17 And unto Adam H121 he said, H559 Because thou hast hearkened H8085 unto the voice H6963 of thy wife, H802 and hast eaten H398 of the tree, H6086 of which H834 I commanded thee, H6680 saying, H559 Thou shalt not eat H398 of it: cursed H779 is the ground H127 for thy sake; in sorrow H6093 shalt thou eat H398 of it all H3605 the days H3117 of thy life; H2416
For G1063 the creature G2937 was made subject G5293 to vanity, G3153 not G3756 willingly, G1635 but G235 by reason G1223 of him who hath subjected G5293 the same in G1909 hope, G1680 Because G3754 the creature G2937 itself G846 also G2532 shall be delivered G1659 from G575 the bondage G1397 of corruption G5356 into G1519 the glorious G1391 liberty G1657 of the children G5043 of God. G2316 For G1063 we know G1492 that G3754 the whole G3956 creation G2937 groaneth G4959 and G2532 travaileth in pain together G4944 until G891 now. G3568
G1161 His G846 lord G2962 answered G611 and said G2036 unto him, G846 Thou wicked G4190 and G2532 slothful G3636 servant, G1401 thou knewest G1492 that G3754 I reap G2325 where G3699 I sowed G4687 not, G3756 and G2532 gather G4863 where G3606 I have G1287 not G3756 strawed: G1287 Thou G4571 oughtest G1163 therefore G3767 to have put G906 my G3450 money G694 to the exchangers, G5133 and G2532 then at my coming G2064 I G1473 should G302 have received G2865 mine own G1699 with G4862 usury. G5110
For what hath H1933 man H120 of all his labour, H5999 and of the vexation H7475 of his heart, H3820 wherein H1931 he hath laboured H6001 under the sun? H8121 For all his days H3117 are sorrows, H4341 and his travail H6045 grief; H3708 yea, his heart H3820 taketh not rest H7901 in the night. H3915 This is also vanity. H1892
But this thing H1697 commanded H6680 I them, saying, H559 Obey H8085 my voice, H6963 and I will be your God, H430 and ye shall be my people: H5971 and walk H1980 ye in all the ways H1870 that I have commanded H6680 you, that it may be well H3190 unto you. But they hearkened H8085 not, nor inclined H5186 their ear, H241 but walked H3212 in the counsels H4156 and in the imagination H8307 of their evil H7451 heart, H3820 and went backward, H268 and not forward. H6440
The earth H776 also is defiled H2610 under the inhabitants H3427 thereof; because they have transgressed H5674 the laws, H8451 changed H2498 the ordinance, H2706 broken H6565 the everlasting H5769 covenant. H1285 Therefore hath the curse H423 devoured H398 the earth, H776 and they that dwell H3427 therein are desolate: H816 therefore the inhabitants H3427 of the earth H776 are burned, H2787 and few H4213 men H582 left. H7604
And the LORD H3068 God H430 commanded H6680 the man, H120 saying, H559 Of every tree H6086 of the garden H1588 thou mayest freely H398 eat: H398 But of the tree H6086 of the knowledge H1847 of good H2896 and evil, H7451 thou shalt not eat H398 of it: for in the day H3117 that thou eatest H398 thereof thou shalt surely H4191 die. H4191
And I gave H5414 my heart H3820 to seek H1875 and search out H8446 by wisdom H2451 concerning all things that are done H6213 under heaven: H8064 this sore H7451 travail H6045 hath God H430 given H5414 to the sons H1121 of man H120 to be exercised H6031 therewith. I have seen H7200 all the works H4639 that are done H6213 under the sun; H8121 and, behold, all is vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit. H7307
Vanity H1892 of vanities, H1892 saith H559 the Preacher, H6953 vanity H1892 of vanities; H1892 all is vanity. H1892 What profit H3504 hath a man H120 of all his labour H5999 which he taketh H5998 under the sun? H8121
For we are consumed H3615 by thine anger, H639 and by thy wrath H2534 are we troubled. H926 Thou hast set H7896 our iniquities H5771 before thee, our secret H5956 sins in the light H3974 of thy countenance. H6440 For all our days H3117 are passed away H6437 in thy wrath: H5678 we spend H3615 our years H8141 as a tale H1899 that is told.
