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The account of Cain and Abel ranks among the most well-known narratives in the Bible, often transformed into moral lessons in settings such as children\u2019s church and the main morning service. This narrative teaches us that we have a choice in life: to follow God\u2019s way and receive blessings or to give in to our natural impulses and sin, which results in negative consequences.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, there is some ambiguity in the story, as many people do not fully understand the issue with Cain\u2019s offering, leading them to either quickly skip over it or avoid discussing it altogether. While it may not change the overall message, understanding where Cain went wrong can better equip us to serve God in our own lives.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Therefore, in this post, we will seek to uncover what God actually conveyed to Cain, which will clarify how Cain sinned against God and can enhance our understanding of other biblical passages and sin in our own lives. Let\u2019s begin by reviewing some common translations and interpretations of Genesis 4:7.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Following their departure from the garden, Adam\u2019s wife became pregnant and gave birth to two sons. The first was named Cain, and the second was named Abel. Abel was responsible for the flocks, while Cain worked the soil. At one point, Cain made an offering to the Lord from the produce of the land. Abel, too, presented an offering, consisting of the firstborn of his sheep and their fat.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Lord looked favorably upon Abel\u2019s offering but did not accept Cain\u2019s. As a result, Cain was filled with grief, and his demeanor changed. The Lord then asked him why his \u201cface\u201d had fallen. Why had his expression changed? Below are God\u2019s remaining words, as translated and interpreted from several different English translations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you are doing what is good, shouldn\u2019t you hold your head high? And if you don\u2019t do what is good, sin is crouching at the door \u2014 it wants you, but you can rule over it.\u201d \u2014Gen. 4:7 CJB\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. \u2014Gen. 4:7 KJV\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.\u201d \u2014Gen. 4:7 NIV\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Is there not, if thou dost well, acceptance? and if thou dost not well, at the opening a sin-offering is crouching, and unto thee its desire, and thou rulest over it.\u2019 Gen. 4:7 YLT\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Whether not if thou shalt do well, thou shalt receive well; but if thou doest evil, thy sin shall be present anon in the gates? but the desire thereof, that is, of sin, shall be under thee, and thou shalt be lord thereof. (If thou shalt do well, then thou shalt be accepted; but if thou doest evil, then at once thy sin shall be present at the gates, and the desire of sin shall take thee under, and so thou must be lord of it, or rule over it.) \u2014 Gen. 4:7 WYC\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Despite some insight offered by these translations, we should reexamine certain aspects. While I\u2019m not an expert in Greek, Hebrew, or even English, I do feel I have a gift for recognizing and confronting things that make no sense and at least <\/span>attempting <\/span><\/i>to make sense of them. This tendency of mine has often landed me in hot water, but it is what it is. Things <\/span>ough<\/span><\/i>t to be logical. That\u2019s just where I\u2019m at in life. Especially, when it comes to the Word of God.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So, while I believe YLT and WYC are closest to the true meaning, none of these translations are sensible; so, let\u2019s stop being complacent and pretending otherwise. To start, regarding the statement, \u201cIf you are doing what is good, shouldn\u2019t you hold your head high?\u201d (CJB), what is the purpose of God saying this? The truth is that Cain did <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> do what was good, which is why his head was justifiably downcast. <\/span>Additionally, where is the humility? When one does what is right, they\u2019re just doing what they\u2019re supposed to be doing. They shouldn\u2019t be proud of that and hold their head high.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDoes the servant get thanks for doing what he was told to do? I am sure he does not. It is the same with you also. When you do everything you have been told to do, you must say, \u2018We are not any special servants. We have done only what we should have done.\u2019\u201d \u2014Lk. 17:10 NLV\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Regarding the other translations, the term \u201cacceptance\u201d appears to have been chosen as the equivalent of a Hebrew noun that signifies \u201ca lifting up\u201d or \u201can elevation.