ContradictionsReading order 288Bible context 4 min read
Does God respect anyone?
The same older English word describes both favorable attention and prohibited partiality, so the passages raise questions about divine favoritism rather than simply disagreeing over whether God respects anyone.
- Textual conflict
- Weak tension
- The alleged conflict needs substantial assumptions, such as treating an omission as a denial or figurative language as literal.
- Importance
- Foundational
- A central claim about origins, salvation, divine justice, or religious authority.
Favorable regard and unjust partiality are different senses of respect, although inherited covenant preference leaves a narrower moral question.
An editorial assessment of the quoted passages. Importance describes the stakes; it does not increase certainty. Reading order weighs both.
God shows favor to Abel Israel and the lowly
And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
Genesis 4:3-5
Translation / edition: King James Version (KJV)
Read the full chapter:Genesis 4
And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.
Exodus 2:25
Translation / edition: King James Version (KJV)
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