Genesis 4:1-8

1 And Man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bore Cain, and said, I have acquired a man with Jehovah.

2 And she further bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a shepherd, but Cain was a husbandman.

3 And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to Jehovah.

4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of their fat. And Jehovah looked upon Abel, and on his offering;

5 and upon Cain, and on his offering, he did not look. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

6 And Jehovah said to Cain, Why art thou angry, and why is thy countenance fallen?

7 If thou doest well, will not [thy countenance] look up [with confidence]? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door; and unto thee [shall be] his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

8 And Cain spoke to Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Genesis 4:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 4

In this chapter an account is given of the two eldest children of Adam and Eve, their names and calling, Ge 4:1,2 and of their different offerings to the Lord, and the different respect had unto them by him, which in Cain issued in wrath and envy, which appeared in his countenance, and were taken notice of by the Lord, and about which he reasoned with him, Ge 4:3-7 but it had no effect upon him, he murdered his brother, upon which he was examined about him, but denied he knew anything of him where he was, Ge 4:8,9 he is arraigned, convicted and condemned, sentence passed upon him, and that executed, which he complains of, and is mitigated, or however a protection is granted him, and a mark set on him for his security, Ge 4:10-15 after which we have an account of his posterity for several generations, their names, and the business of some of them, Ge 4:16-24 and the chapter is closed with the birth of another son, and of a grandson to Adam and Eve, in whose days was the beginning of social religion.

Footnotes

• [a]. Acquisition.
• [b]. Heb. Hebel, a breath (Job 7.16); or 'vanity' (Ps.144.4).
• [c]. Lit. 'herdsman of small cattle.'
• [d]. Lit. 'worked the ground.'
• [e]. Lit. 'at the end of days.'
• [f]. Lit. 'gift,' minchah: so vers. 4,5; elsewhere translated 'oblation.' See Lev. 2.1.
• [g]. See Job 11.15. Or possibly, 'shalt thou not be accepted.' But I should question 'accepted,' the rather as nasa is used for it here. Lit. 'is there not a lifting up?'
• [h]. Or 'a sin-offering,' Heb. chattath the word having both senses: see Note b Lev. 5.1. Also 'punishment:' see Note Zech. 14.19.