1EMPERO la serpienteH5175 eraH1961 astutaH6175, más que todosH3605 los animalesH2416 del campoH7704 queH834 JehováH3068 DiosH430 había hechoH6213; la cual dijoH559 áH413 la mujerH802: ¿ConqueH637 H3588 DiosH430 os ha dichoH559: NoH3808 comáisH398 de todoH3605 árbolH6086 del huertoH1588? 2Y la mujerH802 respondióH559 áH413 la serpienteH5175: Del frutoH6529 de los árbolesH6086 del huertoH1588 comemosH398; 3Mas delH4480 frutoH6529 delH4480 árbolH6086 queH834 está en medioH8432 delH4480 huertoH1588 dijoH559 DiosH430: NoH3808 comeréisH398 deH4480 él, niH3808 le tocaréisH5060, porque noH6435 muráisH4191. 4Entonces la serpienteH5175 dijoH559 áH413 la mujerH802: NoH3808 moriréisH4191 H4191; 5Mas sabeH3045 DiosH430 queH3588 el díaH3117 que comiereisH398 deH4480 él, seránH6491 abiertos vuestros ojosH5869, y seréisH1961 como diosesH430 sabiendoH3045 el bienH2896 y el malH7451. 6Y vióH7200 la mujerH802 queH3588 el árbolH6086 era buenoH2896 para comerH3978, y queH3588 era agradableH8378 á los ojosH5869, y árbolH6086 codiciableH2530 para alcanzar la sabiduríaH7919; y tomóH3947 de suH1931 frutoH6529, y comióH398; y dióH5414 tambiénH1571 á suH1931 maridoH376, el cual comióH398 asíH5973 como ellaH1931. 7Y fueron abiertosH6491 los ojosH5869 de entrambosH8147, y conocieronH3045 queH3588 estaban desnudosH5903: entonces cosieronH8609 hojasH5929 de higueraH8384, y seH1992 hicieronH6213 delantalesH2290. 8Y oyeronH8085 la vozH6963 de JehováH3068 DiosH430 que se paseabaH1980 en el huertoH1588 al aireH7307 del díaH3117: y escondióseH2244 el hombreH120 y su mujerH802 de la presenciaH6440 de JehováH3068 DiosH430 entreH8432 los árbolesH6086 del huertoH1588. 9Y llamóH7121 JehováH3068 DiosH430 alH413 hombreH120, y le dijoH559: ¿Dónde estás túH335? 10Y él respondióH559: OíH8085 tu vozH6963 en el huertoH1588, y tuve miedoH3372, porqueH3588 estaba desnudoH5903; y escondímeH2244. 11Y díjoleH559: ¿QuiénH4310 teH859 enseñóH5046 queH3588 estabas desnudoH5903? ¿Has comidoH398 delH4480 árbolH6086 de queH834 yo teH859 mandéH6680 noH1097 comiesesH398? 12Y el hombreH120 respondióH559: La mujerH802 queH834 me disteH5414 por compañeraH5978 me dióH5414 delH4480 árbolH6086, y yo comíH398. 13Entonces JehováH3068 DiosH430 dijoH559 á la mujerH802: ¿QuéH4100 es lo que has hechoH6213? Y dijoH559 la mujerH802: La serpienteH5175 me engañóH5377, y comíH398. 14Y JehováH3068 DiosH430 dijoH559 áH413 la serpienteH5175: Por cuantoH3588 estoH2063 hicisteH6213, malditaH779 serásH859 entre todasH3605 las bestiasH929 y entre todosH3605 los animalesH2416 del campoH7704; sobreH5921 tuH859 pechoH1512 andarásH3212, y polvoH6083 comerásH398 todosH3605 los díasH3117 de tuH859 vidaH2416: 15Y enemistadH342 pondréH7896 entreH996 tiH859 y la mujerH802, y entreH996 tuH859 simienteH2233 y la simienteH2233 suyaH1931; éstaH1931 teH859 heriráH7779 en la cabezaH7218, y túH859 leH1931 herirásH7779 en el calcañarH6119. 16AH413 la mujerH802 dijoH559: MultiplicaréH7235 en granH7235 manera tus doloresH6093 y tus preñecesH2032; con dolorH6089 parirásH3205 los hijosH1121; y á tu maridoH376 será tu deseoH8669, y élH1931 se enseñorearáH4910 de ti. 17Y al hombreH121 dijoH559: Por cuantoH3588 obedecisteH8085 á la vozH6963 de tu mujerH802, y comisteH398 delH4480 árbolH6086 de queH834 te mandéH6680 diciendoH559, NoH3808 comerásH398 deH4480 él; malditaH779 será la tierraH127 por amor de ti; con dolorH6093 comerásH398 de ella todosH3605 los díasH3117 de tu vidaH2416; 18EspinosH6975 y cardosH1863 te produciráH6779, y comerásH398 hierbaH6212 del campoH7704; 19En el sudorH2188 de tuH859 rostroH639 comerásH398 el panH3899 hastaH5704 que vuelvasH859 áH413 la tierraH127; porqueH3588 deH4480 ella fuiste tomadoH3947: puesH3588 polvoH6083 eresH859, y alH413 polvoH6083 serás tornadoH7725. 20Y llamóH7121 el hombreH120 el nombreH8034 de suH1931 mujerH802, EvaH2332; por cuantoH3588 ellaH1931 eraH1961 madreH517 de todosH3605 los vivientesH2416. 21Y JehováH3068 DiosH430 hizoH6213 al hombreH120 y á su mujerH802 túnicasH3801 de pielesH5785, y vistiólosH3847. 22Y dijoH559 JehováH3068 DiosH430: He aquí el hombreH120 esH1961 como unoH259 deH4480 Nos sabiendoH3045 el bienH2896 y el malH7451: ahoraH6258, pues, porque noH6435 alargueH7971 su manoH3027, y tomeH3947 tambiénH1571 delH4480 árbolH6086 deH4480 la vidaH2416, y comaH398, y vivaH2425 para siempreH5769: 23Y sacóloH7971 JehováH3068 H430 del huertoH1588 de EdénH5731, para que labraseH5647 la tierraH127 de queH834 fué tomadoH3947. 24EchóH1644, pues, fuera al hombreH120, y pusoH7931 al orienteH6924 del huertoH1588 de EdénH5731 querubinesH3742, y una espadaH2719 encendidaH3858 que se revolvía á todos ladosH2015, para guardarH8104 el caminoH1870 del árbolH6086 de la vidaH2416.
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).
