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Genesis, 4

1. The man had intercourse with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. 'I have acquired a man with the help of Yahweh,' she said.

1. Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD."

2. She gave birth to a second child, Abel, the brother of Cain. Now Abel became a shepherd and kept flocks, while Cain tilled the soil.

2. And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground.

3. Time passed and Cain brought some of the produce of the soil as an offering for Yahweh,

3. In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground,

4. while Abel for his part brought the first-born of his flock and some of their fat as well. Yahweh looked with favour on Abel and his offering.

4. and Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering,

5. But he did not look with favour on Cain and his offering, and Cain was very angry and downcast.

5. but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

6. Yahweh asked Cain, 'Why are you angry and downcast?

6. The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen?

7. If you are doing right, surely you ought to hold your head high! But if you are not doing right, Sin is crouching at the door hungry to get you. You can still master him.'

7. If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is couching at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it."

8. Cain said to his brother Abel, 'Let us go out'; and while they were in the open country, Cain set on his brother Abel and killed him.

8. Cain said to Abel his brother, "Let us go out to the field." And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him.

9. Yahweh asked Cain, 'Where is your brother Abel?' 'I do not know,' he replied. 'Am I my brother's guardian?'

9. Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?"

10. 'What have you done?' Yahweh asked. 'Listen! Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground.

10. And the LORD said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.

11. Now be cursed and banned from the ground that has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood at your hands.

11. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

12. When you till the ground it will no longer yield up its strength to you. A restless wanderer you will be on earth.'

12. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth."

13. Cain then said to Yahweh, 'My punishment is greater than I can bear.

13. Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear.

14. Look, today you drive me from the surface of the earth. I must hide from you, and be a restless wanderer on earth. Why, whoever comes across me will kill me!'

14. Behold, thou hast driven me this day away from the ground; and from thy face I shall be hidden; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will slay me."

15. 'Very well, then,' Yahweh replied, 'whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance.' So Yahweh put a mark on Cain, so that no one coming across him would kill him.

15. Then the LORD said to him, "Not so! If any one slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who came upon him should kill him.

16. Cain left Yahweh's presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

16. Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

17. Cain had intercourse with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. He became the founder of a city and gave the city the name of his son Enoch.

17. Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch; and he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch.

18. Enoch fathered Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael; Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech.

18. To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad was the father of Me-hu'ja-el, and Me-hu'ja-el the father of Me-thu'sha-el, and Me-thu'sha-el the father of Lamech.

19. Lamech married two women: the name of the first was Adah and the name of the second was Zillah.

19. And Lamech took two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

20. Adah gave birth to Jabal: he was the ancestor of tent-dwelling herdsmen.

20. Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have cattle.

21. His brother's name was Jubal: he was the ancestor of all who play the harp and the pipe.

21. His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.

22. As for Zillah, she gave birth to Tubal-Cain: he was the ancestor of all who work copper and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah.

22. Zillah bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Na'amah.

23. Lamech said to his wives: Adah and Zillah, hear my voice, wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I killed a man for wounding me, a boy for striking me.

23. Lamech said to his wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, hearken to what I say: I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me.

24. Sevenfold vengeance for Cain, but seventy-sevenfold for Lamech.

24. If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold."

25. Adam had intercourse with his wife, and she gave birth to a son whom she named Seth, 'because God has granted me other offspring', she said, 'in place of Abel, since Cain has killed him.'

25. And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, "God has appointed for me another child instead of Abel, for Cain slew him."

26. A son was also born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. This man was the first to invoke the name Yahweh.

26. To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time men began to call upon the name of the LORD.



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4:1-2 - La nascita di Caino e Abele evidenzia la continuità dell'umanità dopo la Caduta. La scelta di Caino come agricoltore e di Abele come pastore rappresenta vocazioni diverse e stabilisce anche il contrasto tra l'offerta accettata e quella rifiutata (vedi anche Ebrei 11:4 e 1 Giovanni 3:12).

4:3-5 - L'offerta di Abele, il meglio del suo gregge, viene accettata da Dio, mentre quella di Caino viene respinta. Questo illustra l'importanza dell'intenzione e del cuore che stanno dietro alle offerte a Dio, sottolineando che un'adorazione autentica è essenziale (vedi anche Malachia 1:6-8 e Matteo 5:23-24).

