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but was wholly intent upon getting; and he first contrived to
plough the ground。 He slew his brother on the occasion following
: … They had resolved to sacrifice to God。 Now Cain brought the
fruits of the earth; and of his husbandry; but Abel brought milk;
and the first…fruits of his flocks: but God was more delighted
with the latter oblation;(6) when he was honored with what grew
naturally of its own accord; than he was with what was the
invention of a covetous man; and gotten by forcing the ground;
whence it was that Cain was very angry that Abel was preferred by
God before him; and he slew his brother; and hid his dead body;
thinking to escape discovery。 But God; knowing what had been
done; came to Cain; and asked him what was become of his brother;
because he had not seen him of many days; whereas he used to
observe them conversing together at other times。 But Cain was in
doubt with himself; and knew not what answer to give to God。 At
first he said that he was himself at a loss about his brother's
disappearing; but when he was provoked by God; who pressed him
vehemently; as resolving to know what the matter was; he replied;
he was not his brother's guardian or keeper; nor was he an
observer of what he did。 But; in return; God convicted Cain; as
having been the murderer of his brother; and said; 〃I wonder at
thee; that thou knowest not what is become of a man whom thou
thyself hast destroyed。〃 God therefore did not inflict the
punishment 'of death' upon him; on account of his offering
sacrifice; and thereby making supplication to him not to be
extreme in his wrath to him; but he made him accursed; and
threatened his posterity in the seventh generation。 He also cast
him; together with his wife; out of that land。 And when he was
afraid that in wandering about he should fall among Wild beasts;
and by that means perish; God bid him not to entertain such a
melancholy suspicion; and to go over all the earth without fear
of what mischief he might suffer from wild beasts; and setting a
mark upon him; that he might be known; he commanded him to
depart。

2。 And when Cain had traveled over many countries; he; with his
wife; built a city; named Nod; which is a place so called; and
there he settled his abode; where also he had children。 However;
he did not accept of his punishment in order to amendment; but to
increase his wickedness; for he only aimed to procure every thing
that was for his own bodily pleasure; though it obliged him to be
injurious to his neighbors。 He augmented his household substance
with much wealth; by rapine and violence; he excited his
acquaintance to procure pleasures and spoils by robbery; and
became a great leader of men into wicked courses。 He also
introduced a change in that way of simplicity wherein men lived
before; and was the author of measures and weights。 And whereas
they lived innocently and generously while they knew nothing of
such arts; he changed the world into cunning craftiness。 He first
of all set boundaries about lands: he built a city; and fortified
it with walls; and he compelled his family to come together to
it; and called that city Enoch; after the name of his eldest son
Enoch。 Now Jared was the son of Enoch; whose son was Malaliel;
whose son was Mathusela; whose son was Lamech; who had
seventy…seven children by two wives; Silla and Ada。 Of those
children by Ada; one was Jabal: he erected tents; and loved the
life of a shepherd。 But Jubal; who was born of the same mother
with him; exercised himself in music;(7) and invented the
psaltery and the harp。 But Tubal; one of his children by the
other wife; exceeded all men in strength; and was very expert and
famous in martial performances。 He procured what tended to the
pleasures of the body by that method; and first of all invented
the art of making brass。 Lamech was also the father of a
daughter; whose name was Naamah。 And because he was so skillful
in matters of divine revelation; that he knew he was to be
punished for Cain's murder of his brother; he made that known to
his wives。 Nay; even while Adam was alive; it came to pass that
the posterity of Cain became exceeding wicked; every one
successively dying; one after another; more wicked than the
former。 They were intolerable in war; and vehement in robberies;
and if any one were slow to murder people; yet was he bold in his
profligate behavior; in acting unjustly; and doing injuries for
gain。

3。 Now Adam; who was the first man; and made out of the earth;
(for our discourse must now be about him;) after Abel was slain;
and Cain fled away; on account of his murder; was solicitous for
posterity; and had a vehement desire of children; he being two
hundred and thirty years old; after which time he lived other
seven hundred; and then died。 He had indeed many other
children;(8) but Seth in particular。 As for the rest; it would be
tedious to name them; I will therefore only endeavor to give an
account of those that proceeded from Seth。 Now this Seth; when he
was brought up; and came to those years in which he could discern
what was good; became a virtuous man; and as he was himself of an
excellent character; so did he leave children behind him who
imitated his virtues。(9) All these proved to be of good
dispositions。 They also inhabited the same country without
dissensions; and in a happy condition; without any misfortunes
falling upon them; till they died。 They also were the inventors
of that peculiar sort of wisdom which is concerned with the
heavenly bodies; and their order。 And that their inventions might
not be lost before they were sufficiently known; upon Adam's
prediction that the world was to be destroyed at one time by the
force of fire; and at another time by the violence and quantity

of water; they made two pillars; (10) the one of brick; the other
of stone: they inscribed their discoveries on them both; that in
case the pillar of brick should be destroyed by the flood; the
pillar of stone might remain; and exhibit those discoveries to
mankind; and also inform them that there was another pillar of
brick erected by them。 Now this remains in the land of Siriad to
this day。

CHAPTER 3。

Concerning The Flood; And After What Manner Noah Was Saved In An
Ark; With His Kindred; And Afterwards Dwelt In The Plain Of
Shinar;

1。 Now this posterity of Seth continued to esteem God as the Lord
of the universe; and to have an entire regard to virtue; for
seven generations; but in process of time they were perverted;
and forsook the practices of their forefathers; and did neither
pay those honors to God which were appointed them; nor had they
any concern to do justice towards men。 But for what degree of
zeal they had formerly shown for virtue; they now showed by their
actions a double degree of wickedness; whereby they made God to
be their enemy。 For many angels(11) of God accompanied with
women; and begat sons that proved unjust; and despisers of all
that was good; on account of the confidence they had in their own
strength; for the tradition is; that these men did what resembled
the acts of those whom the Grecians call giants。 But Noah was
very uneasy at what they did; and being displeased at their
conduct; persuaded them to change their dispositions and their
acts for the better: but seeing they did not yield to him; but
were slaves to their wicked pleasures; he was afraid they would
kill him; together with his wife and children; and those they had
married; so he departed out of that land。

2。 Now God loved this man for his righteousness: yet he not only
condemned those other men for their wickedness; but determined to
destroy the whole race of mankind; and to make another race that
should be pure from wickedness; and cutting short their lives;
and making their years not so many as they formerly lived; but
one hundred and twenty only;(12) he turned the dry land into sea;
and thus were all these men destroyed: but Noah alone was saved;
for God suggested to him the following contrivance and way of
escape : … That he should make an ark of four stories high; three
hundred cubits(13) long; fifty cubits broad; and thirty cubits
high。 Accordingly he entered into that ark; and his wife; and
sons; and their wives; and put into it not only other provisions;
to support their wants there; but also sent in with the rest all
sorts of living creatures; the male and his female; for the
preservation of their kinds; and others of them by sevens。 Now
this ark had firm walls; and a roof; and was braced with cross
beams; so that it could not be any way drowned or overborne by
the violence of the water。 And thus was Noah; with his family;
preserved。 Now he was the tenth from Adam; as being the son of
Lamech; whose father was Mathusela; he was the son of Enoch; the
son of Jared; and Jared was the son of Malaleel; who; with many
of his sisters; were the children of Cainan; the son of Enos。 Now
Enos was the son of Seth; the son of Adam。

3。 This calamity happened in the six hundredth year of Noah's
government; 'age;' in the second month; (14) called by the
Macedonians Dius; but by the Hebrews Marchesuan: for so did they
order their year in Egypt。 But Moses appointed that ú Nisan

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