Genesis 4 · Verse 2

Genesis 4:2

And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Genesis 4:2, King James Version

Genesis 4:2 in other translations

BSBLater she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil.
WEBAgain she gave birth, to Cain’s brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
ASVAnd again she bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
YLTand she addeth to bear his brother, even Abel. And Abel is feeding a flock, and Cain hath been servant of the ground.
DARBYAnd she further bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a shepherd, but Cain was a husbandman.
BBEThen again she became with child and gave birth to Abel, his brother. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a farmer.
WebsterAnd she again bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

What does Genesis 4:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. 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.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 And she again bare his brother Abel - Literally, She added to bear (ותסף ללדת 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 conceived and brought forth Abel, but simply she added to bring forth Abel his brother; that is, as I understand it, Cain was the first-born, Abel, his twin brother, came next. Abel was a keeper of sheep - Adam was originally a gardener, Abel a shepherd, and Cain an agriculturist or farmer. These were the three primitive employments, and, I may add, the most rational, and consequently the best calculated to prevent strife and an immoderate love of the world.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 4:1-7

When Cain was born, Eve said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. Perhaps she thought that this was the promised seed. If so, she was wofully disappointed. Abel signifies vanity: when she thought she had the promised seed in Cain, whose name signifies possession, she was so taken up with him that another son was as vanity to her. Observe, each son had a calling. It is the will of God for every one to have something…

Read the full comment on Genesis 4:1-7 →

Genesis 4:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַתֹּ֣סֶףva.To.sefand she repeatedH3254
לָלֶ֔דֶתla.Le.detto give birth toH3205
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אָחִ֖יו'a.Chivbrother hisH251
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָ֑בֶלHa.velAbelH1893
וַֽיְהִי\־vay.hi-and he wasH1961
הֶ֙בֶל֙he.velAbelH1893
רֹ֣עֵהRo.'eha herder ofH7462
צֹ֔אןTzonsheepH6629
וְקַ֕יִןve.Ka.yinand CainH7014
הָיָ֖הha.Yahhe wasH1961
עֹבֵ֥ד'o.Veda tiller ofH5647
אֲדָמָֽה\׃'a.da.Mah[the] groundH127

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 4:2

  • 1 John 3:12

    Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

  • 1 John 3:15

    Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

  • Luke 11:51

    From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

  • John 8:44

    Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

  • 1 John 3:10

    In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

  • Genesis 47:3

    And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers.

  • Psalms 78:70-72

    He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

  • Exodus 3:1

    Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

  • Genesis 9:20

    And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:

  • Genesis 4:25-26

    And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.

  • Psalms 127:3

    Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

  • Genesis 3:23

    Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Abel. Heb. Hebel. And Abel.
30:29-31; 37:13; 46:32-34; 47:3; Ex 3:1; Ps 78:70-72; Am 7:15
a keeper. Heb. a feeder.
25,26; Ps 127:3; Joh 8:44; 1Jo 3:10,12,15
tiller.
3:23; 9:20

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 4:1

    And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.

  • Genesis 4:2

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

  • Genesis 4:3

    And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.

Read all of Genesis 4

Genesis 4:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y después parió á su hermano Abel. Y fué Abel pastor de ovejas, y Caín fué labrador de la tierra.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et elle enfanta encore son frère, Abel. Et Abel paissait le menu bétail, et Caïn labourait la terre.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sie gebar ferner seinen Bruder, den Abel. Und Abel wurde ein Schafhirt, und Kain wurde ein Ackerbauer.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Rursumque peperit fratrem ejus Abel. Fuit autem Abel pastor ovium, et Cain agricola.