1耶和華H3068神H430所造的H6213,唯有蛇H5175比田野H7704一切的活物H2416更狡猾H6175。蛇對女人H802說H559:神H430豈是H637真說H559不許你們吃H398園中H1588所有樹上H6086的果子麼? 2女人H802對蛇H5175說H559:園中H1588樹上H6086的果子H6529,我們可以吃H398, 3唯有園H1588當中H8432那棵樹H6086上的果子H6529,神H430曾說H559:你們不可吃H398,也不可摸H5060,免得H6435你們死H4191。 4蛇H5175對女人H802說H559:你們不一定H4191死H4191; 5因為神H430知道H3045,你們吃H398的日子H3117眼睛H5869就明亮了H6491,你們便如神H430能知道H3045善H2896惡H7451。 6於是女人H802見H7200那棵樹H6086的果子好H2896作食物H3978,也悅人H8378的眼目H5869,且是可喜愛的H2530,能使人有智慧H7919,就H6529摘下H3947果子H6529來吃了H398,又H1571給H5414他丈夫H376,他丈夫也吃了H398。 7他們二人H8147的眼睛H5869就明亮了H6491,纔知道H3045自己是赤身露體H5903,便拿無花果樹H8384的葉子H5929為自己編H8609作H6213裙子H2290。 8天H3117起了涼風H7307,耶和華H3068神H430在園中H1588行走H1980。那人H120和他妻子H802聽見H8085神H430的聲音H6963,就藏在H2244園裡H1588的樹木H3068中H8432,躲避耶和華H3068神H430的面H6440。 9耶和華H3068神H430呼喚H7121那人H120,對他說H559:你在那裡H335? 10他說H559:我在園中H1588聽見H8085你的聲音H6963,我就害怕H3372;因為我H595赤身露體H5903,我便藏了H2244。 11耶和華說H559:誰H4310告訴H5046你赤身露體H5903呢?莫非你吃了H398我吩咐你H6680不可H1115吃的H398那樹H6086上的果子嗎? 12那人H120說H559:你所賜給H5414我與我同居的H5978女人H802,他H1931把那樹H6086上的果子給H5414我,我就吃了H398。 13耶和華H3068神H430對女人H802說H559:你作的H6213是甚麼事呢?女人H802說H559:那蛇H5175引誘我H5377,我就吃了H398。 14耶和華H3068神H430對蛇H5175說H559:你H859既作了H6213這事,就必受咒詛H779,比一切的牲畜H929野H7004獸H2416更甚。你必用肚子H1512行走H3212,終身H3117,H2416吃H398土H6083。 15我又要叫H7896你和女人H802彼此為仇H342;你的後裔H2233和女人的後裔H2233也彼此為仇。女人的後裔要傷H7779你的頭H7218;你要傷H7779他的腳跟H6119。 16又對女人H802說H559:我必多多H7235加增H7235你懷胎H2032的苦楚H6093;你生產H3205兒女H1121必多受苦楚。你必戀慕H8669你丈夫H376;你丈夫必管轄H4910你。 17又對亞當H121說H559:你既聽從H8085妻子的H802話H6963,吃了H398我所吩咐你H6680不可吃H398的那樹H6086上的果子,地H127必為你的緣故受咒詛H779;你必終身H3605,H3117,H2416勞苦H6093纔能從地裡得吃的H398。 18地必給你長出H6779荊棘H6975和蒺藜H1863來;你也要吃H398田H7704間的菜蔬H6212。 19你必汗流H2188滿面H639纔得糊口H398,H3899,直到H5704你歸了H7725土H127,因為你是從土H6083而出的H3947。你H859本是塵土H6083,仍要歸於H7725塵土H6083。 20亞當H120給他妻子H802起名H8034叫H7121夏娃H2332,因為他是眾生H2416之母H517。 21耶和華H3068神H430為亞當H120和他妻子H802用皮子H5785作H6213衣服H3801給他們穿H3847。 22耶和華H3068神H430說H559:那人H120已經與我們相似H259,能知道H3045善H2896惡H7451;現在恐怕他伸H7971手H3027又摘H3947生命H2416樹H6086的果子吃H398,就永遠H5769活著H2425。 23耶和華H3068神H430便打發H7971他出伊甸H5731園H1588去,耕種H5647他所自出H3947之土H127。 24於是把他H120趕出去了H1644;又在伊甸H5731園H1588的東邊H6924安設H7931基路伯H3742和四面轉動H2015發火焰H3858的劍H2719,要把守H8104生命H2416樹H6086的道路H1870。
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE TEMPTATION. (
Gen 3:1-
Gen 3:5)
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" [
Rev 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 (
John 8:44;
2Cor 11:3;
1John 3:8;
1Tim 2:14;
Rev 20:2).
more subtile--Serpents are proverbial for wisdom (
Matt 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 (
Matt 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 (
2Cor 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" [
Gen 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.
6 THE FALL. (
Gen 3:6-
Gen 3:9)
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;
1John 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-
Ps 139:12).
10 THE EXAMINATION. (
Gen 3:10-
Gen 3:13)
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.
14 THE SENTENCE. (
Gen 3:14-
Gen 3:24)
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 [
Gen 2:18,
Gen 2:23], her condition would henceforth be that of humble subjection.
17 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 (
Rom 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 (
1Tim 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" (
Exod 25:22).