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Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

Genesis 4:4

And the Lord had respect, etc.] The characters of the brothers rather than their offerings are kept chiefly in view. Many, passages show that the decisive reason why a worshipper is accepted or rejected lies in the disposition with which he draws nigh (cp. 1 Samuel 15:22; Isaiah 1:11; Psalms 50:8; Hebrews 11:4). The manner in which God's approval was declared is not mentioned, but see Judges 6:21; 1 Kings 18:38; 2 Chronicles 7:1. Possibly the contrast between his toilsome life in tilling the soil and the easier existence of Abel, makes Cain envious.

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See also Genesis 4:4 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Genesis 4:4. _ABEL, HE ALSO BROUGHT OF THE FIRSTLINGS OF HIS FLOCK_] Dr. Kennicott contends that the words _he also brought_, הביא גם הוא hebi gam hu, should be translated, Abel _brought_ IT _a...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - Section IV - The Family of Adam - Cain and Abel 1. קין _qayı̂n_, Qain (Cain), “spear-shaft,” and קנה _qānah_, “set up, establish, gain, buy,” contain the biliteral root קן _qan_, “set up, erect, g...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 4 After the Fall and the Two Seeds _ 1. Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1)_ 2. Their offerings (Genesis 4:3) 3. The divine remonstrance (Genesis 4:6) 4. Abel slain by his brother ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    The Story of Cain and Abel. This belongs to the J cycle of stories, but apparently not to the same stratum as Genesis 4:3, for it is assumed that the earth has a population from which Cain fears venge...

  • B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary

    ABEL.. BROUGHT OF THE FIRSTLINGS OF HIS FLOCK. Abel likewise brings the products of his own labor, but brings. sin offering, and "the fat thereof" to be burned upon the altar, as afterwards directed i...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    BROUGHT: "by faith", Hebrews 11:4, which came by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). FIRSTLINGS... AND THE FAT. &C. Figure of speech _Hendiadys,_ App-6. "the firstlings, and the fattest ones too....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _the firstlings_ i.e. "the firstborn," regarded as the best and choicest, cf. Exodus 34:19; Numbers 18:17; Proverbs 3:9. _the fat_ i.e. the fatty portions, which were regarded as choicest for the purp...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    ABEL, OF THE FIRSTLINGS OF HIS FLOCK, AND OF THE FAT, &C.— Cain's offering was suitable to his profession, and Abel's was equally so to his: there does not appear to me any reason of preference on thi...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PART SEVENTEEN THE BEGINNING OF TRUE RELIGION (Genesis 4:1-15) 1. _Preliminary Definitions_ It is doubtful that there is a more ambiguous word in our language today than the word religion. It has li...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND ABEL, HE ALSO BROUGHT OF THE FIRSTLINGS OF HIS FLOCK AND OF THE FAT THEREOF. AND THE LORD HAD RESPECT UNTO ABEL AND TO HIS OFFERING:_ And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 4 CAIN KILLS ABEL V1 Adam had sex with his wife Eve and she became *pregnant. Her son Cain was born. She said, ‘I have gained a man by the *Lord’...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    IN PROCESS OF TIME. — Heb., _at the end of days:_ not at the end of a week, or a year, or of harvest-time, but of a long indefinite period, shown by the age of Adam at the birth of Seth to have been s...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ הֶ֨בֶל הֵבִ֥יא גַם ־ה֛וּא מִ בְּכֹרֹ֥ות

