The First Book Of Adam And Eve
1926 anthology, complete selected publisher reading text
Rutherford H. Platt
CHAP. LXXVI.
Cain becomes jealous because of his sisters.
A ND the children began to wax stronger, and to grow in stature; but Cain was hardhearted, and ruled over his younger brother.
2 And oftentimes when his father made an offering, he would remain behind and not go with them, to offer up.
3 But, as to Abel, he had a meek heart, and was obedient to his father and mother, whom he often moved to make an offering, because he loved it; and prayed and fasted much.
4 Then came this sign to Abel. As he was coming into the Cave of Treasures, and saw the golden rods, the incense and the myrrh, he inquired of his parents Adam and Eve concerning them, and said unto them, “How did you come by these?”
5 Then Adam told him all that had befallen them. And Abel felt deeply about what his father told him.
6 Furthermore his father Adam, told him of the works of God, and of the garden; and after that, he remained behind his father the whole of that night in the Cave of Treasures.
7 And that night, while he was praying, Satan appeared unto him under the figure of a man, who said to him, “Thou hast oftentimes moved thy father to make an offering, to fast and to pray, therefore I will kill thee, and make thee perish from this world.”
8 But as for Abel, he prayed to God, and drove away Satan from him; and believed not the words of the devil. Then when it was day, an angel of God appeared unto him, who said to him, “Shorten neither fasting, prayer, nor offering up an oblation unto thy God. For, lo, the Lord has accepted thy prayer. Be not afraid of the figure which appeared unto thee in the night, and who cursed thee unto death.” And the angel departed from him.
9 Then when it was day, Abel came to Adam and Eve, and told them of the vision he had seen. But when they heard it, they grieved much over it, yet said nothing to him about it; they only comforted him.
10 But as to hard-hearted Cain, Satan came to him by night, showed himself and said unto him, “Since Adam and Eve love thy brother Abel much more than they love thee, and wish to join him in marriage to thy beautiful sister, because they love him; but wish to join thee in marriage to his ill-favoured sister, because they hate thee;
11 “Now, therefore, I counsel thee, when they do that, to kill thy brother; then thy sister will be left for thee; and his sister will be cast, away.”
12 And Satan departed from him. But the wicked One remained behind in the heart of Cain, who sought many a time, to kill his brother.
CHAP. LXXVII.
Cain, 15 years old, and Abel 12 years old, grow apart.
BUT when Adam saw that the elder brother hated the younger, he endeavoured to soften their hearts, and said unto Cain, “Take, O my son, of the fruits of thy sowing, and make an offering unto God, that He may forgive thee thy wickedness and thy sin.”
2 He said also to Abel, “Take thou of thy sowing and make an offering and bring it to God, that He may forgive thy wickedness and thy sin.”
3 Then Abel hearkened unto his father’s voice, and took of his sowing, and made a good offering, and said to his father, Adam, “Come with me, to show me how to offer it up.”
4 And they went, Adam and Eve with him, and showed him how to offer up his gift upon the altar. Then after that, they stood up and prayed that God would accept Abel’s offering.
5 Then God looked upon Abel and accepted his offering. And God was more pleased with Abel than with his offering, because of his good heart and pure body. There was no trace of guile in him.
6 Then they came down from the altar, and went to the cave in which they dwelt. But Abel, by reason of his joy at having made his offering, repeated it three times a week, after the example of his father Adam.
7 But as to Cain, he took no pleasure in offering; but after much anger on his father’s part, he offered up his gift once; and when he did offer up, his eye was on the offering he made, and he took the smallest of his sheep for an offering, and his eye was again on it. ‘
8 Therefore God did not accept his offering, because his heart was full of murderous thoughts.
9 And they all thus lived together in the cave in which Eve had brought forth, until Cain was fifteen years old, and Abel twelve years old.
CHAP. LXXVIII.
Jealousy overcomes Cain. He makes trouble in the family. How the first murder was planned.
THEN Adam said to Eve, “Behold the children are grown up; we must think of finding wives for them.”
2 Then Eve answered, “How can we do it?”
3 Then Adam said to her, “We will join Abel’s sister in marriage to Cain, and Cain’s sister to Abel.”
4 Then said Eve to Adam, “I do not like Cain because he is hard-hearted; but let them bide until we offer up unto the Lord in their behalf.”
5 And Adam said no more.
6 Meanwhile Satan came to Cain in the figure of a man of the field, and said to him, “Behold Adam and Eve have taken counsel together about the marriage of you two; and they have agreed to marry Abel’s sister to thee, and thy sister to him.
7 “But if it was not that I love thee, I would not have told thee this thing. Yet if thou wilt take my advice, and hearken to me, I will bring: thee on thy wedding day beautiful robes, gold and silver in plenty, and my relations will attend thee.”
8 Then Cain said with joy, “Where are thy relations?”
9 And Satan answered, “My relations are in a garden in the north, whither I once meant to bring thy father Adam; but he would not accept my offer.
10 “But thou, if thou wilt receive my words and if thou wilt come unto me after thy wedding, thou shalt rest from the misery in which thou art; and thou shalt rest and be better off than thy father Adam.”
11 At these words of Satan Cain opened his ears, and leant towards his speech.
12 And he did not remain in the field, but he went to Eve, his mother, and beat her, and cursed her, and said to her, “Why are ye about taking my sister to wed her to my brother? Am I dead”“
13 His mother, however, quieted him, and sent him to the field where be had been.