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ד וְהֶבֶל הֵבִיא גַם-הוּא מִבְּכֹרוֹת צֹאנוֹ, וּמֵחֶלְבֵהֶן; וַיִּשַׁע יְהוָה, אֶל-הֶבֶל וְאֶל-מִנְחָתוֹ.

Genesis 4:4 YLT

4 and Abel, he hath brought, he also, from the female firstlings of his flock, even from their fat ones; and Jehovah looketh unto Abel and unto his present,

The YLT translates Abel's offering as female firstlings whilst other translations only say they were firstlings of his flock.

Genesis 4:4 NKJV

4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:4 NIV

4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

Does the original hebrew text actual make reference to the offering as to whether they were female or male firstlings?

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  • "Bekorot" (בְּכֹר֥וֹת) are female Firstborns.
    – חִידָה
    Commented Aug 28, 2020 at 13:12

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Does the YLT translate Genesis 4:4 accurately?

The Hebrew MT of Bereishit (Genesis) 4:4 states : (וְהֶ֨בֶל הֵבִ֥יא גַם־ה֛וּא מִבְּכֹר֥וֹת צֹאנ֖וֹ וּמֵֽחֶלְבֵהֶ֑ן וַיִּ֣שַׁע יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־הֶ֖בֶל וְאֶל־מִנְחָתֽוֹ).

If we compare a literal pronunciation of Bereishit 4:4 with a literal English translation of Bereishit 4:4 to the YLT English translation of Genesis 4:4, then we can decide if YLT is accurate :

  1. A literal pronunciation of Bereishit 4:4 from the MT renders : " Ve-Hevel (וְהֶ֨בֶל) Hevia (הֵבִ֥יא) Gam (גַם) Hu (ה֛וּא) Mi-Bekorot (מִבְּכֹר֥וֹת) - Tsono (צֹאנ֖וֹ) Vu-MecHelevehen (וּמֵֽחֶלְבֵהֶ֑ן), Va-Yisha (וַיִּ֣שַׁע) Yehovah (יְהֹוָ֔ה) El - (אֶל) Hevel (הֶ֖בֶל) Ve-El- (וְאֶל) Minechato (מִנְחָתֽוֹ). "

  2. The literal English translation of Bereishit 4:4 from the MT reads : " And-Hevel (וְהֶ֨בֶל) brought (הֵבִ֥יא) also (גַם) He (ה֛וּא) of-Firstborns (מִבְּכֹר֥וֹת) Flock-His (צֹאנ֖וֹ) And-of-Fat-Their (וּמֵֽחֶלְבֵהֶ֑ן), And-Turned (וַיִּ֣שַׁע) Yehovah (יְהֹוָ֔ה) to - (אֶל) Hevel (הֶ֖בֶל) And-To- (וְאֶל) Offering-His (מִנְחָתֽוֹ). "

  • The suffix -Hen (הֶ֑ן) meaning "Their" is feminine, relating to and-of-fat-Their (וּמֵֽחֶלְבֵהֶ֑ן). * [Reference "הֶ֑ן" inflection personal pronouns :https://www.pealim.com/dict/4652-hen/ ].
  1. In the YLT version of Genesis 4:4, we read : "and Abel, he hath brought, he also, from the female firstlings of his flock, even from their fat ones; and Jehovah looketh unto Abel and unto his present."

  • "Abel" is an inaccurate transliteration of "Hevel" (הֶ֖בֶל).

  • "Jehovah" is an inaccurate transliteration of "Yehovah" (יְהֹוָ֔ה).

  • "female firstlings" is an explicit translation of "Bekorot" (בְּכֹר֥וֹת), since the singular form of "Firstborn" is Bekor (בְּכ֜וֹר) and the "Firstborns" in Genesis 4:4 ends with the suffix -ot in Hebrew grammar, relating to multiple females.

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Cains offering was wine.

Abels offering was milk (milkfat, cream). Obviously only females produce milk.

firstlings is plural. Hebrew plural is either male (-im) or female (-oth). In this case its female

Milkfat (cheleb): https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H2459&t=KJV

Milk (chalab): https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?strongs=H2461

https://biblehub.com/interlinear/genesis/4.htm

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  • Milkfat = cheleb. Milk = chalab. The interlinear shows that the plural form is female
    – R. Emery
    Commented Aug 28, 2020 at 10:28

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