Being ACCEPTED of The Most High! ! ! Part 2

Genesis 4:7

If thou doest well: Gen_19:21; 2Sa_24:23; 2Ki_8:28; Job_42:8; Pro_18:5; Ecc_8:12-13; Isa_3:10-11; Jer_6:20; Mal_1:8, Mal_1:10, Mal_1:13; Act_10:35; Rom_2:7-10, Rom_12:1; Rom_14:18, Rom_15:16; Eph_1:6; 1Ti_5:4; 1Pe_2:5

be accepted: or, have the excellency, Job_29:4; Pro_21:27; Heb_11:4

sin: Gen_4:8-13; Rom_7:8-9; Jas_1:15

unto thee: or, subject unto thee, Gen_3:16 *marg.

Genesis 4:7

If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?.... That is, either if thou doest thy works well in general, doest good works in a right way and manner, according to life will of God, and directed to his glory, from right principles, and with right views: so all the Targums,"if thou doest thy works well;''for it is not merely doing a good work, but doing the good work well, which is acceptable to God; hence that saying,"that not nouns but adverbs make good works:''or particularly it may respect sacrifice; if thou doest thine offering well, or rightly offereth, as the Septuagint; or offers not only what is materially good and proper to be offered, but in a right way, in obedience to the divine will, from love to God, and with true devotion to him, in the faith of the promised seed, and with a view to his sacrifice for atonement and acceptance; then thine offering would be well pleasing and acceptable. Some render the latter part of the clause, which is but one word in the original text, "there will be a lifting up" (k); either of the countenance of the offerer, and so, if Cain had done well, his countenance would not have fallen, but have been lifted up, and cheerful as before; or of sin, which is the pardon of it, and is often expressed by taking and lifting it up, and bearing it away, and so of easing a man of it as of a burden; and in this sense all the Targums take it; which paraphrase it,"it or thy sin shall be forgiven thee:"