Genesis 4:12

4:12 When you try to cultivate ¹  the

ground it will no longer yield ²  its best ³  for you. You will be a homeless wanderer ⁴  on the earth.”

Genesis 4:1

The Story of Cain and Abel

4:1 Now ⁵  the man had marital relations with ⁶  his wife Eve, and she became pregnant ⁷  and gave birth to Cain. Then she said, “I have created ⁸  a man just as the Lord did!” ⁹ 

Colossians 3:7

3:7 You also lived your lives ¹⁰  in this way at one time, when you used to live among them.

¹ tn Heb “work.”

² tn Heb “it will not again (תֹסֵף, tosef) give (תֵּת, tet),” meaning the ground will no longer yield. In translation the infinitive becomes the main verb, and the imperfect verb form becomes adverbial.

³ tn Heb “its strength.”

⁴ tn Two similar sounding synonyms are used here: נָע וָנָד (na’ vanad, “a wanderer and a fugitive”). This juxtaposition of synonyms emphasizes the single idea. In translation one can serve as the main description, the other as a modifier. Other translation options include “a wandering fugitive” and a “ceaseless wanderer” (cf. NIV).

⁵ tn The disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) introduces a new episode in the ongoing narrative.

⁶ tn Heb “the man knew,” a frequent euphemism for sexual relations.

⁷ tn Or “she conceived.”

⁸ tn Here is another sound play (paronomasia) on a name. The sound of the verb קָנִיתִי (qaniti, “I have created”) reflects the sound of the name Cain in Hebrew (קַיִן, qayin) and gives meaning to it. The saying uses the Qal perfect of קָנָה (qanah). There are two homonymic verbs with this spelling, one meaning “obtain, acquire” and the other meaning “create” (see Gen 14:19, 22; Deut 32:6; Ps 139:13; Prov 8:22). The latter fits this context very well. Eve has created a man.

⁹ tn Heb “with the Lord.” The particle אֶת־ (’et) is not the accusative/object sign, but the preposition “with” as the ancient versions attest. Some take the preposition in the sense of “with the help of” (see BDB 85 s.v. אֵת; cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV), while others prefer “along with” in the sense of “like, equally with, in common with” (see Lev 26:39; Isa 45:9; Jer 23:28). Either works well in this context; the latter is reflected in the present translation. Some understand אֶת־ as the accusative/object sign and translate, “I have acquired a man – the Lord.” They suggest that the woman thought (mistakenly) that she had given birth to the incarnate Lord, the Messiah who would bruise the Serpent’s head. This fanciful suggestion is based on a questionable allegorical interpretation of Gen 3:15 (see the note there on the word “heel”).

¹⁰ tn Grk “you also walked.” The verb περιπατέω (peripatew) is commonly used in the NT to refer to behavior or conduct of one’s life (L&N 41.11).