Cain and Abel (reject, translation, evolve, genesis, sin)

[TheWhiteWizard]

In the story of Cain and Abel, I am wondering about this part sepcifically:

" The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering, but he rejected Cain and his offering. Cain became furious and he scowled in anger. Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry?" Why that scowl on your face? If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling, but because you have done evil, sin is crouching at your door." Gn 4: 4-7

What evil has Cain done? What sin has he commited? Why won't the Lord accept his offering? It seems to me the Lord is being picky and showing a bit of favoritism. Cain was a farmer, and Abel was a shepherd. Why couldn't the Lord accept the offering of Cain's harvest?

[Mestemia]

Seems to me that it is because of the insincerity of Cains offering.

[Jayhawker Soule]

(what a lousy translation)

Do you want exegesis or explanation?

[TheWhiteWizard]

Originally Posted by Jay

(what a lousy translation)

Do you want exegesis or explanation?

An explanation if you please, and why is it such a lousy translation?

[Jayhawker Soule]

Originally Posted by TheWhiteWizard

An explanation if you please, and why is it such a lousy translation?

I don't know why. Maybe the translator(s) were lousy at Biblical Hebrew ...

1. Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, and she said, "I have acquired a man with the Lord."
2. And she continued to bear his brother Abel, and Abel was a shepherd of flocks, and Cain was a tiller of the soil.
3. Now it came to pass at the end of days, that Cain brought of the fruit of the soil an offering to the Lord.
4. And Abel he too brought of the firstborn of his flocks and of their fattest, and the Lord turned to Abel and to his offering.
5. But to Cain and to his offering He did not turn, and it annoyed Cain exceedingly, and his countenance fell.
6. And the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you annoyed, and why has your countenance fallen?
7. Is it not so that if you improve, it will be forgiven you? If you do not improve, however, at the entrance, sin is lying, and to you is its longing, but you can rule over it."
8. And Cain spoke to Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.

Explanation:

The narrative evolved from a pastoralist (bedu) culture and reflects their bias.

Exegesis:

Cain acted in a perfunctory manner (4:3) while Abel gave his best (4:4).

[Rowenn]

I think this goes in "comparitive religion"...

[Lindsey-Loo]

Originally Posted by TheWhiteWizard

In the story of Cain and Abel, I am wondering about this part sepcifically:

" The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering, but he rejected Cain and his offering. Cain became furious and he scowled in anger. Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry?" Why that scowl on your face? If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling, but because you have done evil, sin is crouching at your door." Gn 4: 4-7

What evil has Cain done? What sin has he commited? Why won't the Lord accept his offering? It seems to me the Lord is being picky and showing a bit of favoritism. Cain was a farmer, and Abel was a shepherd. Why couldn't the Lord accept the offering of Cain's harvest?

The Bible never goes to tell us why Cain's offering was unacceptable to the Lord. Perhaps Cain had not offered the best of his harvest, or perhaps God asked for offerings of animals. We just don't know. This verse simply goes to show us that whole "as long as you are worshipping God with all your heart, it's ok" thing is bogus. You can't just worship God any old way, it has to be His way.

[Shadow Wolf]

From what I have read from a previous post on RF (one of Jay's I believe), it was Cain's offering was not of a good quality, and the Biblical translation is poor.

[Quath]

It seems that God likes the smell of burnt meat a lot:

Genesis 8:20-21 -
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

[Lindsey-Loo]

Originally Posted by Quath

It seems that God likes the smell of burnt meat a lot:

Genesis 8:20-21 -
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

Yeah, me and Him both. *mouth waters*