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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel. When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground.

Context of Genesis 4:2

1Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord." And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And she againיָסַףyâsaph · to add: againH3254
• bareיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• his brotherאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• Abelהֶ֫בֶלhebel · AbelH1893
• was a keeperרָעָהrâ‛âh · to pastureH7462
• of sheepצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
• but Cainקַ֫יִןqayin · CainH7014
• was a tillerעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: labourH5647
• of the groundאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: soilH127

Cross-references for Genesis 4:2

• Genesis 30:29Jacob said to him, "You yourself know how I have served you, and how your livestock has fared with me.
• Genesis 37:13And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." And he said to him, "Here I am."
• Genesis 46:32And the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock, and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.'
• Genesis 47:3Pharaoh said to his brothers, "What is your occupation?" And they said to Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, as our fathers were."
• Exodus 3:1Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west 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 the Lord said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'
• Genesis 4:25And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, "God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him."
• Psalms 127:3Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.
• John 8:44You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
• 1 John 3:10By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
• Genesis 3:23therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.
• Genesis 9:20Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted 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