Genesis 4:7

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 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.”

Context of Genesis 4:7

5But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6And Yhwh said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 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. 8And 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 slew him. 9And Yhwh said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?

Genesis 4:7 word by word

הֲל֤וֹא אִם־תֵּיטִיב֙ שְׂאֵ֔ת וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תֵיטִ֔יב לַפֶּ֖תַח חַטָּ֣את רֹבֵ֑ץ וְאֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָת֔וֹ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּמְשָׁל־בּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

• 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 unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
• 2 Samuel 24:23All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, Yhwh thy God accept thee.
• 2 Kings 8:28And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramoth–gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.
• Job 42:8Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
• Proverbs 18:5It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
• Ecclesiastes 8:12Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:
• Isaiah 3:10Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
• Jeremiah 6:20To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.
• Malachi 1:8And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith Yhwh of Armies.
• Acts 10:35But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
• Romans 2:7To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
• Romans 12:1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
• Romans 14:18For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
• Romans 15:16That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
• Ephesians 1:6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
• 1 Timothy 5:4But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that 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

• Abel
• Anger
• Cain
• Consecration
• Contingencies
• Envy
• Firstborn
• Judgment
• Martyrdom
• Motive
• Religion
• Sin
• Wicked (People)
• Will
• Worship

In the dictionaries

• Abel
• Adam
• Blood
• Cain
• Call
• Cursed
• Fall
• Fat
• Hurt
• Mark

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