Texts in Conversation
Genesis 4 says Cain and Abel each brought a “gift” to God, but the Greek Septuagint calls Cain’s a “sacrifice” and Abel’s a “gift.” This creates a contrast in their offerings, suggesting Abel’s was more genuine, a distinction not found in the original.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Genesis 4:4
Hebrew Bible
3 At the designated time Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground for an offering to the Lord. 4 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, 5 but with Cain and his offering he was not pleased. So Cain became very angry, and his expression was downcast.
Date: 750–400 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
LXX Genesis 4:4
Septuagint
3 And it was so after some time that Cain brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought of the first born of his sheep and of his fatlings, and God looked upon Abel and his gifts, 5 but Cain and his sacrifices he did not regard, and Cain was exceedingly sorrowful and his face fell.
Date: 300–201 BCE (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Arbitrariness in God... Already in the Septuagint of Genesis, we find alterations of this kind. If it is not possible to accuse God of wickedness, the responsibility must fall on a human being. The case of Genesis 4:4 is well-known. According to the Hebrew text, both Cain and Abel offer a מנחה ("gift"). In the Septuagint, we find a distinction: Cain’s offering is called a θυσία ("sacrifice"), whereas Abel’s offering is designated a δῶρον ("gift"). Based on this differentiation, later readers of Genesis 4 emphasized the higher value of Abel’s offering, which signifies a higher degree of piety ..."
Martin Meiser, The Septuagint and Its Reception: Collected Essays (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2022), 21.
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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