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◄ Genesis 4:4►

New International Version
And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

New Living Translation
Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift,

English Standard Version
and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering,

Berean Standard Bible
while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

King James Bible
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

New King James Version
Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering,

New American Standard Bible
Abel, on his part also broughtan offering, from the firstborn of his flock and from their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering;

NASB 1995
Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering;

NASB 1977
And Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering;

Legacy Standard Bible
Abel, on his part, also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And Yahweh had regard for Abel and for his offering;

Amplified Bible
But Abel brought [an offering of] the [finest] firstborn of his flock and the fat portions. And the LORD had respect (regard) for Abel and for his offering;

Christian Standard Bible
And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The LORD had regard for Abel and his offering,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The LORD had regard for Abel and his offering,

American Standard Version
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

Contemporary English Version
and Abel also gave an offering to the LORD. He killed the first-born lamb from one of his sheep and gave the LORD the best parts of it. The LORD was pleased with Abel and his offering,

English Revised Version
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Abel also brought some choice parts of the firstborn animals from his flock. The LORD approved of Abel and his offering,

Good News Translation
Then Abel brought the first lamb born to one of his sheep, killed it, and gave the best parts of it as an offering. The LORD was pleased with Abel and his offering,

International Standard Version
while Abel brought the best parts of some of the firstborn from his flock. The LORD looked favorably upon Abel and his offering,

NET Bible
But Abel brought some of the firstborn of his flock--even the fattest of them. And the LORD was pleased with Abel and his offering,

New Heart English Bible
And Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. And God looked favorably on Abel and his offering,

Webster's Bible Translation
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect to Abel, and to his offering:

Majority Text Translations

Majority Standard Bible
while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

World English Bible
Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. Yahweh respected Abel and his offering,

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and Abel, he has brought, he also, from the female firstlings of his flock, and from their fat ones; and YHWH looks to Abel and to his present,

Young's Literal Translation
and Abel, he hath brought, he also, from the female firstlings of his flock, even from their fat ones; and Jehovah looketh unto Abel and unto his present,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Abel, he also brought in the first-born of his sheep, and their fat. And Jehovah will look to Abel and to his gift.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Abel also offered of the firstlings of his flock, and of their fat: and the Lord had respect to Abel, and to his offerings.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Abel likewise offered from the firstborn of his flock, and from their fat. And the Lord looked with favor on Abel and his gifts.

New American Bible
while Abel, for his part, brought the fatty portion of the firstlings of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

New Revised Standard Version
and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering,

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And Abel also brought of the first-born of his flock and of the fatlings thereof. And the LORD was pleased with Abel and with his offering;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Habyl brought also that from the first born of his flocks, and from their fat, and LORD JEHOVAH was pleased with Habyl and his offering.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Abel also brought of the first born of his sheep and of his fatlings, and God looked upon Abel and his gifts,

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Cain and Abel
…3So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD,4while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock.And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,5but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.…

Berean Standard Bible ·Download

Cross References

Hebrews 11:4
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

1 John 3:12
Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.

Matthew 23:35
And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Luke 11:51
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation.

Hebrews 12:24
to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Jude 1:11
Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.

Numbers 18:17
But you must not redeem the firstborn of an ox, a sheep, or a goat; they are holy. You are to splatter their blood on the altar and burn their fat as a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

Leviticus 3:16
Then the priest is to burn the food on the altar as a food offering, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the LORD’s.

Leviticus 9:24
Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.

1 Samuel 2:15-17
Even before the fat was burned, the servant of the priest would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast, because he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.” / And if any man said to him, “The fat must be burned first; then you may take whatever you want,” the servant would reply, “No, you must give it to me right now. If you refuse, I will take it by force!” / Thus the sin of these young men was severe in the sight of the LORD, for they were treating the LORD’s offering with contempt.

Proverbs 15:8
The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.

Isaiah 1:11
“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.

Isaiah 66:3
Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man; whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood; whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways and delighted in their abominations.

Jeremiah 6:20
What use to Me is frankincense from Sheba or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please Me.”

Amos 5:22
Even though you offer Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; for your peace offerings of fattened cattle I will have no regard.

Treasury of Scripture

And Abel, he also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect to Abel and to his offering:

the firstlings.

Exodus 13:12
That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the malesshall be the LORD'S.

Numbers 18:12,17
All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee…

Proverbs 3:9
Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

flock.

Leviticus 3:16,17
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar:it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fatis the LORD'S…

had.

Genesis 15:17
And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.

