Genesis 4:7

If you do what is right and good, can’t you hold your head up high? But if you do wrong, sin crouches at the door and longs to have you, but you must master it.’

Open English Bible (UK)

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

6So the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry and why do you scowl?

8Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let us go into the field.’ While they were there, Cain attacked his brother and killed him.

Read all of Genesis 4

Cross References

Genesis 3:16To the woman he said, ‘I will greatly increase your anguished toil in pregnancy; with pain will you bear children. You will yearn for your husband, but he will rule over you.’

Genesis 19:21He answered, ‘I have also granted you this favour, in that I will not destroy the village of which you have spoken.

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 →

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Study Genesis 4:7