Genesis 3:4

4 And the serpent said to the woman, Ye shall not 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 And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden,

3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

4 And the serpent said to the woman, Ye shall not surely die.

5 For God knew that in whatever day ye should eat of it your eyes would be opened, and ye would be as gods, knowing good and evil.

6 And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes to look upon and beautiful to contemplate, and having taken of its fruit she ate, and she gave to her husband also with her, and they ate.

Footnotes

• [a]. Gr. ye shall not die by death.