Genesis 4:2

KJV1611 – Modern English

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

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַתֹּ֣סֶף לָלֶ֔דֶת אֶת־אָחִ֖יו אֶת־הָ֑בֶל וַֽיְהִי־הֶ֙בֶל֙ רֹ֣עֵה צֹ֔אן וְקַ֕יִן הָיָ֖ה עֹבֵ֥ד אֲדָמָֽה׃

Transliteration

And-she-tosef laledet ʾet-his-brother ʾet-Hebel and-yehi-Hebel roʿeh tsoʾn and-Qayin hayah ʿobed ʾadamah

Grammar Details

• *tosef*: hiphil imperfect with waw-consecutive, 3rd feminine singular - she continued/added
• *laledet*: qal infinitive construct with preposition - to bear/to give birth to
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *Hebel*: proper noun, masculine singular - Abel
• *yehi*: qal imperfect with waw-consecutive, 3rd masculine singular - became
• *roʿeh*: qal participle, masculine singular construct - keeper/shepherd of
• *tsoʾn*: collective noun - flock/sheep
• *hayah*: qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular - was/became
• *ʿobed*: qal participle, masculine singular construct - worker/tiller of
• *ʾadamah*: noun, feminine singular - ground/soil/land

Word Meanings

• *tosef*: she continued/she added/she proceeded
• *Hebel*: breath/vapor/vanity (as the meaning of name)

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  Later, she gave birth to his brother Abel. Abel tended flocks, while Cain worked the soil.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And again she bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And she proceded forth and bare hys brother Abell: And Abell became a sheperde And Cain became a ploweman.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And she proceaded forth, & bare his brother Abell. And Abell became a shepherde, but Cain became an husbande man.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And againe she brought foorth his brother Habel, & Habel was a keeper of sheepe, and Kain was a tiller of the ground.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And she proceading, brought foorth his brother Habel, and Habel was a keper of sheepe, but Cain was a tyller of the grounde.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Again she gave birth, to Cain's brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and she addeth to bear his brother, even Abel. And Abel is feeding a flock, and Cain hath been servant of the ground.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And again she bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And again she bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Then again she became with child and gave birth to Abel, his brother. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a farmer.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Again she gave birth, to Cain's brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Then she gave birth to his brother Abel. Abel took care of the flocks, while Cain cultivated the ground.

Referenced Verses

• 1 John 3:15 : 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer: and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
• Luke 11:51 : 51 From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the temple: truly I say to you, It shall be required of this generation.
• 1 John 3:10 : 10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: whoever does not do righteousness is not of God, nor he who does not love his brother.
• 1 John 3:12 : 12 Not as Cain, who was of the wicked one, and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
• John 8:44 : 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you wish to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not abide 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.
• Gen 47:3 : 3 And Pharaoh said to his brothers, What is your occupation? And they said to Pharaoh, Your servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers.
• Exod 3:1 : 1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, to Horeb.
• Ps 78:70-72 : 70 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: 71 From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. 72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.
• Ps 127:3 : 3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward.
• Amos 7:15 : 15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said to me, Go, prophesy to my people Israel.
• Gen 3:23 : 23 Therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.
• Gen 4:25-26 : 25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bore a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, has appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. 26 And to Seth, to him also was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then men began to call upon the name of the LORD.
• Gen 9:20 : 20 And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard;
• Gen 30:29-31 : 29 He said to him, "You know how I have served you and how your cattle have been with me." 30 "For it was little which you had before I came, and it is now increased to a multitude, and the LORD has blessed you since my coming. Now, when shall I provide for my own house also?" 31 He said, "What shall I give you?" And Jacob said, "You shall not give me anything; if you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flock."
• Gen 37:13 : 13 And Israel said to Joseph, Do not your brothers feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send you to them. And he said to him, Here I am.
• Gen 46:32-34 : 32 And the men are shepherds, for their occupation has been to feed livestock; and they have brought their flocks, herds, and all that they have. 33 And it shall happen, when Pharaoh calls you and says, What is your occupation? 34 That you shall say, Your servants' trade has been with livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers, that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is detestable to the Egyptians.