Gen 3:8-24 | TNotes | STEP | 3:8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing: The Hebrew has traditionally been interpreted as referring to the cool part of the day, most likely the evening. Others think that the language refers to a powerful manifestation of God’s presence (a theophany; see Exod 19:16-25 ; 1 Sam 7:10 ) as a storm. If this view is correct, the man and the woman were hiding from the sound of the Lord appearing in judgment (see 2 Sam 5:24 ; Ps 29 ). • God put trees in the garden as an environment for humanity to enjoy fellowship with God. Now the man and woman used them to evade the divine presence.

3:8 ^a When the cool evening breezes were blowing: The Hebrew has traditionally been interpreted as referring to the cool part of the day, most likely the evening. Others think that the language refers to a powerful manifestation of God’s presence (a theophany; see Exod 19:16-25 ^b; 1 Sam 7:10 ^c) as a storm. If this view is correct, the man and the woman were hiding from the sound of the Lord appearing in judgment (see 2 Sam 5:24 ^d; Ps 29 ^e).

• God put trees in the garden as an environment for humanity to enjoy fellowship with God. Now the man and woman used them to evade the divine presence.
Summary for Gen 3:9-10: 3:9-10 ^f Where are you? The true intent of this rhetorical question is revealed in the man’s answer (3:10 ^g). The real question was, why are you hiding? (cp. 4:9-10 ^h).

• I was afraid because I was naked: Modesty was not the issue. The shame brought on by rebellion drove Adam and his wife to hide. Possibly they also feared punishment (see study note on 3:8).
3:12 ⁱ It was the woman you gave me: Rather than confessing, the man became evasive. He blamed the woman for giving him the fruit and God for giving him the woman.
3:13 ^j What have you done? is another rhetorical question that is really an exclamation of horror (cp. 4:10 ^k).

• The serpent deceived me: As the man implicated the woman (3:12 ^l), the woman accused the serpent. The serpent did play a role and would be punished (3:14 ^m), but that did not release the woman or the man from their guilt.
Summary for Gen 3:14-19: 3:14-19 ⁿ The parties were judged in the order of their transgression—serpent, woman, man. Each received a punishment unique to his or her situation, and each had a key relationship altered. God is principled in judgment, not fickle; each punishment is proportionate to the offense. 3:14 ^o to the serpent: Though later revelation identifies the deceiver as Satan, it is the created animal who was cursed, like the ground (3:17 ^p).

• Groveling in the dust reflects a posture of humiliation and defeat (Ps 72:9 ^q; Mic 7:17 ^r).
3:15 ^s hostility: The prophet Isaiah envisions the day when the Messiah’s kingdom will restore all of creation to a harmonious state like the Garden of Eden before humans sinned (see Isa 11:8 ^t).

• her offspring (literally her seed): This collective noun can refer to a single descendant or many. The ancient Near Eastern concept of corporate solidarity (e.g., “you and your descendants,” Gen 28:14 ^u) is also behind this description of the ongoing hostility that would exist between humans and snakes. The pattern is set using singular terms (He ... you). Christian interpreters have traditionally understood this verse as a prophecy of Christ, the seed of Abraham and the culmination of the woman’s seed (Gal 3:16 ^v; 4:4 ^w).

• strike: The striking of his heel is a reference to the suffering of God’s servant (see Isa 53 ^x), while striking the serpent’s head—a more definitive blow—is ultimately fulfilled in Christ’s death, resurrection, and final victory over Satan (1 Cor 15:55-57 ^y; Rev 12:7-9 ^z; 20:7-10 ^aa).
3:16 ^ab Judgment falls on the woman’s unique role of childbearing and on her relationship with her husband.

• And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you: The marriage relationship now included an element of antagonism rather than just security and fulfillment. New life in Christ allows for the restoration of a man and a woman’s marriage relationship (Eph 5:18-32 ^ac; cp. Matt 20:25-28 ^ad).
Summary for Gen 3:17-19: 3:17-19 ^ae God highlighted his original command not to eat the fruit by speaking of eating several times in 3:17-19 ^af. The judgment affected humanity’s ability to get food, and it was proportionate to their offense of eating what had been prohibited.

• the ground is cursed: The relationship of the man to the ground (see study note on 2:7) was now antagonistic as judgment fell on his primary role (2:5 ^ag, 15 ^ah). He must labor and toil to work the ground, but with diminished productivity. Human sin has broad effects on creation (see 4:12 ^ai; 6:7 ^aj; Lev 26 ^ak; Deut 11:13-17 ^al, 28 ^am; Rom 8:22 ^an).
Summary for Gen 3:20-24: 3:20-24 ^ao Soon after they were judged for their sin, Adam and Eve were banished from the garden. 3:20 ^ap Eve (Hebrew khawah) sounds like a Hebrew term (khayah) that means “to give life.” Following God’s pronouncement of Adam’s impending death (3:19 ^aq), Adam expressed hope by giving Eve a name associated with life. Adam’s naming of Eve in such close proximity to 3:16 ^ar may suggest that the narrator views it as Adam’s first act of ruling over the woman after the Fall (see study note on 2:19-20).
3:21 ^as God mercifully provided more substantial clothing for Adam and Eve (cp. 3:7 ^at) before expelling them into the harsh environment outside the garden.
3:22 ^au like us: The plural probably reflects God’s conversation with his angelic court (see study note on 1:26).

• the tree of life ... live forever! Mercifully, God prevented humankind from eating of the tree of life and having to live forever in a fallen state. Through Jesus Christ, however, eternal life is once again made available (see Rev 2:7 ^av; 22:2 ^aw, 14 ^ax, 19 ^ay).
3:23 ^az So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden: Before the Fall, the garden was a sanctuary in which humans could move freely in God’s holy presence. Now their sin required expulsion from that environment. This same principle was behind the laws that restricted an Israelite’s access to God’s presence in the Tabernacle or Temple (e.g., Lev 16:1-2 ^ba; Num 5:3 ^bb).
3:24 ^bc Cherubim are a class of angelic beings that guard access to God’s presence (Exod 26:31 ^bd; Ezek 28:14 ^be).

• east ... of Eden: In Genesis, movement eastward often implies leaving the presence or blessing of God, whether in judgment (see also Gen 4:16 ^bf), self-aggrandizement (11:2 ^bg; 13:11 ^bh), or estrangement (25:6 ^bi).