Leviticus 9:24
And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat:which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

Numbers 16:35
And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

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Abel Abel's Fat Favor Female Firstborn Firstlings Flock Lambs Offering Ones Part Pleased Portions Present Regard Respect Respected Thereof Young

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Abel Abel's Fat Favor Female Firstborn Firstlings Flock Lambs Offering Ones Part Pleased Portions Present Regard Respect Respected Thereof Young

Genesis 4

1.The birth, occupation, and offerings of Cain and Abel.
8.Cain murders his brother Abel.
11.The curse of Cain.
17.Has a son called Enoch, and builds a city, which he calls after his name.
18.His descendants, with Lamech and his two wives.
25.The birth of Seth,
26.and Enos.

Study Bible

Book ◦ Chapter

while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock.
Abel's offering is significant because it reflects a heart of worship and reverence towards God. The "best portions" indicate that Abel gave God the choicest parts, demonstrating his faith and devotion. This act of giving the firstborn is a precursor to the later Mosaic Law, where the firstborn of the flock was considered sacred and set apart for God (Exodus 13:12). The firstborn also symbolizes the best and the most valuable, showing Abel's willingness to sacrifice what was most precious to him. This act can be seen as a type of Christ, who is referred to as the "firstborn over all creation" (Colossians 1:15) and the "Lamb of God" (John 1:29), representing the ultimate sacrifice.

And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
The Lord's favor on Abel and his offering highlights the importance of the heart's condition in worship. Unlike Cain, whose offering was not accepted, Abel's was received because it was given in faith (Hebrews 11:4). This distinction underscores the biblical principle that God values the attitude and faith behind the offering more than the offering itself. The favor shown by God can be seen as a foreshadowing of the grace that believers receive through faith in Jesus Christ. This passage also sets a precedent for the concept of divine approval based on faith and righteousness, which is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, culminating in the New Testament teachings on salvation by faith.

Persons / Places / Events

1.Abel
The second son of Adam and Eve, a shepherd who offered a sacrifice to God from the firstborn of his flock.

2.Cain
Abel's older brother, a farmer who also made an offering to God, but it was not accepted.

3.The LORD
God, who evaluates the offerings of Cain and Abel, showing favor to Abel's offering.

4.The Offering
Abel's offering consisted of the best portions of the firstborn of his flock, indicating a sacrifice of quality and priority.

5.The Event
The act of offering sacrifices to God, which leads to God favoring Abel's offering over Cain's.

Teaching Points

The Heart of Worship
Abel's offering was accepted because it was given with a sincere heart and faith. Our worship and offerings to God should come from a place of genuine devotion and trust.

The Importance of Firstfruits
Abel's choice to offer the firstborn of his flock demonstrates the principle of giving God the first and best of what we have. This principle can be applied to our time, resources, and talents.

God's Favor and Righteousness
God's favor is not arbitrary but is based on righteousness and faith. Abel's example teaches us that living righteously and faithfully leads to God's approval.

The Consequences of Jealousy
The account of Cain and Abel warns against the dangers of jealousy and resentment, which can lead to destructive actions and separation from God.

Faith in Action
Abel's faith was demonstrated through his actions. Our faith should be evident in how we live and what we offer to God.

Bible Study Questions and Answers

1.What is the meaning of Genesis 4:4?

2.Why did God regard Abel's offering in Genesis 4:4 as acceptable?

3.How can we ensure our offerings are pleasing to God like Abel's?

4.What does Abel's offering teach about faith and obedience in worship?

5.How does Genesis 4:4 connect to Hebrews 11:4 regarding faith?

6.What can we learn from Abel's example about giving our best to God?

7.Why did God favor Abel's offering over Cain's in Genesis 4:4?

8.What does Genesis 4:4 reveal about God's expectations for worship?

9.How does Genesis 4:4 influence the understanding of sacrifice in the Bible?

10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Genesis 4?

11.Why does God require blood sacrifices when He is all-powerful and could forgive without them?

12.What was the purpose of animal sacrifices?

13.Who was Cain in the Bible?

14.What is the significance of the Way of Cain?

What Does Genesis 4:4 Mean

Abel brought

• “Abel brought” (Genesis 4:4) shows deliberate movement toward God.

• Worship in Scripture always starts with a conscious choice (Joshua 24:15;Psalm 100:4).

• Abel’s action follows the literal historic command inGenesis 3:21 where God Himself provided a blood covering—setting the pattern Abel now obeys.

the best portions

• “the best portions” signals quality, not leftovers (Proverbs 3:9;Malachi 1:8).

• Offering our finest underscores God’s supreme worth (2 Samuel 24:24).

• In contrast, Cain merely “brought an offering” (Genesis 4:3), hinting at minimal effort.

of the firstborn of his flock

• “firstborn” speaks of priority and faith: giving to God before seeing future increase (Exodus 13:12;Numbers 18:17).

