Nothing To Eat
but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. Genesis 4:5
Regard – Everything important about life is found in the first three chapters of Genesis. Well, almost everything. We might have to include this story about Cain and Abel since it describes the second original sin. What it reveals about worship, God’s character and the nature of sin is so important that this passage might have to be added as an appendix to the original three chapters. So, what do we learn here?
We find that the Hebrew word translated “regard” is literally “to look at” (sha’ah). It can have both positive and negative connotations (as we see in this story). So, God looked favorably on the offering of Abel, but He looked unfavorably on the offering of Cain. The pictograph of this word tells a deeper story. The consonants Shin-Ayin-Hey describe the phrase, “what comes from seeing what is to be consumed.” That is a visual description of a sacrifice. So, God didn’t just look at what these brothers brought. He examined it with regard to its appropriate sacrificial quality. He looked to see if it was worthy to be consumed in worship. This is the first lesson, found buried in the verb. Offerings to God will be examined for worthiness. What is not acceptable will be rejected.
We need to understand the full ramifications of this Torah principle. Just giving isn’t good enough. There is a necessary and essential examination process. No credit falls on the gift or the giver simply because it is offered. In later biblical elaboration, we discover the reason that Cain’s sacrifice was rejected. Cain didn’t bring his best. He thought that any gift was good enough. He was dead wrong.
In this story we learn that there are specific requirements for appropriate worship of the Most High God. They might not be spelled out in detail in Scripture but a little reflection on the text reveals them. There is no prior instruction in Scripture that tells Cain and Abel what to present in their offerings, but we can easily assume that they knew what to do. Their instruction was oral but it was nonetheless valid. We are more fortunate. We have it all written down. We know the requirements (if we bother to read them). They have not changed. Just because we bring our tithes and offerings does not make them acceptable. More is required than presentation.
We might find some benefit reflecting on the introduction to this story. In particular, we might want to ask whether what we bring meets God’s requirements. When God looks upon our offerings, does He see something that reflects His character and that truly honors Him? Or does He see compliance and obligation? Does He find the very best of our efforts and assets released for His consumption, or does He discover what we can do without?
It’s a short step from unworthiness in offering to anger at God. Maybe most of our battles with sin are simply crossing that small divide. Maybe we could prevent a great deal of our struggles with sin if we started by giving God what we hold most dear.
Topical Index: Sin
Skip,
Again, an old writing but something that I find to be very, very important, so I’m really hoping for a response because this is something that is really bothering me!
I was listening to one of your teachings not that long ago and I was shocked because you said something that I have never heard another teacher talk about. The reason I was shocked was that it has been a position I have held for years but I have been ridiculed for it because everyone else always talks about the fact that the reason that Abel’s offering was accepted was due to the fact that he brought an animal sacrifice. However, when I read the passage, all I could think was that Abel brought the fat (the best) but Cain just brought an offering (not special in any way).
You spoke about Cain and Abel’s offerings and you mentioned it in the passage above – “we discover the reason that Cain’s sacrifice was rejected. Cain didn’t bring his best. He thought that any gift was good enough. He was dead wrong.”
I recently heard another well respected Bible teacher say that both Cain and Abel’s offerings were both “first offerings”. Not something I can see from the text in ENGLISH, so I realise that I may be missing something from the Hebrew. However, for years I have looked at that passage in Genesis about the offerings of the two sons of Adam and the thing that struck me was the fact that Abel brought of the fat (the best) but Cain just brought an offering. There was nothing to state that it was in any way special or the best, the way that Abel’s offering was identified. Cain’s offering had nothing to state that it was the best. So, to my simple mind I always thought that the reason that Cain was not accepted was because he did not bring the first fruits. He did not bring the very best of what he had before YHWH. Abel brought the best he had, but Cain did not.
I also heard that Cains offering was from the ground that was cursed and that is another reason it was not accepted. I look at things very simply and it just does not make sense to me. So, I asked if offerings from the ground are cursed, then why were the Israelite’s instructed to bring produce offerings before YHWH? The whole of Leviticus chapter 2 talks about the grain offering and how it should be brought before YHWH. There may be other passages on produce offerings but this is just one that I found. In any case, it does not make sense to me that if the ground is cursed, then surely it is cursed for all time and therefore nothing from the earth should ever be brought before YHWH, however, YHWH very clearly instructs the Israelite’s to bring ground (produce) offerings.
I was told that it was because blood was required first. That both Abel and Cain’s offerings were first offerings but that Abel brought the blood first and that it is implied by the Hebrew in the passage. Of course, I have NO Hebrew understanding (although I really, really, REALLY hope to change that). I was told that, after blood was shed, that the offering from the ground could be accepted.
