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 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, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.” Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. 4Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected 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 30:29So Jacob said to him, “You know how I have served you and how your livestock has been with me.
• Genesis 37:13And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” So he said to him, “Here I am.”
• Genesis 46:32And the men are shepherds, for their occupation has been to feed livestock; and they have brought their flocks, their herds, and all that they have.’
• Genesis 47:3Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers.”
• Exodus 3:1Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
• Psalms 78:70He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds;
• Amos 7:15Then the Lord took me as I followed 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 named him Seth, “For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.”
• Psalms 127:3Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward.
• John 8:44You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
• 1 John 3:10In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.
• Genesis 3:23therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.
• Genesis 9:20And Noah began to be a farmer, 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