The Hebrew Bible says God "paid regard" to Abel's offering but not to Cain's (Genesis 4:4-5). Targum Onkelos rephrases this as: "There was favor before God" for Abel's offering, but for Cain's, "there was no favor." The shift from God actively paying attention to favor existing "before" God is classic Onkelos—removing any hint that God has preferences the way humans do.
But the most theologically charged translation comes at (Genesis 4:7), where God warns Cain about sin. The Hebrew is notoriously difficult: "Sin crouches at the door... you can dominate it." Onkelos adds an entire interpretive layer: "If you do not improve your actions, your sin will be kept for the Day of Judgment. Its desire is toward you, but you can dominate it. For in the future, it will be exacted from you if you do not repent. And if you repent, there is forgiveness."
This is not translation. This is theology. Onkelos introduces the concept of a future Day of Judgment, the possibility of repentance, and the promise of forgiveness—none of which appear in the Hebrew text. For Onkelos, the Torah's terse warning to Cain already contains the entire rabbinic framework of sin, repentance, and divine mercy. He simply makes it explicit.
When Cain protests that "my sin is too great to bear" (Genesis 4:13) and says he will be "hidden from Your face," Onkelos adds a striking correction: "from before You it is impossible to be hidden." Cain thinks he can flee God's presence. Onkelos insists no one can.
1. And Adam knew Hava his wife, and she conceived, and gave birth to Kain; and she said I have acquired the man from before the Lord.
2. And she added to give birth to his brother, Habel. And Habel was a shepherd of the flock, and Kain a man working on the ground.
3. And it was at the end (or complement) of days, that Kain brought of the product of the earth an oblation before the Lord;
4. and Habel he brought also of the first-born of his sheep and of their fatlings. And there was acceptableness before the Lord in Habel and in his oblation;
5. but in Kain and his oblation there was not acceptableness. And it was greatly displeasing to Kain, and his countenance was downcast.
6. And the Lord said to Kain, Why art thou displeased, and why is thy countenance downcast?
7. If thou doest thy work well, is it not remitted to thee? And if thou doest not thy work well, thy sin unto the day of judgment is reserved, when it will be exacted of thee, if thou convert not: but if thou convert, it is remitted to thee.
8. And Kain spake with Habel his brother; and it was in their being in the field that Kain arose against Habel his brother, and killed him.
9. And the Lord said to Kain, Where is Habel thy brother? And he said, I know not; am I the keeper of my brother?
10. And He said, What hast thou done? The voice of the blood of generations which were to come from thy brother complaineth before Me, from the earth!
11. And now, accursed art thou from the earth, which hath opened her mouth and received the blood of thy brother from thy hand.
12. When thou tillest the earth, it shall not add to give its virtue to thee; a castaway and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth.
13. And Kain said before the Lord, Greater is my guilt than may be forgiven.
14. Behold, Thou hast rejected me this day from the face of the earth, and from Thy presence it is not possible to hide; and I shall be a castaway and a wanderer in the earth, and anyone who findeth me will slay me.
15. And the Lord said to him, Therefore anyone who killeth Kain, unto seven generations it shall be exacted of him. And the Lord set unto Kain a sign, lest anyone who found him should kill him.
16. And Kain went out from before the Lord, and dwelt in the land of the wanderer and outcast, which was made for him in the beginnings in the Garden of Eden.
17. And Kain knew his wife, and she conceived and bare Hanoch, and he became the builder of a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son Hanoch.
18. And there was born to Hanoch Irad, and Irad begat Mahujael; and Mahujael begat Methu-sael, and Methusael begat Lemek.
19. And Lemek took unto him two wives, the name of the one Ada, and the name of the second Zillah.
20. And Ada bare Javal; he was the master (\it rab\it*) of all dwellers in tents and lords of cattle.
21. And the name of his brother was Juval. He was the master of all who play upon the mouth of the pipe, who know the song of the harp and of the organ.
22. And Zillah also, she bare Tuval-kain, the master of all them who understand the working of brass and iron. And the sister of Tuval-kain was Naamah.
23. And Lemek said to his wives Ada and Zillah, Hear my voice, wives of Lemek, attend to my words: I have not slain a man, that on his account I should bear the condemnation of death; or destroyed a young man, that on his account my posterity should be consumed.
24. If seven generations are suspended unto Kain, will there not be to Lemek his son seventy and seven?
25. And Adam knew yet his wife, and she bare a son, and called his name Sheth; Because, said she, the Lord hath given me another son instead of Habel, whom Kain slew.
26. And to Sheth also was born a son, and he called his name Enosh. Then in his days the sons of men desisted (or forbore) from praying in the name of the Lord.
