Teks -- Genesis 4:5 (NET)

4:5 but with Cain and his offering he was not pleased. So Cain became very angry, and his expression was downcast.

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Wesley: Gen 4:5 - And Cain was wroth, and his countenance fell

Not so much out of grief as malice and rage. His sullen churlish countenance, and down - look, betrayed his passionate resentment.

Clarke: Gen 4:5 - Unto Cain

Unto Cain - As being unconscious of his sinfulness, and consequently unhumbled, and to his offering, as not being accompanied, as Abel’ s was, with faith and a sacrifice for sin, he had not respect - He could not, consistently with his holiness and justice, approve of the one or receive the other. Of the manner in which God testified his approbation we are not informed; it was probably, as in the case of Elijah, by sending down fire from heaven, and consuming the sacrifice

Clarke: Gen 4:5 - Cain was very wroth

Cain was very wroth - That displeasure which should have been turned against his own unhumbled heart was turned against his innocent brother, who, though not more highly privileged than he, made a much better use of the advantages which he shared in common with his ungodly and unnatural brother.

Calvin: Gen 4:5 - But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect // And Cain was very wroth

5.But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. It is not to be doubted, that Cain conducted himself as hypocrites are accustomed to do; namely, that he wished to appease God, as one discharging a debt, by external sacrifices, without the least intention of dedicating himself to God. But this is true worship, to offer ourselves as spiritual sacrifices to God. When God sees such hypocrisy, combined with gross and manifest mockery of himself; it is not surprising that he hates it, and is unable to bear it; whence also it follows, that he rejects with contempt the works of those who withdraw themselves from him. For it is his will, first to have us devoted to himself; he then seeks our works in testimony of our obedience to him, but only in the second place. It is to be remarked, that all the figments by which men mock both God and themselves are the fruits of unbelief: To this is added pride, because unbelievers, despising the Mediator’s grace, throw themselves fearlessly into the presence of God. The Jews foolishly imagine that the oblations of Cain were unacceptable, because he defrauded God of the full ears of corn, and meanly offered him only barren or half-filled ears. Deeper and more hidden was the evil; namely that impurity of heart of which I have been speaking; just as, on the other hand, the strong scent of burning fat could not conciliate the divine favor to the sacrifices of Abel; but, being pervaded by the good odour of faith, they had a sweet-smelling savor.

And Cain was very wroth. In this place it is asked, whence Cain understood that his brother’s oblations were preferred to his? The Hebrews, according to their manner, report to divinations and imagine that the sacrifice of Abel was consumed by celestial fire; but, since we ought not to allow ourselves so great a license as to invent miracles, for which we have no testimony of Scripture, let Jewish fables be dismissed. ²³³ It is, indeed, more probable, that Cain formed the judgement which Moses records, from the events which followed. He saw that it was better with his brother than with himself; thence he inferred, that God was pleased with his brother, and displeased with himself. We know also, that to hypocrites nothing seems of greater value, nothing is more to their heart’s content, then earthly blessing. moreover, in the person of Cain is portrayed to us the likeness of a wicked man, who yet desires to be esteemed just, and even arrogates to himself the first place among saints. Such persons truly, by external works, strenuously labor to deserve well at the hands of God; but, retaining a heart inwrapped in deceit, they present to him nothing but a mask; so that, in their labourious and anxious religious worship, there is nothing sincere, nothing but mere pretense. When they afterwards see that they gain no advantage, they betray the venom of their minds; for they not only complain against God, but break forth in manifest fury, so that, if they were able, they would gladly tear him don from his heavenly throne. Such is the innate pride of all hypocrites, that, by the very appearance of obedience, they would hold God as under obligation to them; because they cannot escape from his authority, they try to sooth him with blandishments, as they would a child; in the meantime, while they count much of their fictitious trifles, they think that God does them great wrong if he does not applaud them; but when he pronounces their offerings frivolous and of no value in his sight, they first begin to murmur, and then to rage. Their impiety alone hinders God from being reconciled unto them; but they wish to bargain with God on their own terms. When this is denied, they burn with furious indignation, which, though conceived against God, they cast forth upon his children. Thus, when Cain was angry with God, his fury was poured forth on his unoffending brother. When Moses says, “his countenance fell,” (the word countenance is in Hebrew put in the plural number for the singular,) he means, that not only was he seized with a sudden vehement anger, but that, from a lingering sadness, he cherished a feeling so malignant that he was wasting with envy.