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CAIN AND ABEL Genesis 4:1 IT is not the purpose of this narrator to write the history of the world. It is not his purpose to write even the history of mankind. His object is to write the history of r...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    OFFERINGS BY CAIN AND ABEL Genesis 3:22; Genesis 4:1 It was good that man should be driven from Eden. Soft comfort enervates. The natives of the South Sea Islands are moral pulp. Man goes forth from...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The degeneration of the first man and woman was transmitted, the firstborn being manifestly an inheritor of the fallen nature of his parents. His mother named him Cain, intimating a hope that the seed...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    Even though Adam and Eve had sinned and been driven out of the garden, there were moments of joy. Eve conceived and bore Cain. She said, "I have gotten a man from the Lord" (Genesis 4:1). Her statemen...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Had respect. That is, shewed his acceptance of his sacrifice (as coming from a heart full of devotion): and that we may suppose, by some visible token, such as sending fire from heaven upon his offeri...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: Proverbs 15:8; Psalms 11:7. See, also, particularly, Hebrews 11...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    There is one characteristic of divine revelation to which attention may be profitably called as a starting point. We have to do with facts. The Bible alone is a revelation of facts, and, we can add (n...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _THE DISREGARDED AND THE ACCEPTED OFFERING_ ‘And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect.’ Genesis 4:4 There are two things which di...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    4._And the Lord had respect unto Abel, etc_. God is said to have respect unto the man to whom he vouchsafes his favor. We must, however, notice the order here observed by Moses; for he does not simply...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    But grace could work. The grace of a God above the evil of man, and Abel approaches Him by faith. Hereon follows the separation of the families of God and of the enemy, of the world and of faith. Abel...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND ABEL, HE ALSO BROUGHT OF THE FIRSTLINGS OF HIS FLOCK,.... As he was a shepherd, his flock consisted of sheep; and of the firstlings of these, the lambs that were first brought forth, he presented...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: Ver. 4. _Of the firstlings of his flock._] He brought the best...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    Gen. 4:3, 4. _Cain's and Abel's sacrifice. _ Abel when he comes before God is sensible of his own unworthiness and sinfulness, like the publican, and so is sensible of his need of an atonement, and th...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _And the Lord God had respect to Abel and to his offering_ And showed his acceptance of it, probably by fire from heaven; but to _Cain and his offering he had not respect._ We are sure there was a goo...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The birth, trade, and religion of Cain and Abel. 8 The murder of Abel. 9 The curse of Cain. 17 Enoch the first citie. 19 Lamech and his two wiues. 25 The birth of Seth, 26 and Enos. 1 AND Ada...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. In the very mention of the gift there is an indication of the difference in the attitude of the hearts; for whereas it...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The Offerings of Cain and Abel...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    SECOND SECTION _Cain and Abel. The Cainites. The ungodly Worldliness of the First Civilization._ GENESIS 4:1-26 1And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived, and bare Cain [the gotten, or possessi...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    CAIN AND ABEL Adam and Eve, having acquired a sinful nature, could only communicate the same nature to their children. Their firstborn was named Cain, which means "smith" or "fabricator," one who plan...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    FLOCK: _ Heb._ sheep, or, goats...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-7 When Cain was born, Eve said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. Perhaps she thought that this was the promised seed. If so, she was wofully disappointed. Abel signifies vanity: when she thought...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THE FIRSTLINGS; either, 1. The first-born, which God reserved to himself, both at this time, and afterwards by an express law, EXODUS 13:2 NUMBERS 3:13. Or, 2. The choicest and most eminent of the fl...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    & Genesis 5:1-32 As each section of the Book of Genesis opens before us, we are furnished with fresh evidence of the fact that we are travelling over, what a recent writer has well termed, "the seed-...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 4:4 Abel H1893 also H1931 brought H935 (H8689) firstborn H1062 flock H6629 fat H2459 LORD H3068 respected...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions.' We are not to read into this any cultic requirements. The cult is not established until Genesis 4:26. It is specifically in...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And Yahweh had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard.' But how did they know that one was accepted and the other not? The answer would seem to lie in the f...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE STORY OF CAIN AND ABEL (GENESIS 4:1 TO GENESIS 5:1 A). Genesis 4:1. The Sin of Cain TABLET III It is quite clear that this section once existed separately from Genesis 2-3. The immediate and last...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    ABEL Abel ("exhalation," or, "that which ascends") is a type of the spiritual man. His sacrifice, in which atoning blood was shed (Hebrews 9:22) was therefore at once his confession of sin and the ex...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 4 I. From the story of Cain we gather the following thoughts: I. Eve's disappointment at the birth of Cain should be a warning to all mothers. Over-estimate of children may be traced somet...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 4:4 There are two things which distinguish the Bible from every other book: the view it gives us of man, and the view it gives us of God. The one is so human, the other so Divine; the one so e...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 4:3 I. The first question to be asked is this: What did Cain and Abel know about sacrifice? Although we should certainly have expected Moses to inform us plainly if there had been a direct ord...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 4:3 Hebrews 11:4 We learn from our text: I. That religion actuated men in the very earliest times. (1) Religion as a principle was found in the members of the first human family. The most pr...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: First sons of Adam, Cain and Abel. Murder of Abel. First civilization. Birth of Seth. CHARACTERS: Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, Seth. CONCLUSION: Attainment can never take the place of Atonement....

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 4:1. _I have gotten._ קניתי _kaniti,_ from the root _kana,_ he possessed. The LXX have betrayed their ignorance of the Eternal Word, or Wisdom, by frequently rendering this word _created._ God...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering; but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect_ THE TWO OFFERINGS I. THE CAUSE OF CAIN’S REJECTION. His total want of the true spirit of fa...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground_ THE STORY OF CAIN AND ABEL I. RELIGION ACTUATED MEN IN THE VERY EARLIEST TIMES. II. THE MERE NATURAL RELIGION IS ESSENTIALLY DEFECT...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 4:2 The fact that God HAD REGARD FOR ABEL AND HIS OFFERING, but not for Cain, does not mean that shepherds are better than farmers or that animal offerings are better than plan...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Genesis 4:7. Sin lieth at the door.] Rather: “A sin-offering is crouching at the door, or (more generally) opening”: _e.g._ “at the opening, or entrance, of thy brother’s fold.” This...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 4:1 Exiled from Eden, o'er, canopied by grace, animated by hope, assured of the Divine forgiveness, and filled with a sweet peace, the first pair enter on their life experience of...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Lets turn to Genesis Chapter four. Adam and Eve have been expelled from the Garden of Eden because of their disobedience to God. And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    the firstlings. Exodus 13:12 Numbers 18:12 Numbers 18:17 Proverbs 3:9 Heb

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    SEEING CHRIST IN CAIN AND ABEL Genesis 4:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS 1. Cain and Abel came by natural generation. The only human beings God ever created were Adam and Eve. They were created with the power...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    CAIN AND ABEL Genesis 4:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS It falls to our lot to connect the links between our last study and today's. 1. WE HAVE ADAM NAMING HIS WIFE, "EVE." Here is the Scripture: "And Adam ca...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    And the Lord God had respect to Abel and to his offering, and shewed his acceptance of it, probably by fire from heaven but to Cain and to his offering he had not respect. We are sure there was a good...

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