And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
6. And the Lord said, &c.] Whether Jehovah appeared in a visible form, or spoke to Cain in a dream or vision, is not recorded. The importance of the interrogation lies in the fact, that Jehovah mercifully intervenes to arrest the progress of evil thoughts, by simple words demanding self-examination.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 6. Why art thou wroth?] This was designed as a gracious warning, and a preventive of the meditated crime.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The Lord spoke unto Cain, that he might bring him to repentance, and the knowledge of his sin.
Why is thy countenance fallen? The cause of this dejectedness is not from me, but from thyself.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the Lord said unto Cain, why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?…. Which was said not as being ignorant of his wrath and resentment, but to bring him to a conviction of his sin or sins, which were the cause of God’s rejecting his sacrifice, and to repentance and amendment; and to show him that he had no cause to be displeased, either with him or his brother, for the different treatment of him and his offering; since the fault lay in himself, and he had none to blame but his own conduct, which for the future he should take care to regulate according to the divine will, and things would take a different turn.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 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.
God is here reasoning with Cain, to convince him of the sin and folly of his anger and discontent, and to bring him into a good temper again, that further mischief might be prevented. It is an instance of God’s patience and condescending goodness that he would deal thus tenderly with so bad a man, in so bad an affair. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Thus the father of the prodigal argued the case with the elder son (Luke xv. 28, c.), and God with those Israelites who said, The way of the Lord is not equal, Ezek. xviii. 25.
I. God puts Cain himself upon enquiring into the cause of his discontent, and considering whether it were indeed a just cause: Why is thy countenance fallen? Observe, 1. That God takes notice of all our sinful passions and discontents. There is not an angry look, an envious look, nor a fretful look, that escapes his observing eye. 2. That most of our sinful heats and disquietudes would soon vanish before a strict and impartial enquiry into the cause of them. “Why am I wroth? Is there a re al cause, a just cause, a proportionable cause for it? Why am I so soon angry? Why so very angry, and so implacable?”
II. To reduce Cain to his right mind again, it is here made evident to him,
1. That he had no reason to be angry at God, for that he had proceeded according to the settled and invariable rules of government suited to a state of probation. He sets before men life and death, the blessing and the curse, and then renders to them according to their works, and differences them according as they difference themselves–so shall their doom be. The rules are just, and therefore his ways, according to those rules, must needs be equal, and he will be justified when he speaks.
(1.) God sets before Cain life and a blessing: “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? No doubt thou shalt, nay, thou knowest thou shalt” either, [1.] “If thou hadst done well, as thy brother did, thou shouldst have been accepted, as he was.” God is no respecter of persons, hates nothing that he had made, denies his favour to none but those who have forfeited it, and is an enemy to none but those who by sin have made him their enemy: so that if we come short of acceptance with him we must thank ourselves, the fault is wholly our own; if we had done our duty, we should not have missed of his mercy. This will justify God in the destruction of sinners, and will aggravate their ruin; there is not a damned sinner in hell, but, if he had done well, as he might have done, had been a glorious saint in heaven. Every mouth will shortly be stopped with this. Or, [2.] “If now thou do well, if thou repent of thy sin, reform thy heart and life, and bring thy sacrifice in a better manner, if thou not only do that which is good but do it well, thou shalt yet be accepted, thy sin shall be pardoned, thy comfort and honour restored, and all shall be well.” See here the effect of a Mediator’s interposal between God and man; we do not stand upon the footing of the first covenant, which left no room for repentance, but God had come upon new terms with us. Though we have offended, if we repent and return, we shall find mercy. See how early the gospel was preached, and the benefit of it here offered even to one of the chief of sinners.
