Genesis 4:7

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin crouches at the door and desires to control you, but you must rule over it.”

Unlocked Literal Bible

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, “Why are you angry and why are you scowling?

8Cain spoke to Abel his brother. It came about that while they were in the fields, Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. + 4:8 The best ancient copies read in this way. However, some old translations and some modern translations read, Cain said to Abel his brother, “Let us go into the fields.” It came about that while they were in the fields, Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him .

Read all of Genesis 4

Cross References

Genesis 3:16To the woman he said, 1 “I will greatly multiply your pain in having children; 1 it is in pain that you will give birth to children. 1 Your desire will be for your husband, but he will rule over you.”

Genesis 19:21He said to him, “Alright, I am granting this request also, that I will not destroy the city which you have mentioned.

2 Samuel 24:23All this, my king, I, Araunah, will give to you.” Then he said to the king, “May Yahweh your God accept you.”

Job 29:4Oh, that I were as I was in the ripeness of my days 1 when the friendship of God was on my tent, 1

Proverbs 18:5It is not good to be partial to the wicked person, 1 nor to deny justice to the righteous person. 1

Ecclesiastes 8:12Even though a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives a long time, yet I know that it will be better for those who respect God, for those who stand before him and show him respect.

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