• A flock implies blood sacrifice—foreshadowing Christ, “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29;1 Peter 1:19).

• Abel’s literal lambs anticipate the substitutionary atonement later codified inLeviticus 17:11.

And the LORD looked with favor

• God’s “favor” (Genesis 4:4) is His gracious acceptance; it is relational, not mechanical (Psalm 147:11).

•Hebrews 11:4 explains, “By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice… through which he was approved.”

• The Lord’s gaze discerns heart posture (1 Samuel 16:7) and obedience to revealed truth.

on Abel and his offering

• God first accepts the person, then the gift (Isaiah 66:2).

• Acceptance points to justification by faith, contrasting Cain who “was of the evil one” (1 John 3:12).

• Jesus later affirms Abel’s righteousness (Matthew 23:35), cementing the event as literal history with enduring theological weight.

summary

Abel intentionally approached God, offering the choicest firstborn lambs in faith. This wholehearted, blood-based worship aligned with God’s revealed pattern, so the Lord approved both the man and his sacrifice.Genesis 4:4 thus teaches that genuine faith expresses itself in giving God our first and best, resting in His provision of an acceptable substitute, and receiving His gracious favor.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. -And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock. Either the firstborn, which God afterwards demanded (Exodus 13:12), or the choicest and best (Job 18:13;Jeremiah 31:19;Hebrews 12:23).And the fat thereof. Literally,the fatness of them,i.e. the fattest of the firstlings, "the best he had, and the best of those best" (Inglis; cf.Genesis 45:18;Numbers 18:2; Psalm 167:14); a proof that flesh was eaten before the Flood, since "it had been no praise to Abel to offer the fatlings if he used not to eat of them" (Willet), and "si anteposuit Abel utilitate" suae Deum, non dubium quid solitus sit ex labore suo utilitatem percipere" (Justin).And the Lord had respect. Literally,looked upon;ἐπεῖδεν, LXX. (cf.Numbers 16:15); probably consuming it by fire from heaven, or from the flaming sword (cf.Leviticus 9:24;1 Chronicles 21:26;2 Chronicles 7:1;1 Kings 18:38; Jerome, Chrysostom, Cyril). Theodotion rendersἐνεπύρισεν,inflammant; andHebrews 11:4,μαρτυροῦντοςἐπὶ τοῖς δώροις,is supposed to lend considerable weight to the opinion.Unto Abel and his offering. Accepting first his person and then his gift (cf.Proverbs 12:2;Proverbs 15:8;2 Corinthians 8:12). "The sacrifice was accepted for the man, and not the man for the sacrifice" (Ainsworth); but still "without a doubt the words of Moses imply that the matter of Abel's offering was more excellent and suitable than that of Cain's," and one can hardly entertain a doubt that this was the idea of the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews" (Prof. Lindsay, 'Lectures on Hebrews,' Edin. 1867). Abel's sacrifice wasπλείονα, fuller than Cain's; it had more in it; it had faith, which was wanting in the other. It was also offered in obedience to Divine prescription. The universal prevalence of sacrifice rather points to Divine prescription than to man's invention as its proper source. Had Divine worship been of purely human origin, it is almost certain that greater diversity would have prevailed in its forms. Besides, the fact that the mode of worship was not left to human ingenuity under the law, and that will-worship is specifically condemned under the Christian dispensation (Colossians 2:23), favors the presumption that it was Divinely appointed from the first.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

while Abel
וְהֶ֨בֶל(wə·he·ḇel)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1893:Abel -- the second son of Adam

brought
הֵבִ֥יא(hê·ḇî)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935:To come in, come, go in, go

the best portions
וּמֵֽחֶלְבֵהֶ֑ן(ū·mê·ḥel·ḇê·hen)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine plural
Strong's 2459:Fat, richest, choice part

of the firstborn
מִבְּכֹר֥וֹת(mib·bə·ḵō·rō·wṯ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1062:The firstling of man, beast, primogeniture

of his flock.
צֹאנ֖וֹ(ṣō·nōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6629:Small cattle, sheep and goats, flock

And the LORD
יְהוָ֔ה(Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

looked with favor
וַיִּ֣שַׁע(way·yi·ša‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8159:To gaze at, about, to inspect, consider, compassionate, be nonplussed, bewildered

on
אֶל־(’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413:Near, with, among, to

Abel
הֶ֖בֶל(he·ḇel)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1893:Abel -- the second son of Adam

and
וְאֶל־(wə·’el-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 413:Near, with, among, to

his offering,
מִנְחָתֽוֹ׃(min·ḥā·ṯōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4503:A donation, tribute, a sacrificial offering

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OT Law: Genesis 4:4 Abel also brought some of the firstborn (Gen. Ge Gn)