Genesis 4:7

If you had done what was right (OR, if you do what is right) [RHQ], I would accept your offering. But if you do not do what is right, your desire to sin is ready to attack you like a wild animal that [PRS] crouches outside the doorway, ready to spring on its victim [MET]. Your desire to sin wants to control you, but you must ◄control/not obey► it.”

Translation for Translators

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

6Yahweh said to Cain, “◄You should not be angry!/Why are you angry?► [RHQ] ◄You should not scowl like that!/Why do you scowl like that?► [RHQ]

8But one day, Cain said to his younger brother Abel, “Let’s go for a walk in the fields.” So they went together. And when they were in the countryside, suddenly Cain attacked Abel and killed him.

Read all of Genesis 4

Cross References

Genesis 3:16Then Yahweh said to the woman, “You will have great pain when you give birth to children; you will suffer great pain as your children are being born [DOU]. You will greatly desire your husband to show affection for you, but he will rule over you.”

Genesis 19:21One of the angels said to Lot, “I will allow you to do what you have requested [MTY]. I will not destroy the little town you are speaking about.

2 Samuel 24:23I, Araunah, am giving all this to you, the king.” Then he said, “I desire/hope that Yahweh our God will accept your offering.”

Job 29:4At that time I was young and strong, and because God was my friend, he protected [PRS] my tent.

Proverbs 18:5It is not good for a judge to decide matters in favor of those who ◄are guilty/have done wicked things► and to not do what is just for those who ◄are innocent/have not done what is wrong►.

Ecclesiastes 8:12But even if sinful people commit 100 crimes, and even if they live for a long time, I know that things will go better for those who greatly respect and revere God.

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