King James Version

Genesis 4:8

And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֥אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…קַ֖יִןqayinCainקַיִןnoun, proper name — “Cain”H7014Kajin, the name of the first child, also of a place in Palestine, and of an Oriental tribeCain, Kenite(-s).אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).הֶ֣בֶלhevelAbelהֶבֶלnoun, proper name — “Abel”H1893Hebel, the son of AdamAbel.אָחִ֑יוachivbrother ; kindredאָחnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “brother ; kindred”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH251a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father))another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other. Compare also the proper names beginning with 'Ah-' or 'Ahi-'.וַֽיְהִי֙vayhiand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and be”, the next action in the storyH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.בִּהְיוֹתָ֣םbihyotamin beהָיָהpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “in be”, the to-form of the verbH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.בַּשָּׂדֶ֔הbasadehin fieldשָׂדֶהpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “in field”, the ordinary formH7704a field (as flat)country, field, ground, land, soil, [idiom] wild.וַיָּ֥קָםvayaqamand riseקוּםconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and rise”, the next action in the storyH6965to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)abide, accomplish, [idiom] be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, [idiom] be dim, endure, [idiom] enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, [idiom] but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (u…קַ֛יִןqayinCainקַיִןnoun, proper name — “Cain”H7014Kajin, the name of the first child, also of a place in Palestine, and of an Oriental tribeCain, Kenite(-s).אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).הֶ֥בֶלhevelAbelהֶבֶלnoun, proper name — “Abel”H1893Hebel, the son of AdamAbel.אָחִ֖יוachivbrother ; kindredאָחnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “brother ; kindred”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH251a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father))another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other. Compare also the proper names beginning with 'Ah-' or 'Ahi-'.וַיַּהַרְגֵֽהוּvayahargehvand destroyהָרַגconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and destroy”, the next action in the storyH2026to smite with deadly intentdestroy, out of hand, kill, murder(-er), put to (death), make (slaughter), slay(-er), [idiom] surely.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And Cain spoke unto Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And Cain told Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Young’s Literal Translation

And Cain saith unto Abel his brother, ['Let us go into the field;'] and it cometh to pass in their being in the field, that Cain riseth up against Abel his brother, and slayeth him.

World English Bible

Cain said to Abel, his brother, “Let’s go into the field.” While they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him.

Darby Translation

And Cain spoke to Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Douay-Rheims

And Cain said to Abel his brother: Let us go forth abroad. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and slew him.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And Cain spoke unto Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go out into the plain; and it came to pass that when they were in the plain Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπεν Κάϊν πρὸς Ἄβελ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, διέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πεδίον· καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ, ἀνέστη Κάϊν ἐπὶ Ἄβελ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτόν.