Genesis 3:4

4 The serpent said to the woman, "It is not true that you will surely die;

Genesis 3:4 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 3:4

And the serpent said unto the woman
In reply to her answer: ye shall not surely die;
in direct contradiction to the divine threatening, and which he would insinuate was a mere threatening, and which God never intended to put in execution; so that they had nothing to fear from that, God would never be so rigid and severe, and beat so hard upon them as to put them to death for such an offence, if it was one; he only gave out the menace to frighten them, and deter from it: however, at most it was not a certain thing they should die, and they might safely conclude they would not.

Genesis 3:4 In-Context

2 The woman answered the serpent, "We may eat from the fruit of the trees of the garden,

3 but about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden God said, 'You are neither to eat from it nor touch it, or you will die.'"

4 The serpent said to the woman, "It is not true that you will surely die;

5 because God knows that on the day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it had a pleasing appearance and that the tree was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her; and he ate.