Cain and Abel

Like Adam, Cain worked in the fields. Abel took care of sheep. They built altars and offered their gifts to God. Cain brought food from the field for his offering. Abel brought a fat lamb. When Abel offered his gift, he prayed for God's forgiveness. God was pleased with Abel's offering.

God was not pleased

with Cain's offering, and Cain was very angry. God said to him, "Why are you angry? Why do you look so sad? If you do well, you will be accepted. If you do not, you will be taken by sin. Do not let sin get a hold on you. Master it instead."

Later, when the brothers were in the field, Cain quarreled with Abel. Cain became so angry that he killed Abel.

Again God spoke to Cain. He asked, "Where is Abel, your brother?" Cain replied, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"

God knew what Cain had done. He told Cain, "Because you have done wrong, you will be punished. You will till the ground, but your crops will be poor. You will wander here and there without any one place to call your home."

Cain said, "O God, this punishment is greater than I can bear! What if people try to kill me when I wander from place to place?"

God answered, "I will put a mark on you. Then people will know they are to do you no harm.

Cain wandered far away into a land called Nod. There he lived for many years.