Was Eve thanking God for helping her bear a son (Cain), [1] or was she boasting that she had created a man (Cain) as God had created a man (Adam, Genesis 4:1)? [2] The former alternative seems preferable (cf. Genesis 4:25). "Cain" means "acquisition," a portent of his own primary proclivity. Abel, from the Hebrew hebel, means "breath, vapor, exhalation, or what ascends." As things turned out, his life was short, like a vapor. "Abel" also means "meadow" elsewhere. [source][source][source]
Why did God "have regard" for Abel"s offering and not Cain"s ( Genesis 4:4)? It was because Abel had faith ( Hebrews 11:4). What did Abel believe that Cain did not? The Bible does not say specifically. The answer may lie in one or more of the following explanations. [3][source]
1.Some commentators believed Abel"s attitude reveals his faith. Cain"s improper attitude toward God is evident in Genesis 4:5. [4][source]
2.Others say Abel"s faith is evident in his bringing the best of the flock ( Genesis 4:4) whereas Moses did not so describe Cain"s offering ( Genesis 4:3). [source][source][source]
"He [5] characterizes Abel"s offerings from the flocks as "from the firstborn" and "from their fat." By offering the firstborn Abel signified that he recognized God as the Author and Owner of Life. In common with the rest of the ancient Near East, the Hebrews believed that the deity, or lord of the manor, was entitled to the first share of all produce. The firstfruits of plants and the firstborn of animals and man were his.... [source][source][source]
"Abel"s offering conformed with this theology; Cain"s did not. In such a laconic story the interpreter may not ignore that whereas Abel"s gift is qualified by "firstborn," the parallel "firstfruits" does not modify Cain"s.... [source][source][source]
"Abel also offered the "fat" which in the Song of Solomon -called "P" [2] material belonged to the Lord and was burned symbolically by the priests. This tastiest and best burning part of the offering represented the best. Abel"s sacrifice, the interlocutor aims to say, passed the test with flying colors. Cain"s sacrifice, however, lacks a parallel to "fat."" [7][source]
Possibly Cain"s bad attitude resulted in his not offering the best to God. In other words, both options1,2could be correct. [source][source][source]
"Abel went out of his way to please God (which meant he had faith in God, Hebrews 1:6), whereas Cain was simply discharging a duty." [8][source]
"We think the absence of "firstfruits" for Cain in juxtaposition with Seth"s "firstborn" would not have been lost on the Mosaic audience. [source][source][source]
"Both giver and gift were under the scrutiny of God. Cain"s offering did not measure up because he retained the best of his produce for himself." [9][source]
3.Many believe that Abel realized the need for the death of a living substitute to atone for his sins, but Cain did not. If he understood this, he may have learned it by divine revelation that Scripture did not record explicitly. [10] Perhaps Cain and Abel learned that an animal sacrifice satisfied God whereas a vegetable sacrifice did not from the fact that the fig leaves that Adam and Eve used to cover their nakedness were not satisfactory but an animal skin was ( Genesis 3:7; Genesis 3:21). They provided the fig leaves, but God provided the animal skins. Thus the contrast in the case of Cain and Abel may also be between what man provides (works) and what God provides (grace). [source][source][source]
"Faith always presupposes a Divine revelation to which it is the response ..." [1]0 [source]
"Whatever the cause of God"s rejection of Cain"s offering, the narrative itself focuses our attention on Cain"s response. It is there that the narrative seeks to make its point." [12][source]
God questioned Cain, as He had Adam and Eve (cf. Genesis 3:9; Genesis 3:11), to elicit Cain"s admission of sin with a view to repentance, not simply to scold him. His father reluctantly admitted his guilt, but Cain tried to cover it up by lying. Cain was "much more hardened than the first human pair." [2]0 "Sin is crouching at the door" (v7) probably means that the power and tragic consequences of sin could master the person who opens the door to it (cf. Genesis 3:16). [source][source][source]
"The consequences of his reaction to God"s correction are more far-reaching than the initial sin itself, for if he pursues sin"s anger, it will result in sin"s mastery over him. This is his decision. It is possible for Cain to recover from sin quickly if he chooses the right thing." [4]0 [source]
The Apostle John revealed the reason Cain killed Abel in 1 John 3:12 : "... his own works were evil and his brother"s righteous." Abel"s attitude of faith in God resulted in righteous works that produced guilt in Cain. The seriousness of Cain"s sin is clear from God"s repeated references to Abel as Cain"s "brother" ( Genesis 4:9-11). [source][source][source]
"If you want to find out Cain"s condition of heart you will find it after the service which he pretended to render; you know a man best out of church ..." [15][source]
Later, under the Mosaic Law, the fact that a killing took place in a field, out of the range of help, was proof of premeditation (cf. Deuteronomy 22:25-27). [source][source][source]
"Cain and his unrighteous offspring served as a reminder to Israel that its destiny was measured in the scales of ethical behavior." [16][source]