Genesis 4:5
But to Cain and his offerings he had no respect: and Cain was exceedingly angry, and his countenance fell.
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The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Ad Cain vero, et ad munera illius non respexit : iratusque est Cain vehementer, et concidit vultus ejus.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ἐπὶ δὲ Κάιν καὶ ἐπὶ ταῖς θυσίαις αὐτοῦ ⸆ οὐ προσέσχεν. καὶ ἐλύπησεν τὸν Κάιν λίαν καὶ συνέπεσεν τῷ προσώπῳ.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וְאֶל קַ֥יִן וְאֶל מִנְחָת֖וֹ לֹ֣א שָׁעָ֑ה וַיִּ֤חַר לְקַ֨יִן֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ פָּנָֽיו
The Fathers on this verse
St Hippolytus The Refutation of All Heresies, Chapter XI
Now, he says, the stars are the gods of destruction, which impose upon existent things the necessity of alterable generation. These, he says, Moses denominated serpents of the wilderness, which gnaw and utterly ruin those who imagined that they had crossed the Red Sea. To those, then, he says, who of the children of Israel were bitten in the wilderness, Moses exhibited the real and perfect serpent; and they who believed on this serpent were not bitten in the wilderness, that is, (were not assailed) by (evil) powers. No one therefore, he says, is there who is able to save and deliver those that come forth from Egypt, that is, from the body and from this world, unless alone the serpent that is perfect and replete with fulness. Upon this (serpent), he says, he who fixes his hope is not destroyed by the snakes of the wilderness, that is, by the gods of generation. …
St Methodius Concerning Free-Will
Shun not, man, a spiritual hymn, nor be ill-disposed to listen to it. Death belongs not to it; a story of salvation is our song. Already I seem to taste better enjoyments, as I discourse on such subjects as these; and especially when there is before me such a flowering meadow, that is to say, our assembly of those who unite in singing and hearing the divine mysteries. Wherefore I dare to ask you to listen to me with ears free from all envy, without imitating the jealousy of Cain, or persecuting your brother, like Esau, or approving the brethren of Joseph, because they hated their brother on account of his words; but differing far from all these, insomuch that each of you is used to speak the mind of his neighbour. And, on this account, there is no evil jealousy among you, as ye have undertaken to supply your brother’s deficiencies. …
St Jerome The Letters of St. Jerome, From Pope Damasus
1. What is the meaning of the words “Whosoever slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold”? ( Gen. iv. 5 .)
St Gregory the Great Book IX, To Rechared, King of the Visigoths
For hence it is that it is written, The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his gifts, but unto Cain and to his gifts he had not respect ( Gen. iv. 4, 5 ). To wit, being about to say that the Lord had respect to the gifts, he was careful to premise that He had respect unto Abel. Thus it is plainly shewn that the offerer was not acceptable by reason of the gifts, but the gifts were so by reason of the offerer. You shew, therefore, how acceptable your offering is, seeing that, being about to give gold, you have first given gifts of souls by the conversion of the nation subject to you.