\u201d This interpretation seems to have emerged from some viewing this \u201clifting up\u201d as a favorable change in Cain\u2019s previously fallen expression. According to those who consider it \u201cacceptance,\u201d God would accept Cain\u2019s offering if he did what was right, leading to his face being lifted; perhaps referring to a smile, I suppose<\/span><\/p>\n Beyond the apparent issues, the main concern is that this interpretation is a considerable stretch from the word\u2019s actual meaning. Moreover, the phrasing suggests a contrast is being established. Thus, if one action results in acceptance, the expectation is that the opposite action should lead to rejection. Instead, we find sin, personified, lying in wait at Cain\u2019s door\u2014 an outcome that is out of balance with the positive one.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And what <\/span>is<\/span><\/i> \u201csin\u201d?<\/span> Sin<\/span><\/a> is a mistake, a failure, or an error. It is \u201cmissing the mark\u201d or falling short of God\u2019s standards. Thus, if one fails to do what is right, they have already sinned or erred. So, why is sin described as lying in wait or crouching at the door, with some translations even suggesting it\u2019s \u201cready to pounce?\u201d For what purpose? It already has one foot<\/span> in<\/span><\/i> the door. It doesn\u2019t need to lurk <\/span>at<\/span><\/i> the door for a chance to strike. And what exactly is this door? What is it supposed to represent? Do you understand my concern?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Fortunately, there are translations and interpretations that are coherent and clear, which this post will explore. We will begin by studying the verse in the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament. Then, we will determine the most plausible translation and interpretation and compare them with the Hebrew text. Lastly, we\u2019ll discuss if it has any implications for us today. So, with all of that in mind, let\u2019s get started.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Genesis 4:7 in the Septuagint generally reads as follows:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u03bf\u1f50\u03ba, \u1f10\u03b1\u03bd \u1f40\u03c1\u03b8\u1ff6\u03c2 \u03c0\u03c1\u03bf\u03c3\u03b5\u03bd\u1f73\u03b3\u03ba\u1fc3\u03c2, \u1f40\u03c1\u03b8\u1ff6\u03c2 \u03b4\u1f72 \u03bc\u1f74 \u03b4\u03b9\u1f73\u03bb\u1fc3\u03c2, \u1f25\u03bc\u03b1\u03c1\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2\u037e \u1f21\u03c3\u1f7b\u03c7\u03b1\u03c3\u03bf\u03bd\u0387 \u03c0\u03c1\u03bf\u03c2 \u03c3\u1f72 \u1f21 \u1f00\u03c0\u03bf\u03c3\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c6\u1f74 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6, \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c3\u1f7a \u1f04\u03c1\u03be\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n First, the expression <\/span>\u03bf\u1f50\u03ba \u1f10\u03b1\u03bd, <\/strong><\/i><\/b>can be translated as \u201cnot if,\u201d which may indicate the initiation of a question. The word <\/span>\u1f40\u03c1\u03b8\u1ff6\u03c2<\/i><\/b> serves as an adverb in this verse, meaning \u201cright, upright, true, straight, or correct,\u201d and therefore, can<\/span> be translated as \u201crightly.\u201d The verb <\/span>\u03c0\u03c1\u03bf\u03c3\u03b5\u03bd\u1f73\u03b3\u03ba\u1fc3\u03c2<\/i><\/b> means \u201cto bring to, offer, or present,\u201d while <\/span>\u03b4\u03b9\u1f73\u03bb\u1fc3\u03c2<\/i><\/b> translates to \u201cdivide, distribute, or distinguish,\u201d and can also mean \u201cseparate.\u201d Both verbs are in the 2nd person singular, aorist tense, and subjunctive mood.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The last term, <\/span>\u1f25\u03bc\u03b1\u03c1\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2<\/i><\/b>, is a verb in the indicative mood meaning \u201cto sin.\u201d Therefore, the phrase <\/span>\u03bf\u1f50\u03ba \u1f10\u03b1\u03bd \u1f40\u03c1\u03b8\u1ff6\u03c2 \u03c0\u03c1\u03bf\u03c3\u03b5\u03bd\u1f73\u03b3\u03ba\u1fc3\u03c2, \u1f40\u03c1\u03b8\u1ff6\u03c2 \u03b4\u1f72 \u03bc\u1f74 \u03b4\u03b9\u1f73\u03bb\u1fc3\u03c2 \u1f25\u03bc\u03b1\u03c1\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2<\/span><\/i> could be translated as: \u201cNot if rightly you have brought, but rightly not you have divided you have erred?\u201d Essentially, if you perform \u201cA\u201d correctly but not \u201cB,\u201d isn\u2019t it true that \u201cC\u201d follows?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Continuing on, the verb <\/span>\u1f21\u03c3\u1f7b\u03c7\u03b1\u03c3\u03bf\u03bd<\/i><\/b> is a command meaning \u201cto remain quiet, still, or at rest.\u201d Thus, Cain is being instructed to \u201cKeep still.\u201d\u00a0 Next, the preposition \u03c0\u03c1\u03bf\u03c2<\/em><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0can have multiple interpretations, with \u201cto\u201d or \u201ctoward\u201d being the most common. Given the context of the passage, I have opted to translate it as \u201capproaching.