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“cut” in Hebrew. 174 Scarlata also puts forward the possibility that in the light of the preceding
verses, the translator decided that διέλῃς made sense contextually. 175
Brayford argues that the LXX translation of 4:7 gives another difference in terms of
interpretive nuance to that found in the MT. 176 The general tone of 4:7 in the MT is that Cain is at
a crossroads and is faced with a choice in terms of his actions and the outcome thereof. 177 The
LXX, on the other hand, omits the ‘if’ and ‘if not’ construction in the MT, which renders the
latter half of 4:7 as positive encouragement rather than advice. 178
Scarlata argues that viewing the LXX rendering of 4:7 in light of Gen 3:16 provides a
foundation for understanding the deviations in the way the verse was translated into Greek. 179 In
3:16, God tells Eve that her sin will result in the pain of childbirth which will cause her to turn to
her husband, and he shall rule over her (ἡ ἀποστροφή σου, καὶ αὐτός σου κυριεύσει). 180 This
phrase has many lexical similarities with 4:7b (ἡ ἀποστροφὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ σὺ ἄρξεις αὐτοῦ), with
κυριεύσει and ἄρξεις having related meanings. Scarlata sees the ‘he’ referred to in 4:7b as
Abel. 181 In this interpretation, 4:7 comes to be viewed primarily in terms of relationships and
duties therein.
Just as Eve’s ‘turning’ to her husband conveys her desire to reestablish their original
unity, so Abel’s ‘turning’ will be towards Cain as a sign of his inclination to be in a right
fraternal relationship. And just as Adam’s ‘ruling’ over Eve primarily refers to his social
role as a husband, so Cain’s ‘ruling’ over Abel reflects the normative position of the
firstborn son over his siblings. 182
174
Ibid.
Ibid, 84.
176
Susan Ann Brayford, Genesis, Septuagint Commentary Series, (Leiden: Brill, 2007), 252.
177
Ibid.
178
Ibid.
179
M. W. Scarlata, Outside of Eden: Cain in the Ancient Versions of Genesis 4:1-16, 89-91.
180
Ibid, 89.
181
Ibid, 90.
182
Ibid, 90-91.
175