Recite, _O Moḥammad_, unto them (_that is, to thy people_) the history of the two sons of Adam, _namely, Abel and Cain_,[196] with truth. When they offered [their] offering _to God_[197] (_Abel’s being a ram, and Cain’s being produce of the earth_), and it was accepted from one of them (_that is, from Abel; for fire descended from heaven, and devoured his offering_), and it was not accepted from the other, _Cain was enraged; but he concealed his envy until Adam performed a pilgrimage, when_ he said _unto his brother_, I will assuredly slay thee. _Abel said, Wherefore? Cain answered, Because of the acceptance of thine offering to the exclusion of mine. Abel_ replied, God only accepteth from the pious. If thou stretch forth to me thy hand to slay me, I will not stretch forth to thee my hand to slay thee; for I fear God, the Lord of the worlds. I desire that thou shouldst bear the sin [which thou intendest to commit] against me, _by slaying me_, and thy sin _which thou hast committed before_, and thou wilt be of the companions of the fire.—And that is the recompense of the offenders.—But his soul suffered him to slay his brother: so he slew him; and he became of [the number of] those who suffer loss. _And he knew not what to do with him; for he was the first dead person upon the face of the earth of the sons of Adam. So he carried him upon his back._ And God sent a raven, which scratched up the earth _with its bill and its talons and raised it over a dead raven that was with it until it hid it_, to show him how he should hide the corpse of his brother. He said, O my disgrace! Am I unable to be like this raven, and to hide the corpse of my brother?—And he became of [the number of] the repentant. _And he digged_ [a grave] _for him, and hid him_.—On account of this _which Cain did_ We commanded the children of Israel that he who should slay a soul (not for _the latter’s having slain_ a soul or _committed_ wickedness in the earth, _such as infidelity, or adultery, or intercepting the way, and the like_) [should be regarded] as though he had slain all mankind; and he who saveth it alive, _by abstaining from slaying it_, as though he had saved alive all mankind. (v. 30-35.) _NOAH AND THE FLOOD._