Cain And Abel Revisited
Genesis 4:1–8 (FOGB)
1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord (yhvh).”
2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel.
Cain was the elder and Abel was his younger brother.
Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
“In time Abel became a keeper of sheep but Cain became a tiller of the ground.” Seems just as valid or perhaps God predestined Abel to be a keeper of sheep and Cain a tiller of the ground.
3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord (yhvh).
We do not know if the fruit of the ground was root vegetables, from a grain stock or from a fruit tree.
4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat.
It seems clear that Abel sacrificed of the firstborn of his flock and that he also brought their fat.
And the Lord (yhvh) respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering.
Through my forty + years in God’s Church I have heard several speakers including elders and ministers comment that Abel brought what was acceptable to God or that he had the right attitude or that he had the right offering and that Cain’s offering was not acceptable or that he had a bad attitude or that he had the wrong offering.
The fact that God respected Abel’s offering and did not respect Cain’s offering is very significant but it is not easy to determine exactly why this was so.
And Cain was very angry, and his expression fell.
This appears to be an over reaction or an act of jealousy.
6 So the Lord (yhvh) said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your expression fallen?
The Lord (YHVY) shows some concern. He wants Cain to focus on what he is doing. He wants Cain to realize the gravity of his state of mind.
7 If you do well, will you not be accepted?
It seems obvious that God is willing to forgive and to respect a future offering from Cain should he “do well.” God is encouraging Cain to do well and to not give up or get discouraged.
And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
It appears that in the eyes of God Cain had not yet sinned and that He is warning Cain that he is on the verge of committing a grave sin if he does not rule over his intentions.
Some speculate that Abel’s offering was of the right kind, at the right time and in the right frame of mind. This is realistic and possibly likely. I can understand that Cain’s offering was not given in the right frame of mind and perhaps at a less meaningful time but I see nothing wrong with offering produce. If it was a grain offering, I doubt that anyone would separate the better grains from the lesser or the early morning harvest from the late day harvest. I’m not a farmer so I stand to be corrected.
If Abel brought the sheep offering, he was a sheep keeper, what else would he bring, at the right time, say for the Passover then maybe God planned for Cain to bring a wheat offering or two loaves of bread for Pentecost. God may have just needed a little more time to win Cain over.
8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
2026 Jacques Gauvin
Search for related topics. * United Church Of God - UCG - ucg.org