“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.”
Context:After the fall of Adam and Eve, they had two sons named Cain and Abel. Cain was a tiller of the ground, and Abel was a keeper of sheep. Both Cain and Abel brought offerings to God, but God respected Abel’s offering of the firstborn of his flock, while He did not respect Cain’s offering of the fruit of the ground. This caused Cain to become angry and his countenance fell.
The Conditional Statement:The verse begins with a conditional statement, “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?” God is addressing Cain and essentially saying that if he does what is right, his offering will be accepted. God is implying that Cain’s offering was not acceptable because of the condition of his heart or the manner in which he presented it.
Sin at the Door:The verse continues, “and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.” Here, God warns Cain about the potential consequences of his actions. If he continues down the wrong path and harbors negative emotions like anger and jealousy, sin is waiting to overtake him. It emphasizes the importance of making righteous choices and resisting the temptation to indulge in sinful behaviour.
The Desire and Rule:The verse concludes with, “And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” This part is subject to interpretation and has been understood in different ways. One interpretation suggests that “his desire” refers to sin’s desire to control or dominate Cain, and Cain’s responsibility is to rule over it. Another interpretation suggests that “his desire” refers to Abel’s desire to be in fellowship with Cain, and Cain is to rule over his jealous feelings and maintain a healthy relationship.
