Genesi 4:5

5 ma non guardò con favore Caino e l’offerta sua. E Caino ne fu molto irritato, e il suo viso ne fu abbattuto.

Genesi 4:5 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 4:5

But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect
Not because of the matter of it, as some have thought; but because it was not offered in faith and sincerity, but in a formal and hypocritical manner, without any regard to the Messiah and his sacrifice, and without any view to the glory of God: no notice was taken, no approbation was given of it by the above token, or any other; so that it was manifest to Cain himself, that God did not approve of it, or was well pleased with it, as with his brother's: and Cain was very wroth;
with God, to whom he offered it, because he did not accept of it, and with his brother, because he and his sacrifice were preferred to him and his: and his countenance fell;
the briskness and cheerfulness of his countenance went off, and he looked dejected; and instead of lifting up his face towards heaven; he looked with a down look to the earth; he looked churlish, morose, and sullen, ill natured, full of malice and revenge, and as if he was studying which way to vent it; he knit his brows and gnashed his teeth, put on a surly countenance; and there might be seen in his face all the signs, not only of grief and disappointment, but of rage and fury; though F9 some interpret it of shame and confusion.


FOOTNOTES:

F9 R. Jonah apud R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 9. p. 2.

Genesi 4:5 In-Context

3 E avvenne, di li a qualche tempo, che Caino fece un offerta di frutti della terra all’Eterno;
4 e Abele offerse anch’egli dei primogeniti del suo gregge e del loro grasso. E l’Eterno guardò con favore Abele e la sua offerta,
5 ma non guardò con favore Caino e l’offerta sua. E Caino ne fu molto irritato, e il suo viso ne fu abbattuto.
6 E l’Eterno disse a Caino: "Perché sei tu irritato? e perché hai il volto abbattuto?
7 Se fai bene non rialzerai tu il volto? ma, se fai male, il peccato sta spiandoti alla porta, e i suoi desideri son vòlti a te; ma tu lo devi dominare!"
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