New King James Version
Genesis 4:7
7If 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.”
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.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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."
- 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 He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 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.” 8Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother 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 19:21And he said to him, “See, I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken.
- 2 Samuel 24:23All these, O king, Araunah has given to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God accept you.”
- 2 Kings 8:28Now he went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.
- Job 42:8Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”
- Proverbs 18:5It is not good to show partiality to the wicked, Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
- Ecclesiastes 8:12Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.
- Isaiah 3:10“Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, For they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
- Jeremiah 6:20For what purpose to Me Comes frankincense from Sheba, And sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, Nor your sacrifices sweet to Me.”
- Malachi 1:8And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?” Says the Lord of hosts.
- Acts 10:35But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.
- Romans 2:7eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;
- Romans 12:1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
- Romans 14:18For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
- Romans 15:16that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
- Ephesians 1:6to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
- 1 Timothy 5:4But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries