New International Version
Genesis 4:16
16So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled 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
14Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15But the Lord said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. 17Cain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. 18To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of 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 4:14Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
- Genesis 3:8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
- Exodus 20:18When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance
- 2 Kings 13:23But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence.
- 2 Kings 24:20It was because of the Lord’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence. Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
- Job 1:12The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
- Job 2:7So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.
- Job 20:17He will not enjoy the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and cream.
- Psalms 5:11But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
- Psalms 68:2May you blow them away like smoke— as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.
- Jeremiah 23:39Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your ancestors.
- Jeremiah 52:3It was because of the Lord’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence. Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
- John 1:3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
- Matthew 18:20For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
- Luke 13:26“Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’
- 1 Thessalonians 1:9for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell 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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