, it should bring forth some of its fruits,
and refuse to bring forth others. He also made Eve liable to the
inconveniency of breeding, and the sharp pains of bringing forth
children; and this because she persuaded Adam with the same arguments
wherewith the serpent had persuaded her, and had thereby brought him
into a calamitous condition. He also deprived the serpent of speech, out
of indignation at his malicious disposition towards Adam. Besides this,
he inserted poison under his tongue, and made him an enemy to men; and
suggested to them, that they should direct their strokes against his
head, that being the place wherein lay his mischievous designs towards
men, and it being easiest to take vengeance on him, that way. And when
he had deprived him of the use of his feet, he made him to go rolling
all along, and dragging himself upon the ground. And when God had
appointed these penalties for them, he removed Adam and Eve out of the
garden into another place.

CHAPTER 2. Concerning The Posterity Of Adam, And The Ten Generations
From Him To The Deluge.

1. Adam and Eve had two sons: the elder of them was named Cain; which
name, when it is interpreted, signifies a possession: the younger was
Abel, which signifies sorrow. They had also daughters. Now the two
brethren were pleased with different courses of life: for Abel, the
younger, was a lover of righteousness; and believing that God was
present at all his actions, he excelled in virtue; and his employment
was that of a shepherd. But Cain was not only very wicked in other
respects, 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