English Standard Version
Genesis 4:7
7If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it."
Genesis 4:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
- New International Version (NIV)If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”
Context of Genesis 4:7
5but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6The Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it." 8Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?"
Read all of Genesis 4Genesis 4:7 word by word
הֲל֤וֹא אִם־תֵּיטִיב֙ שְׂאֵ֔ת וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תֵיטִ֔יב לַפֶּ֖תַח חַטָּ֣את רֹבֵ֑ץ וְאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָת֔וֹ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּמְשָׁל־בּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Ifאִם'im · ifH518
- thou doest wellיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190
- shalt thou not be acceptedשְׂאֵתώe'êth · elevationH7613
- sinחַטָּאתchaţţâ'âh chaţţâ'th · sinH2403
- liethרָבַץrâbats · to stretchH7257
- at the doorפֶּ֫תַחpethach · entranceH6607
- his desireתְּשׁוּקָהteshûqâh · desireH8669
- and thou shalt ruleמָשַׁלmâshal · to ruleH4910
Cross-references for Genesis 4:7
- Genesis 19:21He said to him, "Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken.
- 2 Samuel 24:23All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king." And Araunah said to the king, "May the Lord your God accept you."
- 2 Kings 8:28He went with Joram the son of Ahab to make war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead, and the Syrians wounded Joram.
- Job 42:8Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."
- Proverbs 18:5It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the righteous of justice.
- Ecclesiastes 8:12Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him.
- Isaiah 3:10Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
- Jeremiah 6:20What use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.
- Malachi 1:8When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts.
- Acts 10:35but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
- Romans 2:7to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;
- Romans 12:1I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
- Romans 14:18Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.
- Romans 15:16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
- Ephesians 1:6to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
- 1 Timothy 5:4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.
Commentaries on Genesis 4:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7If thou doest well - That which is right in the sight of God, shalt thou not be accepted? Does God reject any man who serves him in simplicity and godly sincerity? But if thou doest not well, can wrath and indignation against thy righteous brother save thee from the displeasure under which thou art fallen? On the contrary, have recourse to thy Maker for mercy; רבץ חטאת לפתח lappethach chattath robets, a sin-offering lieth at thy door; an animal proper to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-16Verses 1-16 - 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, gain.” The relations of root words are not confined to the narrow rules of our common etymology, but really extend to such instinctive usages as the unlettered speaker will invent or employ. A full examination of the Hebrew tongue leads to the conclusion…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7sin is crouching at your door … you must master it: Sin is like a wild animal ready to attack Cain (see study note on 3:16). Either sin will control Cain, or Cain will fight against the urge to sin. There is no middle ground in this struggle.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?--A better rendering is, "Shalt thou not have the excellency"? which is the true sense of the words referring to the high privileges and authority belonging to the first-born in patriarchal times. sin lieth at the door--sin, that is, a sin offering--a common meaning of the word in Scripture (as in Ho 4:8; 2Co 5:21; He 9:28). The purport of the divine rebuke to Cain was this, "Why art thou angry, as if…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 4:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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