Genesis 4:12

And if you try to grow plants in the ground, nothing will grow for you. You will always go from place to place, and you will never settle down anywhere.”

Barkly (portions)

In The King James Version

When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

In Context

11You killed your brother and the ground soaked up his blood. And so I am going to put a curse on you. From now on the ground will be your enemy.

13Cain said to the Lord, “You are too hard on me.

Read all of Genesis 4

Cross References

Genesis 3:17Then God said to Adam, “You listened to your wife. Remember, I told you, ‘You must not eat that fruit,’ but you still ate it. Now that you have gone against what I said to you, I am going to put a curse on the ground. And for the rest of your life you will have to work really hard to get your food.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 4:10-13

Cain's Punishment. ( b. c. 3875.) 9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? 10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; 12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. We have here a… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 4:12