Genesis 3:1-13

The Fall

1 Now ¹the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You^[a] shall not eat of any tree in the garden’? ”

2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,

3 but God said, ²‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. ’”

4 ³But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.

5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. ”

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, ^[b] she took of its fruit ⁴and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, ⁵and he ate.

7 ⁶Then the eyes of both were opened, ⁷and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool^[c] of the day, and the man and his wife ⁸hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you? ” ^[d]

10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, ⁹because I was naked, and I hid myself. ”

11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat? ”

12 The man said, ¹⁰“The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate. ”

13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done? ” The woman said, ¹¹“The serpent deceived me, and I ate. ”

Genesis 3:1-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 3

In this chapter an account is given of the temptation of our first parents, of the instrument of it, and of their fall into it, and of the effect of it, Ge 3:1-7 their summons upon it to appear before God, against whom they had sinned, Ge 3:8-10 their examination by him, and the excuses they made, Ge 3:11-13 the various sentences passed of the serpent, the woman, and the man, Ge 3:14-19 some incidental things recorded, expressive of faith and hope in man, and of favour to him, Ge 3:20,21 and his expulsion from the garden of Eden, Ge 3:22-24.

Cross References

• 1. 3:1 Matt. 10:16; 2 Cor. 11:3; Rev. 12:9; 20:2
• 2. 3:3 ch. 2:17
• 3. 3:4 ver. 13; John 8:44; [2 Cor. 11:3]
• 4. 3:6 1 Tim. 2:14
• 5. 3:6 ver. 12, 17; Hos. 6:7
• 6. 3:7 ver. 5
• 7. 3:7 ch. 2:25
• 8. 3:8 [Ps. 139:1-12; Jer. 23:23, 24]
• 9. 3:10 ver. 7; ch. 2:25
• 10. 3:12 ch. 2:18; Job 31:33
• 11. 3:13 ver. 4; 2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 2:14

Footnotes

• [a] 3:1 In Hebrew 'you' is plural in verses 1–5
• [b] 3:6 Or 'to give insight'
• [c] 3:8 Hebrew 'wind'
• [d] 3:9 In Hebrew 'you' is singular in verses 9 and 11