Although affliction H205 cometh not forth H3318 of the dust, H6083 neither doth trouble H5999 spring out H6779 of the ground; H127 Yet man H120 is born H3205 unto trouble, H5999 as the sparks H1121 H7565 fly H5774 upward. H1361
For rebellion H4805 is as the sin H2403 of witchcraft, H7081 and stubbornness H6484 is as iniquity H205 and idolatry. H8655 Because thou hast rejected H3988 the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 he hath also rejected H3988 thee from being king. H4428 And Saul H7586 said H559 unto Samuel, H8050 I have sinned: H2398 for I have transgressed H5674 the commandment H6310 of the LORD, H3068 and thy words: H1697 because I feared H3372 the people, H5971 and obeyed H8085 their voice. H6963
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 3
Commentary on Genesis 3 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 3
Ge 3:1-5. The Temptation.
1. the serpent—The fall of man was effected by the seductions of a serpent. That it was a real serpent is evident from the plain and artless style of the history and from the many allusions made to it in the New Testament. But the material serpent was the instrument or tool of a higher agent, Satan or the devil, to whom the sacred writers apply from this incident the reproachful name of "the dragon, that old serpent" [Re 20:2]. Though Moses makes no mention of this wicked spirit—giving only the history of the visible world—yet in the fuller discoveries of the Gospel, it is distinctly intimated that Satan was the author of the plot (Joh 8:44; 2Co 11:3; 1Jo 3:8; 1Ti 2:14; Re 20:2).
more subtile—Serpents are proverbial for wisdom (Mt 10:16). But these reptiles were at first, probably, far superior in beauty as well as in sagacity to what they are in their present state.
He said—There being in the pure bosoms of the first pair no principle of evil to work upon, a solicitation to sin could come only from "without," as in the analogous case of Jesus Christ (Mt 4:3); and as the tempter could not assume the human form, there being only Adam and Eve in the world, the agency of an inferior creature had to be employed. The dragon-serpent [Bochart] seemed the fittest for the vile purpose; and the devil was allowed by Him who permitted the trial, to bring articulate sounds from its mouth.
unto the woman—the object of attack, from his knowledge of her frailty, of her having been but a short time in the world, her limited experience of the animal tribes, and, above all, her being alone, unfortified by the presence and counsels of her husband. Though sinless and holy, she was a free agent, liable to be tempted and seduced.
yea, hath God said?—Is it true that He has restricted you in using the fruits of this delightful place? This is not like one so good and kind. Surely there is some mistake. He insinuated a doubt as to her sense of the divine will and appeared as an angel of light (2Co 11:14), offering to lead her to the true interpretation. It was evidently from her regarding him as specially sent on that errand, that, instead of being startled by the reptile's speaking, she received him as a heavenly messenger.
2. the woman said, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden—In her answer, Eve extolled the large extent of liberty they enjoyed in ranging at will amongst all the trees—one only excepted, with respect to which, she declared there was no doubt, either of the prohibition or the penalty. But there is reason to think that she had already received an injurious impression; for in using the words "lest ye die," instead of "ye shall surely die" [Ge 2:17], she spoke as if the tree had been forbidden because of some poisonous quality of its fruit. The tempter, perceiving this, became bolder in his assertions.
4. Ye shall not surely die—He proceeded, not only to assure her of perfect impunity, but to promise great benefits from partaking of it.
5. your eyes shall be opened—His words meant more than met the ear. In one sense her eyes were opened; for she acquired a direful experience of "good and evil"—of the happiness of a holy, and the misery of a sinful, condition. But he studiously concealed this result from Eve, who, fired with a generous desire for knowledge, thought only of rising to the rank and privileges of her angelic visitants.
Ge 3:6-9. The Fall.
6. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food—Her imagination and feelings were completely won; and the fall of Eve was soon followed by that of Adam. The history of every temptation, and of every sin, is the same; the outward object of attraction, the inward commotion of mind, the increase and triumph of passionate desire; ending in the degradation, slavery, and ruin of the soul (Jas 1:15; 1Jo 2:16).
8. they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden—The divine Being appeared in the same manner as formerly—uttering the well-known tones of kindness, walking in some visible form (not running hastily, as one impelled by the influence of angry feelings). How beautifully expressive are these words of the familiar and condescending manner in which He had hitherto held intercourse with the first pair.
in the cool of the day—literally, "the breeze of the day," the evening.
hid themselves amongst the trees of the garden—Shame, remorse, fear—a sense of guilt—feelings to which they had hitherto been strangers disordered their minds and led them to shun Him whose approach they used to welcome. How foolish to think of eluding His notice (Ps 139:1-12).