\u201d Following that, the pronoun <\/span>\u03c3\u1f72<\/i><\/b> translates to \u201cyou.\u201d Thus, the words<\/span> \u1f21\u03c3\u1f7b\u03c7\u03b1\u03c3\u03bf\u03bd \u03c0\u03c1\u03bf\u03c2 \u03c3\u1f72<\/span><\/i> could be interpreted as \u201cKeep still. Approaching you\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Why was Cain told to remain quiet, still, or at rest? It was because something threatening was either near him or approaching. But what was it? In the phrase <\/span>\u1f21 \u1f00\u03c0\u03bf\u03c3\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c6\u1f74 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6<\/span><\/i>, the noun <\/span>\u1f00\u03c0\u03bf\u03c3\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c6\u03ae <\/i><\/b>signifies \u201ca bending or twisting, or a diversion.\u201d This word, transliterated as <\/span>\u0103postroph\u1e17<\/span><\/i>, is used to refer to the punctuation mark in English represented by a small dot with a tail that curves inward. Essentially, \u0103postroph\u1e17,<\/i><\/span>\u00a0signifies a \u201cturning,\u201d which can encompass a turning back, turning away, or turning toward. It can imply a shift in focus from one thing to another, or a change in one\u2019s direction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>The Hebrew word,<\/span> teshequa<\/span><\/i><\/a>, which appears in this verse of the Hebrew Bible, as the equivalent of \u0103postroph\u1e17,<\/i> translates to \u201cdesire,\u201d reflecting a sense of longing or craving. It suggests a sense of \u201crunning after\u201d or \u201cstretching out\u201d towards someone or something. It can also indicate a change in one\u2019s course. <\/span>Teshequa<\/span><\/i> appears only three times in the Hebrew Bible: in Genesis 3:19, Genesis 4:7, and Song of Songs\/Solomon 7:10.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me. \u2014 Song. 7:10 NIV\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 16 To the woman he said, \u201cI will greatly increase your pain in childbirth. You will bring forth children in pain. Your desire will be toward your husband, but he will rule over you.\u201d \u2014Gen. 3:16 CJB\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n In the Song of Solomon, the woman expresses that she belongs to her beloved. It\u2019s worth noting, that during that time, it was typical for men, particularly kings, to have multiple wives and concubines, while women were expected to remain loyal to one man. Thus, in the context of a sexual relationship, she truly belonged to him, even though he likely did not \u201cbelong\u201d solely to her.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Nonetheless, his attention shifted towards her, indicating he had turned away from others to concentrate primarily on this one woman. Thus, <\/span>his turning, <\/span><\/i>or <\/span>his focus<\/span><\/i> was toward her, interpreted by translators as \u201chis desire.\u201d We\u2019ll examine Genesis 3:16 in the next post, but the essential point is that while both the Hebrew and Greek can be interpreted as \u201cdesire,\u201d Genesis 4:7 refers to a form of \u201cturning.\u201d Therefore,<\/span> \u1f21 \u1f00\u03c0\u03bf\u03c3\u03c4\u03c1\u03bf\u03c6\u1f74 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6<\/span><\/i> can be understood as \u201cthe turning of it.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Next up is the the verb <\/span>\u1f04\u03c1\u03be\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2<\/i><\/b> which means \u201cto be first, to govern, to lead, or to rule.\u201d The phrase <\/span>\u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c3\u1f7a \u1f04\u03c1\u03be\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 <\/span><\/i>could be interpreted literally as \u201cand you will rule over it,\u201d or it might be framed as a question: \u201cand will rule you over it?\u201d Given the narrative\u2019s outcome, I have chosen the latter interpretation. In the context of the passage, the word <\/span>\u1f04\u03c1\u03be\u03b5\u03b9\u03c2 <\/span><\/i>suggests that Cain is to take control of something.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Considering the meanings of these terms and their context, I propose that the best interpretation of Genesis 4:6-7 is as follows:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Why have you become deeply grieved and why has your countenance fallen? Is it not true that if rightly you have brought, but rightly you have not divided, you have erred? Keep still. The turning of it is approaching you. And will you rule over it?