"Cain and Abel Paper" By David Buck (12/11/2010)

I. Examination of Genesis 4:1-7
Setting
The Bible does not give us the details of where exactly Cain and Abel lived following Adam and Eve’s departure from the Garden of Eden, which occurred before Cain and Abel’s birth. Eden’s exact location is a mystery. However, it is thought to have been some place in Mesopotamia because Genesis two references to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers stating that both flowed from out of Eden (Genesis 2:10-14). In addition to not knowing the exact location of where this story took place, there are also no details as to what timeframe the events of this story actually took place. We do, however know that Cain and Able were only the third and fourth humans to be created. Therefore, we know that this story took place sometime near the beginning of God’s creation. In conclusion, it may be assumed that this story took place somewhere in or near the region of Mesopotamia sometime shortly after the creation of man.

Occasion
The special event or occasion that takes place in Genesis chapter four, verses one through seven is an offering to the LORD. This offering is significant because it is the first offering to God in the scriptures. In verses three and four we read that Cain brought the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground and his brother Abel brought the LORD the firstborn of his flock. The Hebrew word that is used in the text for the word offering is minchah. The meaning of this word is offering or present. Genesis records this first sacrifice by Cain and Abel but gives no account of the origin of this practice. All that we know is that God clearly approved of this custom, and it was adopted in the Mosaic Law.

Key Terms
 Keeper of the sheep (v. 2): The Hebrew word for keeper used here is raah. This word means to feed. Therefore, the title of keeper of the sheep in this text actually means that he was simply a feeder of sheep.
 Tiller of the ground (v. 2): The Hebrew word for tiller is abad. This word means to serve, labor, or work. The Hebrew word for ground is adamah. This word means soil or ground. Therefore, the title tiller of the ground in this text means only that he was but a worker of the soil.
 Offering (v. 3, 4, and 5): The Hebrew word for offering is minchah. This word means an offering or present.
 Fruit of the ground (v. 3): The Hebrew word for fruit is peri. This word literally means fruit. The Hebrew word for ground is adamah. This word means soil or ground. Therefore, the term fruit of the ground means fruit of the soil.
 Firstlings of his flock (v. 4): The Hebrew word for firstlings is bekorah. This word means firstborn. The Hebrew word for flock is tson. This word means flock or sheep. Therefore, the term firstlings of his flock means firstborn of his sheep.
 Fat thereof (v. 4): The Hebrew word used for fat is cheleb. This word means fat, best part, or marrow. Therefore, this can be interpreted as meaning the best part.
 Respect (v. 4, 5): The Hebrew word used for respect is shaah. This word means to glance or look.
 His countenance fell (v. 5, 6): The Hebrew word for countenance is panin. This word means face. The Hebrew word for fall is naphal. This word means literally to fall. Therefore, this term means his face fell.
 Wroth (v. 5, 6): The Hebrew word used for wroth is hara. This word means to blaze up of anger, zeal, and jealousy.
 Lieth at the door (v. 7): The Hebrew word used for lieth is rabats. This word means crouch or lurks. The Hebrew word for door is pethach. This word means an opening or entrance of a door. Therefore, this means that sin lurks at the opening or entrance of a door.

Outline of Genesis 4:1-7
I. The Sons of Adam and Eve, Cain and Able— Genesis 4:1-7
A. The sons’ birth and occupation--Genesis 4:1, 2
1. Adam knew Eve his wife, conceiving sons’--Genesis 4:1
a. She conceived, and bare Cain--Genesis 4:1
b. she again bare his brother Abel--Genesis 4:2
2. The sons’ occupation--Genesis 4:2
a. Abel was a keeper of sheep--Genesis 4:2
b. Cain was a tiller of the ground--Genesis 4:2
B. Cain and Able make an offering to God--Genesis 4:3-5a
1. Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD--Genesis 4:3
a. Unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect--Genesis 4:5a
2. Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof--Genesis 4:4
a. The LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering--Genesis 4:4
C. Cain’s anger at God--Genesis 4:5b-7
1. Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell--Genesis 4:5b
2. The LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen? --Genesis 4:6
a. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?--Genesis 4:7a
b. If thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.--Genesis 4:7b
(1) Unto thee [shall be] his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.--Genesis 4:7b


