3
And it happenedוַיְהִיat the endמִקֵּץof some daysיָמִיםthatוַCainקַיִןbroughtיָּבֵאfrom the fruitמִפְּרִיof the groundהָאֲדָמָהan offeringמִנְחָהto YHWH.לַיהוָה
Genesis 4:3
Study it in the app“And it happened at the end of some days that Cain brought from the fruit of the ground an offering to YHWH.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 4:3, word by word
- And it happenedיְהִיyehi
happen
For something to occur or take place; many stories open with this word.
Where else “yehi” appears- at the endקֵּץkets
end
What comes when something finishes: "some days later".
Where else “kets” appears- of some daysיָמִיםyamim
day
The day, the hours of light, or a whole day.
Where else “yamim” appears- Cainקַיִןkayin
Cain
Cain, the first son of Adam and Eve, who killed his brother Abel. In Hebrew "Qayin" sounds like "I have gotten" (Genesis 4:1). Also a place, and the tribe of the Kenites.
Where else “kayin” appears- broughtיָּבֵאyave
bring
To bring something or someone.
Where else “yave” appears- from the fruitפְּרִיperi
fruit
What a tree or the land produces, which is eaten.
Where else “peri” appears- of the groundאֲדָמָהadama
soil
Farmland, or dust.
Where else “adama” appears- an offeringמִנְחָהmincha
offering
An offering to God.
Where else “mincha” appears- to YHWHיהוָהyhva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yhva” appears
The context
2And again she gave birth to his brother Abel. And Abel became a keeper of flocks, and Cain was a worker of the ground.
3 · This verse (above)
4And Abel also brought, he too, from the firstborn of his flock and from their fat. And YHWH regarded Abel and his offering,
To study Genesis 4 in a group
1. What it says
How did Cain feel when YHWH did not look with favor on his offering, and what did YHWH say to him (vv. 5-7)?
2. What it means
What does Cain mean by his question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (v. 9)?
3. How I live it
How can you deal with anger or envy toward someone today before it grows?