\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n I chose not to translate it as \u201cKeep still. The turning of it is approaching you and you <\/span>will<\/span><\/i> rule over it,\u201d interpreting the turning in a favorable light as a shift in the situation that Cain would eventually dominate, because it would imply that God is lying, given that this is not what Cain did. At this stage in the story, the future is unclear, so the most sensible interpretation is that the latter portion of the verse was presented to Cain as a question.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Again, I acknowledge that I am not an expert in any language, so if you are, I invite your critiques and corrections. I genuinely welcome your input as I am more concerned with discovering the truth than being right. However, despite any inaccuracies, I believe this translation reasonably captures the intended message. Now, let\u2019s explore how this can be accurately understood within the context of our passage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In our effort to comprehend the message of the key passage, we will analyze it section by section. To begin, the Greek text indicates that \u201cafter\u201d days, which in the Hebrew can be translated as the \u201cend\u201d or \u201cconclusion\u201d (of) days,\u201d which some interpret as referring to a harvest period, Cain brought an offering to God. Abel, his brother, also brought an offering. However, it is not exactly clear when Abel brought his offering. Nevertheless, God looked favorably upon Abel\u2019s offering but paid no attention to Cain\u2019s.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As a result, Cain found himself wrestling with emotions such as grief, possible jealousy, discouragement, and anger. His countenance had fallen, reflecting a downturn in his emotional state. It wasn\u2019t just that he wore a frown; <\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/i>countenance<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u201d <\/span><\/i>encompasses his overall behavior and conduct. Due to the issues with his offering, Cain\u2019s actions had deviated from a state of moral uprightness. His moral integrity had notably diminished, leading him down a troubling path.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When God speaks to Cain, he questions why Cain is upset and why his demeanor has changed. However, he isn\u2019t looking for an answer; he is looking to make a point. A mistake in how Cain presented his offering led to his offering being rejected, and Cain didn\u2019t seem ignorant of the process. This is evident from God\u2019s rhetorical question: Isn\u2019t it true that if you have done right by offering, but failed to correctly distribute or allocate it, you have sinned?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Based on the context, we can infer that Cain understood this principle. Therefore, he had no right to be angry; but if he <\/span>were <\/span><\/i>angry, he couldn\u2019t rightfully blame anyone but himself. That\u2019s what I think God is trying to convey.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It is important to recognize that God\u2019s rejection of Cain was intended for correction and was not done out of malice or pettiness. Would it have been right for him to let him continue in error? So, he God rejected him in order to correct him. Essentially, he is attempting to teach Cain a lesson and leading him to acknowledge and affirm his understanding of a rule or principle he should have already known. But what did Cain actually do wrong?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If we revisit the beginning of the same chapter, we find vital information that is often overlooked. In my case, prior to studying this, I paid absolutely no attention. As far as I knew, it wasn\u2019t important to the account, and I was satisfied with the explanation that Cain hadn\u2019t offered a blood sacrifice or that what he brought God was cursed since God had cursed the ground, and this was why his offering was rejected.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The thing is, I didn\u2019t know any better\u2014and how can one seek<\/em> to know what they don\u2019t know that they should know? That is why God has provided teachers. Their job is to <\/span>teach<\/span><\/i> not to make us feel good or to argue current events. Today, \u201cbiblical teaching\u201d is not prepared based on study and truth, but by how many views, likes, or followers one believes they can gain from the message. As a result, the church of God remains ignorant and lacking.; but, I digress.<\/span><\/p>\n It states that both Cain and Abel made offerings to God, but Cain offered some of the produce from the ground, while Abel brought the firstborn of his flocks and their fat. Cain\u2019s offering is portrayed as ordinary produce, whereas Abel\u2019s is characterized as the best and first of what he\u2019d gained. Consequently, God rejected Cain\u2019s offering. And why shouldn\u2019t he? Does anyone bring a gift suitable for a commoner to a king? Unlike his brother, Abel, Cain failed to rightly divide. But through faith, Abel did what was right. He trusted God by giving the first and best of what he had.