Okay, so I understand that there are certain circumstances where offerings required blood. However, the offerings with Cain and Abel it never mentioned that the offering was supposed to be a sin offering or even an offering requiring blood. As pointed out earlier, grain offerings were acceptable before YHWH (Lev 2). My question is, am I missing something in this passage from the Hebrew context? Is it implied that a blood sacrifice was required first? I ask because I realise that you may have changed your position on this since 2008, and also that you may have looked into this further and have more insight! I realise that perhaps I have missed something very important because I can, at the moment, only read in English and I recognise that the Bible teacher I spoke with has many, many years of Hebrew which I don’t have.
I only ask because I saw that you wrote along the same lines that I thought (for many years) and I know that you have many, many years of Hebrew as well. I also recognise that we are all clouded by our own paradigms (myself included). I know that you recognise that we have our own paradigms and strive to try to step outside and view Scripture for what it is and the audience for whom it is written. In any case, I just want to get to the truth!
Thank you in advance
I haven’t changed my mind about the offerings of the two sons. Consult Nahum Sarna’s commentary on Genesis in the JPS Torah commentary series on this.
Thank you so very much….I will look into this!
Hi Sonia, I was intrigued by Skip’s references to Sarna at various times in the past so I went on Amazon and found a used copy in very good condition of a soft cover travel edition at a very good price. The commentary to which Skip to is too long to quote as it covers Gen. 4:1-12 and is 3 ½ bottom-half pages. Your interpretation is correct re “choicest of the firstlings” by Abel vs. “an offering” by Cain.
More cursed than the ground” would be better read “cursed from the ground, which Cain as tiller of the soil, stained the earth with his brother’s blood.” There is much additional commentary on this chapter and more than 1300 other pages on many other verses that you would enjoy.
Happy hunting!
Awesome! Thank you George! 🙂
Sonia, Thanks for your comment. I dont know Sarna from Tuna or what Skip had to say previously, but your idea about first fruits struck me and from re-reading the verses I agree that you are onto something. Abel brought the “firstling” or first fruit of the flock while Cain simply brought fruit from the ground, not necessarily the “first fruit”. The first fruits of the land would imply that there was moed, moedim (times, seasons, festivals) that may have already been established in the Garden and perhaps Cain had no regard for them. He may well have offered up the best of the available fruit, but not the FIRST best. Tomorrow we celebrate Shavuot which is also the celebration of the wheat harvest and the ripening of the first fruits in the Land. No wheat could be consumed by the people until the first fruits were presented to YHWH. Similarly no barley could be used or eaten until the wave offering of the first fruits of the harvest were gathered and presented to Yah, the ripening of which also determined when Pesach would begin. YHWH is particular regarding His times and seasons and Words, both the giving of them and the recieving of them. Able, on the other hand, would have had perhaps a larger window of opportunity regarding the timing of his animal offering. It could have been separated out at birth (made holy) and then offered at the appointed time. Only later does there seem to be an established relationship between the firstborn and the Feast of Unleavened Bread during the month of Abib when Israel came out from Egypt, but if, as we are told, Yeshua was slain before the foundation of the earth, then all bets relating to time are off. YHWH gives additional instructions in Exodus 22 where He
tells the Israelites that their firstborn cattle and sheep must be offered to Him on the eighth day of life. Likewise, the firstborn male of the Israelite women were to presented on the 8th day, to be both circumcised and redeemed. Time is sacred in His economy. Perhaps both Cain and Abel knew that, but maybe Cain was testing the waters, so to speak, as first borns are prone to do, to see how strict this God really was. He found out…the hard way. We too.
Thank you for that additional thought. I don’t know if it is correct regarding the imparting of the knowledge/establishment of the Moedim or what was required by way of offerings – and I see that you acknowledge that right from the beginning. It is great to discuss.
The only reason that I’m not sure is that I cannot see that they were TOLD to bring their first fruits (or the best for that matter). That is not to say that they were not instructed, it is just that I cannot see that they WERE instructed. That being said, it would seem LOGICAL that you would give YHWH (the creator and supreme being) the first and the best whether you were instructed to or not!
What has struck me is that, as you have pointed out, there are actually TWO differences between the offerings. I only mentioned ONE and that was the fact that the offering from Abel was the fat (best) and Cain’s was not.
However, there are TWO differences.
1. Abel brought of the FIRSTborn
2. Abel brought of the fat (the best).
There was nothing spoken of regarding Cain’s offering….so it would APPEAR that Cain did not bring the first fruits and he did not bring the best he had to offer.
Wow!!! Just WOW!!!!
Just to complete this Sarna says “Abel’s offering, fully described, appears to have been brought with a full heart and mind.” God knows the difference between WHAT we do and WHY we do it.
I have purchased the Sarna JPS Commentary Genesis book….will have to wait for it though!
This has been AMAZING! The penny has dropped! Light bulb moment!
Thanks for the extra input George!