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There is nothing in the Gen.4 text to support that view.

You disagree that the text tells us that he didn't give his best, or put little effort into it? What in the text makes you disagree? Or do you prefer the safe pasture of the standard explanation?

On what basis do you make such a claim? No doubt? Furthermore, there is no indication in the text that the offerings that Cain and Abel brought were sin offerings. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. - Gen.4:3

That's what they did. Just like today. We have plumbers and electricians and bakers and butchers. It's what we do. Plumbers don't bake, electricians don't do electrical work, butchers don't do electrical work. … Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. - Gen.4:2

The God that created broccoli?

I don't think that was the problem. The text tells us that he didn't give his best, or put little effort into it.

Thanks. I appreciate that you are really digging into this. This is the sort of in-depth discussion I was hoping to see on this. I find the inferences in the passage interesting. It seems that offerings to the Lord from someone's occupation were common. And that the one making the offering...

The way the passage reads, it seems that periodic offerings were the norm. What makes this different from the norm was what came of it. Cain murdering his brother. It's not a story about offerings as much as what led to the first recorded murder. Genesis 4:2-5 Later she gave birth to his...

The standard teaching. That is what this thread is questioning. The text in question does not support the standard teaching. That's what this is about.

The passage indicates that the offering was made "In the curse of time..." Gen.4:3 So, this seemed to be an established practice offer something to the Lord from time to time. One thing that is rarely considered in all this is the population of the planet at the time. If you consider the age...

The passage is interesting in this regard. It says, "In the course of time..." - vs 3 So, this seemed to be an established practice offer something to the Lord from time to time. It also indicates that Cain lead in the activity in regard to his brother. "And Abel also brought an offering..."...

Genesis 4:1-3 Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some...

That is key from my perspective.

Both brothers brought an offering from their occupation.

I am pointing to Cain's attitude as the culprit. The text bears this out better than imposing blood sacrifice on the passage.

That's news to me. Do you have a source to cite?

But what constitutes a "first fruit" in your understanding?

This reminded me of the mention of the city of Cain. (Enoch) Genesis 4:17 Cain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch.

Right. I don't think the type of offering was the issue. It was the attitude. Abel brought the best, Cain brought "some".

Where is that indicated in the text? So, was Cain condemned for working the soil rather than keeping a flock?