Anger, Jealousy & Rage Are Born. Genesis 4:1-8

May the mumbling commence!

We have seen shame born.  We have seen idolatry and disobedience born.  Now the human story continues with Adam and Eve’s first two children – Cain and Abel.  Read from Genesis chapter four, Eugene Peterson’s The Message:

Adam slept with Eve his wife.  She conceived and had Cain.  She said, “I’ve gotten a man, with God’s help!”

Then she had another baby, Abel.  Abel was a herdsman and Cain was a farmer.

Time passed.  Cain brought an offering to God from the produce of his farm.  Abel also brought an offering, but from the firstborn animals of his herd, choice cuts of meat.  God liked Abel and his offering, but Cain and his offering didn’t get his approval.  Cain lost his temper and went into a sulk.

God spoke to Cain: “Why this tantrum?  Why the sulking?  If you do well, won’t you be accepted?  And if you don’t do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce, its out to get you, you’ve got to master it.”

Cain had words with his brother.  They were out in the field; Cain came at Abel his brother and killed him.  (Genesis 4:1-8)

Now read from the NIV translation:

Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man."  Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.  In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.  But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 

Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?  If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." 

Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. (Genesis 4:1-8)

Now anger and jealousy have entered the human story.  And they amounted to a murderous rage.  And there are differences between the NIV and Peterson.

Some, I believe are okay.  For example, Peterson uses some more current turns of phrase to get at the meaning intended by the archaic Hebrew turns of phrase.  “Face was downcast” becomes “sulking”.  “Crouching at the door” and “it desires to have you” become “lying in wait for you, ready to pounce” and “its out to get you” respectively.  These are great examples of using more modern day and appropriate language!

I do take issue with the expounding that Peterson does in regard to the offering of Abel.  Peterson underscores one potential reason of God’s favor (not sure why he decided upon “like” – especially with the Facebook era).  It could be that Abel used the very best of his flock. 

It could also be that Cain used the very best from his field.  And maybe it was Cain’s attitude as opposed to Abel attitude when it came to the offering each made to the Lord.  Peterson interprets for us a little too much.  

I like it no less that I would like an interpretation that emphasized the blood element in Abel’s offering.  Sometimes ambiguity is better.  Sometimes a “both-and” approach beats an “either-or” approach.

Enough mumbling for now…  

Peace Out