4:6-7 - L'avvertimento di Dio a Caino riguardo al peccato che si annida in lui rivela la necessità di autocontrollo e vigilanza. Questo brano sottolinea la continua lotta tra il bene e il male nella vita umana e la necessità di perseguire il bene (vedi anche Romani 12:21 e Galati 5:16-17).

4:8-12 - L'omicidio di Abele da parte di Caino è il primo racconto di violenza nella Bibbia, che riflette le tragiche conseguenze del peccato. Il gesto di Caino rivela la gravità della gelosia e della rabbia, e l'importanza di gestire le emozioni in modo sano (vedi anche Matteo 5:21-22 e 1 Giovanni 3:15).

4:13-15 - La risposta di Caino alla punizione mette in luce la sua arroganza e la sua mancanza di pentimento. Il segno di protezione di Dio per Caino dimostra la grazia di Dio anche nel mezzo del giudizio, indicando che Dio continua a cercare l'umanità anche dopo la trasgressione (vedi anche Ezechiele 18:23 e 2 Pietro 3:9).

Versi relativi a Genesis, 4:

Genesi capitolo 4 narra le prime generazioni dopo la caduta. In che modo il peccato influisce sull’umanità? Questo testo cruciale racconta la nascita di Caino e Abele, il primo omicidio della storia, e le sue conseguenze. Il capitolo esplora temi come l'invidia, la rabbia, la responsabilità personale e l'espansione della civiltà umana. Genesi 4 introduce anche la stirpe di Seth, fondamentale per la genealogia messianica. Indaga con noi cinque passaggi biblici che si riferiscono ai temi di grande impatto di questo capitolo rivelatore.

Ebrei 11:4: "Per fede Abele offrì a Dio un sacrificio superiore a quello di Caino. Per fede fu considerato giusto quando Dio approvò le sue offerte. Sebbene sia morto, per la fede parla ancora." - Questo versetto riflette sul sacrificio di Abele menzionato in Genesi 4, interpretandolo come un atto di fede.

1 Giovanni 3:12: "Non facciamo come Caino, che apparteneva al Maligno e uccise suo fratello. E perché lo hai ucciso? Perché le sue opere erano malvagie e quelle di suo fratello erano giuste." - Giovanni usa l'esempio di Caino tratto da Genesi 4 per mettere in guardia contro l'odio e l'ingiustizia.

Giuda 1:11: "Guai a loro! Seguirono il percorso di Caino, corsero avidi di profitto, come Balaam, e furono distrutti nella ribellione di Cora." - Giuda usa Caino come esempio di ribellione contro Dio, riferendosi agli eventi di Genesi 4.

Matteo 23:35: "E così ricadrà su di te tutto il sangue giusto sparso sulla terra, dal sangue del giusto Abele fino al sangue di Zaccaria, figlio di Barachia, che tu hai assassinato tra il santuario e l'altare." - Gesù fa riferimento ad Abele da Genesi 4 come il primo martire giusto nella storia biblica.

Romani 12:19: "Non vendicarti, carissimo, ma lascia a Dio la tua ira, perché sta scritto: 'A me la vendetta; Io ricompenserò', dice il Signore." - Questo versetto riecheggia il tema di Genesi 4:15, dove Dio si riserva il diritto di vendicarsi, proteggendo Caino dalle ritorsioni.

FAQ:

Perché Dio rifiutò l'offerta di Caino?

Dio rifiutò l'offerta di Caino perché il suo cuore non era retto davanti a Dio, mentre l'offerta di Abele fu fatta con fede e sincerità. (Genesi 4:3-5; Ebrei 11:4)

Quale fu la punizione di Caino per aver ucciso Abele?

Dio condannò Caino a essere un fuggitivo e un vagabondo sulla terra, e la terra non avrebbe più prodotto per lui. Dio gli pose anche un segno per proteggerlo. (Genesi 4:11-15)

Chi fu il primo a costruire una città nella Genesi?

Caino costruì la prima città e la chiamò Enoc, dal nome di suo figlio. (Genesi 4:17)

Chi furono i discendenti più importanti di Caino?

Tra i discendenti più importanti di Caino ci sono Jabal (padre dei nomadi), Jubal (padre dei musicisti) e Tubal-cain (lavoratore di metalli). (Genesi 4:20-22)

Chi sostituì Abele nella stirpe divina?

Set fu dato ad Adamo ed Eva in sostituzione di Abele e, attraverso di lui, la discendenza divina continuò, culminando in Enos, quando gli uomini cominciarono a invocare il nome del Signore. (Genesi 4:25-26)


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