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Genesis 4

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1 And the man had connection with Eve his wife, and she became with child and gave birth to Cain, and said, I have got a man from the Lord.

2 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.

3 And after a time, Cain gave to the Lord an offering of the fruits of the earth.

4 And Abel gave an offering of the young lambs of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord was pleased with Abel's offering;

5 But in Cain and his offering he had no pleasure. And Cain was angry and his face became sad.

6 And the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? and Why is your face sad?

7 If you do well, will you not have honour? and if you do wrong, sin is waiting at the door, desiring to have you, but do not let it be your master.

8 And Cain said to his brother, Let us go into the field: and when they were in the field, Cain made an attack on his brother Abel and put him to death.

9 And the Lord said to Cain, Where is your brother Abel? And he said, I have no idea: am I my brother's keeper?

10 And he said, What have you done? the voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the earth.

11 And now you are cursed from the earth, whose mouth is open to take your brother's blood from your hand;

12 No longer will the earth give you her fruit as the reward of your work; you will be a wanderer in flight over the earth.

13 And Cain said, My punishment is greater than my strength.

14 You have sent me out this day from the face of the earth and from before your face; I will be a wanderer in flight over the earth, and whoever sees me will put me to death.

15 And the Lord said, Truly, if Cain is put to death, seven lives will be taken for his. And the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one might put him to death.

16 And Cain went away from before the face of the Lord, and made his living-place in the land of Nod on the east of Eden.

17 And Cain had connection with his wife and she became with child and gave birth to Enoch: and he made a town, and gave the town the name of Enoch after his son.

18 And Enoch had a son Irad: and Irad became the father of Mehujael: and Mehujael became the father of Methushael: and Methushael became the father of Lamech.

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

20 And Adah gave birth to Jabal: he was the father of such as are living in tents and keep cattle.

21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all players on instruments of music.

22 And Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain, who is the father of every maker of cutting instruments of brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

23 And Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah, give ear to my voice; you wives of Lamech, give attention to my words, for I would put a man to death for a wound, and a young man for a blow;

24 If seven lives are to be taken as punishment for Cain's death, seventy-seven will be taken for Lamech's.

25 And Adam had connection with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son to whom she gave the name of Seth: for she said, God has given me another seed in place of Abel, whom Cain put to death.

26 And Seth had a son, and he gave him the name of Enosh: at this time men first made use of the name of the Lord in worship.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #398

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398. That to “go out from the faces of Jehovah” signifies to be separated from the good of the faith of love may be seen in the explication of verse 14; that to “dwell in the land of Nod” signifies outside of truth and good, is evident from the signification of the word “Nod” which is to be a wanderer and a fugitive; and that to be “a wanderer and a fugitive” is to be deprived of truth and good, may be seen above. That “toward the east of Eden” signifies near the intellectual mind, where love had previously reigned, and also near the rational mind, where charity had previously reigned, is evident from what has been said of the signification of “the east of Eden” namely, that “the east” is the Lord, and “Eden” love. With the men of the Most Ancient Church, the mind, consisting of the will and the understanding, was one; for the will was the all in all, so that the understanding was of the will. This was because they made no distinction between love, which is of the will, and faith, which is of the understanding, because love was the all in all, and faith was of love. But after faith was separated from love, as was the case with those who were called “Cain” no will reigned any longer, and as in that mind the understanding reigned instead of the will, or faith instead of love, it is said that he “dwelt toward the east of Eden;” for as was just now observed faith was distinguished, or “had a mark set upon it” that it might be preserved for the use of mankind.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.