ordinances. Hypocritical professors, who dissemble and trifle with God, are justly left to themselves to do something grossly scandalous. So they throw off that form of godliness to which they have been a reproach, and of which they deny the power. Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and we never find that he came into it again, to his comfort. The land Cain dwelt in was…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16The name Nod (which means "wandering") describes Cain's fate (see 4:12, 14) more than a specific place. It suggests a life of wandering, and its exact location is unknown. Cain’s sin denied him rest and a sense of belonging. Cain’s exile east of Eden is another point of connection with Adam’s story (compare 3:24). Cain did not learn from his father’s sin, so he also experienced separation from the ground and was driven east into exile (see study note on…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. presence of the Lord--the appointed place of worship at Eden. Leaving it, he not only severed himself from his relatives but forsook the ordinances of religion, probably casting off all fear of God from his eyes so that the last end of this man is worse than the first (Mt 12:45). land of Nod--of flight or exile--thought by many to have been Arabia-Petræa--which was cursed to sterility on his account.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 4:16
In the dictionaries
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
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