Genesis 3:10

10 He answered, "I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself."

Genesis 3:10 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 3:10

And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden
The voice of thy Word, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan: this was not the true cause of his hiding himself; he had heard his voice in the garden before, when it did not strike him with terror, but gave him pleasure; and I was afraid, because I was naked.
This also was not the true reason; he was naked from his creation as to his body, and it caused no shame in him, nor any dread to appear before God; he conceals the true cause, which was sin, that made the nakedness of his body shameful, and had stripped his soul of its native clothing, purity and holiness; and therefore it was, he could not appear before a pure and holy Being: and I hid myself;
among the trees of the garden, and his wife also; or therefore F23 "hid myself"; through fear of God, his wrath and displeasure, which he had justly incurred by his disobedience, and because of his sin which had made his soul naked, though he was not as yet ingenuous enough to confess it.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 (w) "ldeo", Vatablus.

Genesis 3:10 In-Context

8 They heard the voice of ADONAI, God, walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, so the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of ADONAI, God, among the trees in the garden.
9 ADONAI, God, called to the man, "Where are you?"
10 He answered, "I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself."
11 He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I ordered you not to eat?"
12 The man replied, "The woman you gave to be with me - she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate."
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.