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. \u2014 Heb. 11:4 NIV\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n After enlightening him , God gives Cain a command along with a warning. He instructs Cain to \u201cKeep still,\u201d and there is a significant reason for this. It suggests that Cain was on the brink of turning away. The phrase \u201cturning of it,\u201d likely refers to his countenance, which signifies more than a mere desire; it denotes a total transformation in Cain\u2019s mindset and faithfulness to God; It refers to his already wavering behavior or conduct, and thus refers ultimately, to Cain himself. <\/span>This turning away was precisely that\u2014an act of turning away; a complete 180\u00b0. Caught up in his emotions, Cain was at risk of making a conscious choice to abandon God and his commandments.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I suspect this was not the first problem that led to Cain murdering his brother and rejecting God, but it seems to have been the peak; the moment that pushed him over the edge. He was deeply troubled, and his righteousness had waned. He was torn up on the inside.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>As human beings, we recognize that this isn\u2019t the best mental state for making decisions, but grief, anger, and jealousy can drive one to act recklessly now and think twice about it later.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Fortunately, God understands this. Keep in mind that he knows the heart (1 Sam. 16:7; 1 Kgs. 8:39). He was aware of Cain\u2019s mindset and appeared to be trying to steer him back on track. In his mercy, the Lord issued a warning to Cain: Be still. The hour of your turning away is imminent. It is upon you. Do not turn to the right or to the left. BE STILL. Why? Because if you stay still, you will not turn away.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Furthermore, the idea of lying down or crouching in readiness to strike could indeed be relevant here, but it pertains to Cain rather than sin. After all, while we can avoid and triumph over sin, become dead to it, and are not obligated to be its servants, can we genuinely exercise authority over sin? Are we truly able to rule<\/em> over it? Does the Bible ever imply that we can? Should we even seek <\/span>any<\/span><\/i> relationship with sin, including one that involves <\/span>governing<\/span><\/i> it?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n On the other hand, what the Bible <\/span>does<\/span><\/i> teach is that self-control<\/em> is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). We have the ability to govern our own actions. Metaphorically, Cain was to be quiet and alert, as a deadly predator lurked nearby\u2014his very own ego\u2014and if it drew too close, it could consume him.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Therefore, he should be prepared to counter it and assert control before it brings him down. In reality, here is what it would look like: Put an end to your sorrow, anger, and malicious thoughts. Take those thoughts captive. Humble yourself and do not allow them to overpower you. Remain calm and be at peace.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Following this warning, God follows a pattern seen throughout the Scriptures. He offers Cain the chance to acknowledge his choices, and to recognize an opportunity to escape this tragic outcome. The Lord inquires of Cain, \u201cWill you rule over it?\u201d In other words: \u201cwhat-chu-gone-do?\u201d Will you take control of it? Will you put it in its place? Or will you allow <\/span>it<\/span><\/i> to rule over <\/span>you<\/span><\/i>? Unfortunately, Cain was too consumed by his anger and pride to heed this warning.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Now, let\u2019s examine this in relation to the text found in the Hebrew Bible. In the Hebrew Bible, the phrase \u201cIf you do well a lifting up,\u201d which is often distorted to read, \u201cIf you do well, won\u2019t you be accepted?\u201d can be understood as \u201cif you do right (an\/the) offering,\u201d since \u201clifting up\u201d evokes the image of someone raising something to present it to another.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Furthermore, presenting an offering to a deity, serves as an act of honor and exaltation, which are additional meanings of the Hebrew term<\/span> Background and Common Interpretations\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Analyzing the Language: What Was Actually Said?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
How Should It Be Understood?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Rejection Is for Correction\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
Cain\u2019s Inner Struggle\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
Greek and Hebrew Comparison\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n