Purpose of the Passage
The purpose of this passage is to illustrate that God is the first and the best; therefore, He deserves the first and best of our time, strength, and service. In this passage we read that Abel recognizes God’s greatness and therefore offers to Him his very best, the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. However, his brother, Cain did not recognize the greatness of God; he saw no importance in the offering to Him, he simply brought any offering as an attempt to satisfy the religious ceremony. There was no real sacrifice for Cain. Able gave the very best that he possibly could, Cain just brought an offering. It was by this offering ceremony that Cain’s heart condition was exposed.

II. My Position on Genesis 4:1-7

Why was it that Abel’s offering was accepted by God but Cain’s was not?
Although it is unknown if there were any instructions given to Cain and Able prior to this offering, what we do know, is that Able offered to God the best of his flock while Cain offered only fruit of the ground. It was not a problem that Cain made an offering of fruit, but rather the value that this fruit had with Cain. Able gave his very best; it was a real sacrifice for him to give up his very best sheep. Cain only offered fruit that did not appear to have any significant value to him. Therefore, it was not a sacrifice for him to offer this fruit to God. The problem with Cain’s offering was that it was not his best. Cain did not see the importance of offering to God his very best so he just made an offering of random fruit.

What significance is there to ‘firstlings?’
The term firstlings that is found in verse four is translated from the Hebrew word bekorah and means firstborn. This is significant because the firstling would have been the eldest of Able’s flock. This means that Able would have had this sheep for longer than any other sheep that was in his flock at that time. Therefore the firstling was probably of very high value to Able. In addition, this sheep would have most likely been fully grown, thus making it more valuable.

Does Genesis four promote the principle of first fruits for Christians?
Genesis four does absolutely promote the principle of first fruits for Christians. As believers’ we should always follow the example of Able. He sacrificed the very best of his flock. He didn’t pick one of his least valued sheep rather; he gave the eldest, most valuable sheep to God. We as believer’s should do the same, we should give to God of our very best for He is the very best and thus is worthy of our best.

Sin lieth at the door?
The conundrum of sin lieth at the door means that if Cain did not overcome his anger by being obedient to God and His commands, than ever-present sin would fulfill its desire to overpower him and take control over him. Unfortunately, in verse eight of the fourth chapter of Genesis, we read that sin did indeed take control over Cain as he murdered his brother Able.

Is this passage connected with Levitical tithing?
The Genesis four passage of scripture has some similarities to the passages on Levitical tithing that is found in the book of Leviticus. In verse twenty-six of Leviticus chapter twenty-seven, it says that the firstborn of any animal belongs to the Lord. This is similar to that of Abel’s offering. Verse thirty of Leviticus chapter twenty-seven says, that everything from the land belongs to the Lord. This is similar to the offering that Cain made to the Lord.
Although there are some similarities of Genesis chapter four found in the book of Leviticus, there is no definite connection between the two. It would have been impossible for the Levitical tithing that was written of by Moses in Leviticus twenty-seven to have had any influence on Cain and Able in Genesis four, because Cain and Able lived at least hundreds of years before Moses was born. This is significant because in the twenty-seventh chapter of Leviticus we read that God gave these commandments on tithing directly to Moses on Mount Sinai (see Leviticus 27:34). If Moses was not even born until hundreds of years after Cain and Able, and he was the one to personally receive the tithing commands from God, it is certain that these commands had absolutely no influence on the offering that was mad in Genesis chapter four. Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that the events of Genesis four were not influenced by the commands of the book of Leviticus.

How did Cain and Abel know to bring an offering before God?
Genesis does not give the reader any information as to where the origin of this very first offering came from. We know that God clearly approved of this offering, but the way in which Cain and Able knew that they were to make the offering to God is not known. For one reason or another God did not reveal that information to us in His word.


BIBLIOGRAPHY

Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged. Peabody, MA: Hendickson, 2008.
MacArthur, John F. The MacArthur Bible Commentary. Thomas Nelson, 2005.
Young, Robert. Analytical Concordance to the Bible. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2008.