but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.
Parallel translations
- WEB but he didn’t respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell.
- KJV But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
- NKJV but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
- NASB but for Cain and his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his face was gloomy.
- NLT but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God does not regard Cain or his offering, and Cain becomes angry and downcast. It shows the danger of resentment when worship is not offered rightly.
Overview
God's lack of regard for Cain's offering, contrasted with Abel's faith, points to a deficiency in Cain's heart rather than merely his produce. Instead of repenting, Cain responds with anger and a fallen countenance. This rising resentment, left unchecked, becomes the seedbed of the first murder, warning that unaddressed anger leads to sin.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Heb 11:4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
- Job 5:2For resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.
- Acts 13:45But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying.
- Isa 3:10–11Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor.
- Luke 15:28–30The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.
- Matt 20:15Do I not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
- Ps 20:3May He remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings. Selah
- Num 16:15Then Moses became very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not regard their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them or mistreated a single one of them.”
- Gen 31:5and he told them, “I can see from your father’s countenance that his attitude toward me has changed; but the God of my father has been with me.
- Gen 31:2And Jacob saw from the countenance of Laban that his attitude toward him had changed.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 4:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.