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¹ Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
² And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden:
³ But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
⁴ And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
⁵ For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
⁶ And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
⁷ And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
⁸ And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
⁹ And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
¹⁰ And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
¹¹ And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
¹² And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
¹³ And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
¹⁴ And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
¹⁵ And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
¹⁶ Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
¹⁷ And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
¹⁸ Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
¹⁹ In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
²⁰ And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
²¹ Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
²² And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
²³ Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
²⁴ So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east end of the garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
🌿 A Tragic Choice: The Temptation, Fall, and Promise of Redemption ✨
“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” – Genesis 3:6
Genesis Chapter 3 tells the story of humanity’s tragic fall from grace. Up until this point, Adam and Eve enjoyed perfect communion with God in the Garden of Eden. But in this chapter, temptation enters through the serpent, leading to disobedience and the brokenness of God’s perfect creation. This chapter marks the beginning of sin, pain, and separation from God, yet it also introduces the first glimpse of divine redemption.
The choices made by Adam and Eve forever altered the course of human history, but even in their failure, God’s plan for salvation begins to unfold. The promise of a Savior emerges, foreshadowing the hope that would come through Jesus Christ.
📜 Structure of Genesis Chapter 3
Verses 1–6: The Temptation of Eve
The serpent, representing Satan, approaches Eve, questioning God’s command and suggesting that disobedience would lead to wisdom. Eve, seeing the fruit was good and desirable, ate from the tree and gave some to Adam, who also ate. This moment marks the first sin in human history—the fall.
Verses 7–13: The Awareness of Sin and Shame
Immediately after eating the fruit, Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened, and they realized their nakedness, feeling shame and guilt. They tried to cover themselves with fig leaves and hid from God. God calls out to them, asking, “Where art thou?”—not because He did not know, but to bring them to a place of repentance.
Verses 14–19: The Consequences of Sin
God pronounces judgment on the serpent, Eve, and Adam. The serpent is cursed to crawl on its belly and be at enmity with humanity. Eve’s pain in childbirth and her desire for her husband are mentioned. Adam is cursed with toil and labor, and the ground will bring forth thorns and thistles.
Verses 20–24: The Promise of Redemption and Expulsion from Eden
God makes garments of skins for Adam and Eve, a foreshadowing of the sacrifice required for sin. Then, He expels them from Eden to prevent them from eating from the tree of life and living forever in a fallen state. Despite this, God’s promise of a future Redeemer shines through in His words to the serpent, a prophecy of Christ’s victory over Satan.
💡 Key Themes
✨ Temptation and the Fall
Satan’s deceitful temptation led to humanity’s fall from grace. The story illustrates how sin enters the world through disobedience and how it forever changes our relationship with God.
✨ Shame and Guilt
Adam and Eve’s immediate response to sin was shame. They tried to cover themselves and hide from God, symbolizing the brokenness and alienation that sin brings.
✨ God’s Judgment and Mercy
While God judges Adam, Eve, and the serpent, He also shows mercy. He provides a way for redemption through the promise of a Savior, foreshadowing Jesus Christ’s ultimate victory over sin.
👤 Key People
- Eve – The first woman, deceived by the serpent, representing the choice of disobedience and its consequences.
- Adam – The first man, who failed to lead and obey, leading to sin’s entry into the world.
- The Serpent – Satan, who tempts Eve, symbolizing evil’s influence and the deception that leads to sin.
🔥 Why This Chapter Matters
Genesis 3 is pivotal in understanding the human condition—our tendency to sin and the consequences of our actions. Yet, even as sin entered the world, God’s mercy and plan of salvation were set in motion. This chapter reveals not only the seriousness of sin but also the hope of redemption that would come through Jesus Christ.
💭 Let’s Reflect
- How does understanding the fall of man shape your view of sin in your life?
- How can you trust in God’s redemptive plan, even in the face of our failures?
❓Ready to Go Deeper?
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