Genesis chapter 3
3:1 The serpent was a creature made by God but used by Satan (John 8:44 ; 1 John 3:8; Rev. 12:9; 20:2). More
subtile (subtle): Subtlety is a positive virtue when rendered “prudent” (Prov. 12:16 , 23; 14:8, 15, 18; 22:3). It is
negative when rendered “crafty” ( 2:25 ; Job 5:12 ; 15:5). In the prologue of Proverbs (1:4), one of the goals of the
book is to “give subtilty (subtlety) to the simple” (cf. Matt. 10:16 ). Yea, hath God said: More contemporarily: “Has God
indeed said?” It emphasizes his amazement that God would
restrict man’s freedom of choice in the garden. Satan centers on a restriction, casting doubt on God’s word, and not
emphasizing the fact that God had said in 2:16 they might “freely eat” of all the trees.
3:2 Eve’s reply reveals her carelessness with the wording of 2:16 , as she disparages the privileges of God by leaving
out the word that conveys the sense of “freely eat” and leaves out the word all.
3:3 Neither shall ye touch it: By adding to His command Eve exaggerates the limitations God had set forth. Or I may
just express the idea of consumption, with a parallel phrase used euphemistically of “touching a woman” in Genesis
20:6, 26:29; Ruth 2:9, and Proverbs 6:29. The lest ye die reveals Eve’s third error, Toning down the penalty and
certainty of it in 2:17 !
3:4 Here Satan blatantly denies God with the same strong Hebrew expression God used in 2:17 .
3:5 It was technically true their eyes would be opened (vv. 7 and 22). But the problem was that their eyes were
opened to behold all thing sin the light of their own sinfulness. As gods is better translated “as God,” which was true
tin that they would have a fixed moral nature like they knew evil, but were unable to resist it. There has always been
the temptation to be like God. Here it suggests God is holding something back from Adam and Eve.
3:6 When the woman saw: This was an evaluation process of the mind, for the tree was good for food (an appeal to
the appetite, or "lust of the flesh"); it was pleasant to the eyes (the same root word used in Exodus 20 in the law
against coveting, as "lust of the eyes"); and it was to be desired to make one wise (the verb for desired is used in the
law in Deuteronomy 5 for coveting, and appeals to "pride of life," 1 John 2:16). With her may imply that the man was
in close proximity all the time.
3:7 The sense of guilt is immediate (2:25), and they attempt to make themselves presentable, to cover up their
nakedness (verse 21).
3:8 Voice: Better translated "sound'' as it appears in theophanies in the Old Testament Psalms 18:13; 29:3-9;
Jeremiah 25:30; Ezekiel 1:24; Joel 3:16). Walking: Actually "traversing back and forth" looking for Adam (verse 9).
The cool of the day be understood as the "spirit of the day," as the Hebrew word cool is the same for spirit. The day is
a judgment day in the context. No small wonder that the sound of the Lord God was traversing back and forth in the
garden seeking out Adam and Eve, they actively hid themselves from His presence, acknowledging that their intimate
fellowship was broken (4:14; Psalms 139:7).
3:9 God always seeks out man, in the sense that He solicits a response from His Creation now separated from Him by
sin. Thus God comes asking questions, not making accusations.
3:10 Adam heard the "sound" of the Lord God and was afraid (as most men are afraid of God today), and began the
agelong process of "hiding himself" from his maker.
3:12 Adam blamed the woman and God, since God was the one who brought her to Adam in 2:22.
3:13 Eve was beguiled as 1 Timothy 2:14 confirms (2 Corinthians 11:3). But she did not take responsibility for eating,
either. Blame-shifting is another evasive tactic employed by fallen man.
3:14 Jeremiah 12:4 and Romans 8:20 indicate that the whole animal kingdom was affected by the Fall and the Edenic
curse. The serpent's mobilization may have been changed, and figuratively he was to eat dust, (idiomatic for
subservience) which conveys the idea of being cursed. Isaiah 65:25 indicates the effects will remain in the Millennium.
3:15 This verse has long been recognized as the first messianic prophecy of the Bible. Thus, it also contains the first
glimpse of the gospel (protoevangelium). It reveals three essential truths: (1) that Satan is the enemy of the human
race, explaining why God put enmity [related to the word enemy] between thee [Satan] and the woman; (2) that He
would place a spiritual barrier between thy seed (Satan's people) and her seed (God's people); and (3) that the
representative seed of the woman (i.e., a human being: Christ) would deliver the deathblow to Satan, but in so doing
would be bruised Himself. It [or "He"] shall bruise [lit., "crush"] thy head, but thou shalt bruise his heel refers to Christ's
bruising on the cross, which led to the eventual crushing of Satan and his kingdom.
3:17 Adam "obeyed" the voice of Eve and not God (2:17), which was the first marital role reversal. Sorrow is the same
word applied to the woman in verse 16. Thus, they shared equally in their punishment.
3:20, 21 Eve comes from the verb to live. Here is Adam's act of faith, looking to the future with hope. This word
sounds like the word used in this verse, living. Adam seems not only to believe that God spoke the truth, but also to
have faith in the salvation God had promised in verses 15 and 16. Coats of skins: This is how Yahweh provides
clothing for Adam and Eve, after their feeble attempt to cover their nakedness and shame. It is His way of
demonstrating that He acknowledges their act of faith in verse 20. The word for skins presupposes the death of an
animal and therefore the idea of blood sacrifice is clearly implied.
3:22-24 Man is become as one of us: Satan's promise in 3:5 was technically true; see the discussion there. God sent
him forth as an act of grace as well as judgment. To keep was used in 2:15 for the activities of man. The account
relates privileges and responsibilities lost. And the way to the tree of life is guarded. Man's way back to life is not
easy; it will be by divine intervention.