Ge 3:10-13. The Examination.
10. afraid, because … naked—apparently, a confession—the language of sorrow; but it was evasive—no signs of true humility and penitence—each tries to throw the blame on another.
12. The woman … gave me—He blames God [Calvin]. As the woman had been given him for his companion and help, he had eaten of the tree from love to her; and perceiving she was ruined, was determined not to survive her [M'knight].
13. beguiled—cajoled by flattering lies. This sin of the first pair was heinous and aggravated—it was not simply eating an apple, but a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters—a preference of the creature to the Creator.
Ge 3:14-24. The Sentence.
14. And the Lord God said unto the serpent—The Judge pronounces a doom: first, on the material serpent, which is cursed above all creatures. From being a model of grace and elegance in form, it has become the type of all that is odious, disgusting, and low [Le CLERC, Rosenmuller]; or the curse has converted its natural condition into a punishment; it is now branded with infamy and avoided with horror; next, on the spiritual serpent, the seducer. Already fallen, he was to be still more degraded and his power wholly destroyed by the offspring of those he had deceived.
15. thy seed—not only evil spirits, but wicked men.
seed of the woman—the Messiah, or His Church [Calvin, Hengstenberg].
I will put enmity between thee and the woman—God can only be said to do so by leaving "the serpent and his seed to the influence of their own corruption; and by those measures which, pursued for the salvation of men, fill Satan and his angels with envy and rage."
thou shalt bruise his heel—The serpent wounds the heel that crushes him; and so Satan would be permitted to afflict the humanity of Christ and bring suffering and persecution on His people.
it shall bruise thy head—The serpent's poison is lodged in its head; and a bruise on that part is fatal. Thus, fatal shall be the stroke which Satan shall receive from Christ, though it is probable he did not at first understand the nature and extent of his doom.
16. unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow—She was doomed as a wife and mother to suffer pain of body and distress of mind. From being the help meet of man and the partner of his affections [Ge 2:18, 23], her condition would henceforth be that of humble subjection.
17-19. unto Adam he said—made to gain his livelihood by tilling the ground; but what before his fall he did with ease and pleasure, was not to be accomplished after it without painful and persevering exertion.
19. till thou return unto the ground—Man became mortal; although he did not die the moment he ate the forbidden fruit, his body underwent a change, and that would lead to dissolution; the union subsisting between his soul and God having already been dissolved, he had become liable to all the miseries of this life and to the pains of hell for ever. What a mournful chapter this is in the history of man! It gives the only true account of the origin of all the physical and moral evils that are in the world; upholds the moral character of God; shows that man, made upright, fell from not being able to resist a slight temptation; and becoming guilty and miserable, plunged all his posterity into the same abyss (Ro 5:12). How astonishing the grace which at that moment gave promise of a Saviour and conferred on her who had the disgrace of introducing sin the future honor of introducing that Deliverer (1Ti 2:15).
20. Adam called his wife's name Eve—probably in reference to her being a mother of the promised Saviour, as well as of all mankind.
21. God made coats of skins—taught them to make these for themselves. This implies the institution of animal sacrifice, which was undoubtedly of divine appointment, and instruction in the only acceptable mode of worship for sinful creatures, through faith in a Redeemer (Heb 9:22).
22. And God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us—not spoken in irony as is generally supposed, but in deep compassion. The words should be rendered, "Behold, what has become [by sin] of the man who was as one of us"! Formed, at first, in our image to know good and evil—how sad his condition now.
and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life—This tree being a pledge of that immortal life with which obedience should be rewarded, man lost, on his fall, all claim to this tree; and therefore, that he might not eat of it or delude himself with the idea that eating of it would restore what he had forfeited, the Lord sent him forth from the garden.
24. placed … cherbim—The passage should be rendered thus: "And he dwelt between the cherubim at the East of the Garden of Eden and a fierce fire, or Shekinah, unfolding itself to preserve the way of the tree of life." This was the mode of worship now established to show God's anger at sin and teach the mediation of a promised Saviour as the way of life, as well as of access to God. They were the same figures as were afterwards in the tabernacle and temple; and now, as then, God said, "I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims" (Ex 25:22).