(2.) He sets before him death and a curse: But if not well, that is, “Seeing thou didst not do well, didst not offer in faith and in a right manner, sin lies at the door,” that is, “sin was imputed to thee, and thou wast frowned upon and rejected as a sinner. So high a charge had not been laid at thy door, if thou hadst not brought it upon thyself, by not doing well.” Or, as it is commonly taken, “If now thou wilt not do well, if thou persist in this wrath, and, instead of humbling thyself before God, harden thyself against him, sin lies at the door,” that is, [1.] Further sin. “Now that anger is in thy heart, murder is at the door.” The way of sin is down-hill, and men go from bad to worse. Those who do not sacrifice well, but are careless and remiss in their devotion to God, expose themselves to the worst temptations; and perhaps the most scandalous sin lies at the door. Those who do not keep God’s ordinances are in danger of committing all abominations, Lev. xviii. 30. Or, [2.] The punishment of sin. So near akin are sin and punishment that the same word in Hebrew signifies both. If sin be harboured in the house, the curse waits at the door, like a bailiff, ready to arrest the sinner whenever he looks out. It lies as if it slept, but it lies at the door where it will be soon awaked, and then it will appear that the damnation slumbered not. Sin will find thee out, Num. xxxii. 23. Yet some choose to understand this also as an intimation of mercy. “If thou doest not well, sin (that is, the sin-offering), lies at the door, and thou mayest take the benefit of it.” The same word signifies sin and a sacrifice for sin. “Though thou hast not done well, yet do not despair; the remedy is at hand; the propitiation is not far to seek; lay hold on it, and the iniquity of thy holy things shall be forgiven thee.” Christ, the great sin-offering, is said to stand at the door, Rev. iii. 20. And those well deserve to perish in their sins that will not go to the door for an interest in the sin-offering. All this considered, Cain had no reason to be angry at God, but at himself only.
2. That he had no reason to be angry at his brother: “Unto thee shall be his desire, he shall continue his respect to thee as an elder brother, and thou, as the first-born, shalt rule over him as much as ever.” God’s acceptance of Abel’s offering did not transfer the birth-right to him (which Cain was jealous of), nor put upon him that excellency of dignity and of power which is said to belong to it, ch. xlix. 3. God did not so intend it; Abel did not so interpret it; there was no danger of its being improved to Cain’s prejudice; why then should he be so much exasperated? Observe here, (1.) That the difference which God’s grace makes does not alter the distinctions which God’s providence makes, but preserves them, and obliges us to do the duty which results from them: believing servants must be obedient to unbelieving masters. Dominion is not founded in grace, nor will religion warrant disloyalty or disrespect in any relation. (2.) That the jealousies which civil powers have sometimes conceived of the true worshippers of God as dangerous to their government, enemies to Csar, and hurtful to kings and provinces (on which suspicion persecutors have grounded their rage against them) are very unjust and unreasonable. Whatever may be the case with some who call themselves Christians, it is certain that Christians indeed are the best subjects, and the quiet in the land; their desire is towards their governors, and these shall rule over them.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
6. And the Lord said unto Cain. God now proceeds against Cain himself, and cites him to His tribunal, that the wretched man may understand that his rage can profit him nothing. He wishes honor to be given him for his sacrifices; but because he does not obtain it, he is furiously angry. Meanwhile, he does not consider that through his own fault he had failed to gain his wish; for had he but been conscious of his inward evil, he would have ceased to expostulate with God, and to rage against his guiltless brother. Moses does not state in what manner God spoke. Whether a vision was presented to him, or he heard an oracle from heaven, or was admonished by secret inspiration, he certainly felt himself bound by a divine judgment. To apply this to the person of Adam, as being the prophet and interpreter of God in censuring his son, is constrained and even frigid. I understand what it is which good men, not less pious than learned, propose, when they sport with such fancies. Their intention is to honor the external ministry of the word, and to cut off the occasion which Satan takes to insinuate his illusions under the color of revelation. (234) Truly I confess, nothing is more useful than that pious minds should be retained, under the order of preaching, in obedience to the Scripture, that they may not seek the mind of God in erratic speculations. But we may observe, that the word of God was delivered from the beginning by oracles, in order that afterwards, when administered by the hands of men, it might receive the greater reverence. I also acknowledge that the office of teaching was enjoined upon Adam, and do not doubt that he diligently admonished his children: yet they who think that God only spoke through his ministers, too violently restrict the words of Moses. Let us rather conclude, that, before the heavenly teaching was committed to public records, God often made known his will by extraordinary methods, and that here was the foundation which supported reverence for the word; while the doctrine delivered through the hands of men was like the edifice itself. Certainly, though I should be silent, all men would acknowledge how greatly such an imagination as that to which we refer, abates the force of the divine reprimand. Therefore, as the voice of God had previously so sounded in the ears of Adam, that he certainly perceived God to speak; so is it also now directed to Cain.