Genesis chapter 4
4:1 Knew this content refers to the "knowledge" of sexual relations. It is also the connecting link to the whole chapter;
note the appearance of the word in connection with the tree of knowledge in verses 1, 17, and 25. The replacing of a
son by "knowing" is antithetical to the murder, which is denied in verse 9 by, "I know not." Some take from the Lord as
an accusative: " I have gotten a man, the Lord." But the preposition is better, "I have created, acquired, a man with
[the help of] Yahweh!" Thus Eve sees her generative power as part of sharing of divine power: "Yahweh formed man;
I have formed the second man."
4:2 Brother: This word appears seven times in this passage. The name Abel appears seven times and Cain 14 times,
which heightens the contrast between the two men. Abel means "Keeper" and refers to his occupation as a keeper of
sheep
4:4 Firstlings of his flock refers to the fact that Abel's offering was accepted because it was a blood sacrifice based
upon the previous knowledge (3:21). Thus, he acknowledged that his sin deserved death and could be covered only
by the death of a guiltless sacrifice (Hebrews 9:22). That his lamb was a "firstling" and "fat" may also imply that he
gave the best that he had in contrast to Cain's offering. However, it is obvious from the entire account that Abel's
offering was "more excellent" (Hebrews 11:4) because it was the right kind of offering as well as being made with the
right heart attitude.
4:6, 7 God approached Cain in love and offered him a chance to correct his mistake. Again, God asked convicting
questions. He made no accusations. He gave him the opportunity to do well, that is, to make the right kind of sacrifice
with the right heart attitude. He then warned Cain that an offering of good works would not be accepted. Sin lieth
("crouches" like a lion) probably refers to the fact that sin would pounce upon him if he did not rule ("master") it. Some
take this phrase to mean that a sin offering was at the door, and if he made the right offering could still rule over his
brother, but the other interpretation is preferred idea of potentiality is the same as expressed in 3:16.
4:8 Cain's anger had already been noted in verses 5 and 6. Now, in a fit of anger, he murders Abel. Thus begins the
long history of human violence and man's inhumanity to his fellowman. This murder also had to be a heartbreaking
reminder Adam and Eve that the consequence of sin is death (2:17; Romans 6:23).
4:9 Cain’s insolence and arrogance are evident in his curt response to God’s question, Where is Able thy brother?
First he lied and then used a play on words to avoid answering the question. Am I my brother’s keeper? Plays on the
name Abel, “Keeper.”
4:10 Thy brother’s blood is plural in Hebrew and may refer to his “seeds” who have been cut off and will never be
born. Thus, God’s judgment is on those who, by whatever mans, abort human life. Crieth means crying out for
vengeance.
4:11 Cain was now to be cursed (cf. serpent and the ground, 3:14 , 17). This was a special curse making it impossible
for Cain to be a farmer, his occupation in verse 2.
4:12 He would be a fugitive (the root meaning to “wander” or “move”) and vagabond (denoting a “going back and
forth”), conveying the idea of wandering aimlessly. He dwells in the land of Nod (“Wandering”), a word with the same
root as vagabond in Hebrew.
4:13 He has just killed his brother and now blames god for being too harsh! Punishment may refer to either (1) the
actual punishment for sin; or (2) his “iniquity or “guilt.” It reflects his feeling that either the punishment, or his burden
of guilt which he now recognized, was too harsh.
4:14 Adam hid from Yahweh in shame and guild (3:8), now Cain must hide himself. From the face shall I be hid is a
passive verb form (“I must hide myself from your face”), and is part of his curse. Every one is “anyone finding me”; it
looks to the idea of blood revenge for this death and anticipates other murders.
4:15 The Lord se a mark as another act of His grace and goodness toward Cain. It is best to take it as a personal
sign for Cain, Like that for Gideon in Judges 6:36-40 and Elisha in 2 Kings 2:9-12. The idea of vengeance appears in
verse 24 with the taunt song of Lamech.
4:16 This portrays the direction of fallen and unsaved humanity into exile from God, without hope in the world,
“wandering aimlessly” about.
4:23 Lamech said: These verses express the culmination of centuries of ungodly living among the descendants of
Cain. Cain had desired to establish a name for himself (6:4; 10:9; 11:4); he built a city and named it after his son. His
descendants were involved in polygamy, as well as purely humanitarian pursuits. Now Lamech had taken the law into
his own hands and had killed someone in revenge. The judicial office had degenerated into a vengeful tyranny in this
heir of the dynasty's murderous founder. The song expresses Lamech's overweening pride and his refusal to suffer
any hurt without wreaking severalfold, dire revenge. This expression of arrogance, conceit, and disdain for customary
retribution is skillfully reinforced by the poet through a clever manipulation of poetic convention by which a smaller is
placed before a larger one in parallel structure for distinct emphasis. This sets the background for why God sends
the Flood in chapters 6-9, where He says "violence" fills the earth (6:13).
4:25, 26 Against this dark picture of man apart from God, there is a brief testimony that God has a remnant of people
who are trusting Him. Knew: Compare the use of this word in verse 1 with the meaning of "Appointed." Seth's name in
Hebrew is pronounced shet; for God "appointed" (shat) him, a play on words. Eve is acknowledging that God has
provided a son in the place of slain Abel. Enos: The word comes from the word for man which means "weak" or
"sickly," denoting man's frailty. It is translated "desperately wicked" in reference to the heart of man (Jeremiah 17:9).
Call upon the name of the Lord: This is a testimony that the religious worship of the community of faith was organized
for their public worship of God, together (verses 2-4, indicating individual worship too). And it is significant that they
know the name of Yahweh (Lord) before the events of Exodus 6:3. The liberal interpretation says they learned the
name for the first time during the Exodus period.