Genesis 4:6

Genesis 4:6

And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

a. NLT: “Why are you so angry?” the LORD asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: And Jehovah said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?  [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: And Jehovah saith unto Cain, 'Why hast thou displeasure? and why hath thy countenance fallen? [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: And the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? And why do you look sad and depressed and dejected? [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: And HASHEM said to Cain, “Whyare you annoyed, and why has your countenance fallen? [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

1. “And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth?...”

a. [And the] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw' from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

b. said [Strong: 559 'amar aw-mar' a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech), utter, X verily, X yet.]

c. unto [Strong: 413 'el ale (but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el}); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).]

d. Cain [Strong: 7014 Qayin kah'-yin the same as 7013 (with a play upon the affinity to 7069); Kajin, the name of the first child, also of a place in Palestine, and of an Oriental tribe:--Cain, Kenite(-s).]

e. Why [Strong: 4100 mah maw or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (- soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.]

f. [art thou] wroth [Strong: 2734 charah khaw-raw' a primitive root (Compare 2787); to glow or grow warm; figuratively (usually) to blaze up, of anger, zeal, jealousy:--be angry, burn, be displeased, X earnestly, fret self, grieve, be (wax) hot, be incensed, kindle, X very, be wroth.]

2. “...and why is thy countenance fallen?”

a. [and] why [Strong: 4100 mah maw or mah {mah}; or ma {maw}; or ma {mah}; also meh {meh}; a primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses:--how (long, oft, (- soever)), (no-)thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.]

b. [is thy] countenance [Strong: 6440 paniym paw-neem' plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh {paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time), against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of), + beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), + honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, + meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on, open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street, X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s) past, (un-)to(-ward), + upon, upside (+ down), with(- in, + -stand), X ye, X you.]

c. fallen [Strong: 5307 naphal naw-fal' a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):--be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay (along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost, lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make to) rot, slay, smite out, X surely, throw down.]

1). The reason for Cain’s attitude was first of all he failed to obey God on his offering and Abel obeyed, but then he developed a wrong attitude after God rejected his offering and accepted Abel’s offering. It all stemmed from his refusal to offer a faithful offering.  

2). Why did God accept Abel’s offering and not Cain’s offering?

 

a). Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

 

(1) The “faith” in Hebrew 11:4 speaks of previous instruction. Romans 10:17 says “So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” They had been previously instructed on how to offer an appropriate sacrifice. This was not just a normal offering, it was a sin offering because through it, Abel “obtained witness that he was righteous.” Hebrews 11:4.

 

b). Under the Mosaic Covenant giving and offering “of the fruit of the ground” is fine for offering the First fruits, Deuteronomy 26:1-11; or the Tithe: Leviticus 27:30, but not for a sin offering. Blood had to be shed for the remission of sin.

 

(1) Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

 

c). Cain chose not to do it according to God’s instruction, and instead did it his own way. Although there was no one born again at this time because the new birth did not come into being until the death and resurrection of Christ, there was still a separation between the children of the devil and those in right standing with God, provided by the blood covenant. The verse in 1 John not only reflects the difference between the behaviors of Can and Abel as evil and righteous. It also shows that Cain’s offering was evil, because Cain was rejecting the blood covenant.

 

(1) 1 John 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

 

(2) Scofield Reference Bible: Cain, type of the religious natural man, who believes in a God, and in religion, but after his own will and who rejects redemption by blood.

 

d). The Book of Jude is a warning to the church of false teachers within its ranks. It warns against various sins by mentioning individuals associated with those sins. One of those mentioned is Cain.

 

(1) Jude 10, 11 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

Jude 11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain…”

 

e). Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

 

f. Everything in the New Covenant from getting born again, the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking with other tongues, anointed preaching, anointed music, being led by the spirit of God, the fruit of the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, receiving forgiviness, resisting sin. It is all based on the shedding of Jesus blood.

 

(1) Hebrews 13:20, 21 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.