(234) “ Et retrancher les occasions que prend Satan, pour faire illusion aux hommes, en s’insinuant sous couleur des revelations.” — French Tr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
6. The Lord said unto Cain By an angel or by the lips of Adam, or by one of Cain’s brothers or sisters .
Why wroth A question and an appeal that might well have wrought in Cain a conviction of his wrong .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Yahweh said to Cain, ‘why are you angry, and why does your face express such disapproval? If you do well, is there not a lifting up? And if you do not do well, sin is couching at the door. It longs to grab you, but you must overcome it.’
We do not know how God communicated with Cain. Possibly it was in his heart. But Cain well knew, as we so often do when we would rather not, what God was trying to tell him. His problem lay in not ‘doing well’. There was something wrong with his attitude and behaviour, and he knew it. Note how ‘doing well’ is compared with the value of worship in Isa 1:17 and Jer 7:5. If a man does not ‘do well’ his sacrifice is unacceptable.
The phrase ‘is there not a lifting up’ is translated ‘will you not be accepted’ in RSV and NIV, understanding it as meaning a lifting up of the face and therefore an acceptance, but the verb when not qualified by other words usually means a lifting up of the spirits, and therefore probably here means ‘will you not feel good?’ Cain’s very failure to feel good was, as God reminds him, because of his own behaviour. Thus he is promised that joy will return with obedience. Either way the assumption is the same in the end, the consciousness of being accepted.
Perhaps it was because he had not worked diligently that the produce had dwindled. Or possibly there was something else. But if he would but behave rightly, then his offering would be accepted, and he would prosper. But if he continued as he was, then sin, which sat couching outside his tent like a wild animal waiting for its prey (a vivid picture), would seize him and carry him off.
Right from the start then we learn that ‘to obey is better than sacrifice’ (1Sa 15:22 compare Isa 66:3). But Cain let his grievance fester in his heart until finally he came to his ultimate decision, and allowed sin to ‘carry him off’. What an important lesson there is here for us. If we allow a grievance to fester in our hearts, who knows what it can lead to?
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The First Murder
v. 5. v. 6. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth, and why is thy countenance fallen? v. 7. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. v. 8. And Cain talked with Abel, his brother.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Gen 4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
Ver. 6. Why is thy countenance fallen? ] Why dost lour and look so like a dog under a door? Vultu saepe loeditur pietas: Difficile est animum non prodere vultu a He was discontented at God, and displeased at his brother. He looks but sour and sullen upon him, and God takes him up for it. He so loves his little ones, that he cannot abide the cold wind should blow upon them. The sun must not smite them by day, nor the moon by night Psa 121:6 The north and south must both blow good to them Son 4:16 “Better a millstone,” &c., than “offend one of these little ones,” Mat 18:6 be it but by a frown or a frump. Better anger all the witches in the world, than one of God’s zealous witnesses: “For there goeth a fire out of their mouths to devour their enemies.” Rev 11:5
a Cicer. Orat. pro Amer .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Why. ? Figure of speech Erotesis for emph. (App-6).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
1Ch 13:11-13, Job 5:2, Isa 1:18, Jer 2:5, Jer 2:31, Joh 4:1-4, Joh 4:8-11, Mic 6:3-5, Mat 20:15, Luk 15:31, Luk 15:32
Reciprocal: Gen 4:26 – To him Gen 39:19 – his wrath 1Sa 18:9 – eyed David Est 3:5 – full of wrath Job 11:15 – lift up Psa 64:2 – secret Ecc 7:9 – anger Dan 3:19 – the form Mat 5:22 – That Jam 4:5 – The spirit