Bereshis 3:9

9 And Hashem Elohim called unto HaAdam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

Bereshis 3:9 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 3:9

And the Lord God called unto Adam
The Jerusalem Targum is, the Word of the Lord God, the second Person in the Trinity; and this is the voice he is said to have heard before: and said unto him, where [art] thou?
which is said, not as ignorant of the place where he was, nor of what he had done, nor of the circumstances he was in, or of the answers he would make; but rather it shows all the reverse, that he knew where he was, what he had done, and in what condition he was, and therefore it was in vain to seek to hide himself: or as pitying his case, saying, "alas for thee" F21, as some render the words, into what a miserable plight hast thou brought thyself, by listening to the tempter, and disobeying thy God! thou that wast the favourite of heaven, the chief of the creatures, the inhabitant of Eden, possessed of all desirable bliss and happiness, but now in the most wretched and forlorn condition imaginable; or as upbraiding him with his sin and folly; that he who had been so highly favoured by him, as to be made after his image and likeness, to have all creatures at his command, and the most delightful spot in all the globe to dwell in, and a grant to eat of what fruit he would, save one, and who was indulged with intercourse with his God, and with the holy angels, should act such an ungrateful part as to rebel against him, break his laws, and trample upon his legislative authority, and bid, as it were, defiance to him: or else as the Saviour, looking up his straying sheep, and lost creature, man: or rather as a summons to appear before him, the Judge of all, and answer for his conduct; it was in vain for him to secrete himself, he must and should appear; the force of which words he felt, and therefore was obliged to surrender himself, as appears from what follows.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 (hkya) , "hei tibi", Oleaster.

Bereshis 3:9 In-Context

7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were eirummim (naked ones); and they sewed aleh teā€™enah (fig leaves) together, and made themselves khagorot (loin covering girdles).
8 And they heard the kol of Hashem Elohim walking in the gan in the cool of the day; and HaAdam and his isha hid from the presence of Hashem Elohim amongst the etz hagan.
9 And Hashem Elohim called unto HaAdam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard Thy voice in the gan (garden), and I was afraid, because I was eirom (naked); and so I hid.
11 And He said, Who told thee that thou wast eirom (naked)? Hast thou eaten of HaEtz, which I commanded thee that thou not eat thereof?
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