Defender: Gen 4:5 - his countenance fell

Cain's anger reflects pride in his own works which God regarded as "evil" (1Jo 3:12)."

TSK: Gen 4:5 - But // wroth

But : Num 16:15; Heb 11:4

wroth : Gen 31:2, Gen 31:5; Job 5:2; Psa 20:3; Isa 3:10, Isa 3:11; Mat 20:15; Luk 15:28-30; Act 13:45

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Poole: Gen 4:5 - Cain was very wroth // His countenance fell

Cain was very wroth partly with God, who, had cast so public a disgrace upon him, and given the preference to his younger brother; and partly with Abel, because he had received more honour from God, and therefore was likely to have more respect and privilege from his parents than himself.

His countenance fell whereas before it was lifted up and cheerful, now it fell down through sense of guilt, disappointment of his hope, shame and grief, and envy at his brother.

PBC: Gen 4:5 - Cain was very wroth

Hear below

"Cain was very wroth"

Let's look at this thing called anger.  First of all, Cain's anger is displaced and misplaced.  He's not in particular angry at his brother - he's angry with God - "God, I came first, it was my idea not his!" "What's wrong with what I brought?" 

When God and we don't agree, it's not time to defend ourselves, it's time to back up and take another look.  There's no evidence here of soul-searching, of wondering what could I do differently?  How can I bring an acceptable offering to God?  There's none of that - he's mad!  He's pouting, he's sulking.  I don't always agree with D. A. Carson.  He's a contemporary Christian commentator, writer, teacher - he is always thought-provoking - "indeed Cain is portrayed as a more hardened sinner than Adam, killing one's brother is more wicked than eating a protected fruit.  Adam had to be persuaded to sin, Cain could not be dissuaded from sinning, even by God Himself.  Sin is personified as an animal waiting to pounce.  When questioned by God about sin, Adam (though rather petulent) at least told the truth, Cain lied and then made a joke about it.  Adam accepted God's judgment in silence, Cain protested fiercely and was dispatched even further from Eden."

May I get just a little in your face - and please understand, I'm in mine too?  There is this thing called righteous indignation - I grant that, but I seriously question that a lot that is passed off as righteous indignation is in fact "righteous" at all.  Most often it is not and most often when we give voice and place in our hearts to anger against other people, especially anger against other people in the household of faith, we are perhaps giving vent not really to anger against them but to an anger that resides in us against God.  Saints can disagree but God requires that we do so agreeably.

Gill: Gen 4:5 - But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect // and Cain was very wroth // and his countenance fell

But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect,.... Not because of the matter of it, as some have thought; but because it was not offered in faith and sincerity, but in a formal and hypocritical manner, without any regard to the Messiah and his sacrifice, and without any view to the glory of God: no notice was taken, no approbation was given of it by the above token, or any other; so that it was manifest to Cain himself, that God did not approve of it, or was well pleased with it, as with his brother's:

and Cain was very wroth; with God, to whom he offered it, because he did not accept of it, and with his brother, because he and his sacrifice were preferred to him and his:

and his countenance fell; the briskness and cheerfulness of his countenance went off, and he looked dejected; and instead of lifting up his face towards heaven; he looked with a down look to the earth; he looked churlish, morose, and sullen, ill natured, full of malice and revenge, and as if he was studying which way to vent it; he knit his brows and gnashed his teeth, put on a surly countenance; and there might be seen in his face all the signs, not only of grief and disappointment, but of rage and fury; though ⁱ some interpret it of shame and confusion.