Genesis 4:7

If you do the right thing, I will be happy with you. But, if you don't do the right thing, look out. You are thinking the wrong way. It is like you have a wild animal inside your head that wants you to do all sorts of bad things. You have to be the boss of your thinking.”

Barkly (portions)

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

6The Lord said “Cain, why are you angry? Why do you look so sad?

8But Cain went and found his brother Abel and said to him, “Let's go for a walk.” And while they were walking, Cain hit his brother and killed him.

Read all of Genesis 4

Cross References

Genesis 3:16Then God said to the woman, “You did the wrong thing and so I am going to give you a lot of trouble and a lot of pain when your babies are born. You will want to have a husband and try to be his boss, but he will be your boss.”

Genesis 19:21The angel answered, “Ok, I will let you go to that little town. I will not burn it up and you will be safe there.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 4:7-8

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… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 4:7