5
butוְCainאֶל קַיִןandוְhis offeringאֶל מִנְחָתוֹhe did notלֹאregard.שָׁעָהAndוַCainלְקַיִןwasיִּחַרveryמְאֹדangry,יִּחַרandוַhis faceפָּנָיוfell.יִּפְּלוּ
Genesis 4:5
Study it in the app“but Cain and his offering he did not regard. And Cain was very angry, and his face fell.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 4:5, word by word
- 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- his offeringמִנְחָתminchat
offering
An offering to God.
Where else “minchat” appears- regardשָׁעָהshaa
look
To gaze closely or with favor; seek help.
Where else “shaa” appears- wasיִּחַרyichar
be angry
For a person to feel strong anger at someone or something.
Where else “yichar” appears- veryמְאֹדmeod
very
To a very high degree: the word that adds force to what is said.
Where else “meod” appears- his faceפָּנָיpanay
face
The front of the head, of someone or of God.
Where else “panay” appears- fellיִּפְּלוּyiplu
fall
To fall to the ground, or for a city to fall.
Where else “yiplu” appears
The context
4And Abel also brought, he too, from the firstborn of his flock and from their fat. And YHWH regarded Abel and his offering,
5 · This verse (above)
6And YHWH said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?
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?