Genesis 3

1 Now the serpent [a snake] was more crafty [subtle, prudent] than any beast of the field [wild animal, creature] that the LORD God [Yehovah, the one supreme God] had made. And he said to the woman [the female, Eve], “Did God [Elohim, the Creator] really say [command, speak], ‘You must not eat [consume, devour] from any tree [plant, fruit-bearing] in the garden [paradise, a place of delight]?’” word study 2 The woman [female person, wife] answered the serpent [snake], “We may eat [devour, consume] the fruit [produce, result] of the trees [wood, strong and firm objects] of the garden [enclosed area, paradise], word study 3 but about the fruit [produce, result of the tree] of the tree [a strong and firm object, wooden plank] in the middle [center, midst] of the garden [an enclosed area], God [Elohim, the one supreme God] has said [commanded, spoken], ‘You must not eat [consume, devour] of it or touch [reach, strike] it, or you will die [cease to exist, experience spiritual death].’” word study 4 “You will not [certainly] surely die,” the serpent [a snake] told her [the woman, Eve]. word study 5 “For God [the supreme Creator, Elohim] knows that in the day [a period of time, a 24-hour period] you eat of it, your eyes [the sources of spiritual understanding] will be opened [made aware, enlightened] and you will be like God [having God’s nature, as gods], knowing [perceiving, understanding] good [what is pleasant, beneficial] and evil [what is bad, harmful].” word study 6 When the woman [the female person, wife, or mother of all living] saw that the tree [a tree; wood, timber, a plank] was good [pleasant, desirable] for food [nourishment, sustenance] and pleasing [a delight, attractive] to the eyes [the windows of the soul], and that it was desirable [to be desired, longed for] for obtaining [gaining, acquiring] wisdom [insight, understanding], she took [grasped, seized] the fruit [the product, result] and ate [consumed, devoured] it. She also gave [offered, provided] some to her husband [her male partner, companion] who was with her [in her presence, accompanying her], and he ate [consumed] it. word study 7 And the eyes [source of perception, windows to the soul] of both of them were opened [to new awareness, like opening one’s eyes to truth], and they knew [learned, perceived, understood] that they were naked [without clothes, exposed]; so they sewed [mended, stitched] together fig leaves [foliage, green leaves] and made coverings [loin-cloths, aprons] for themselves [to hide their shame, for modesty]. word study 8 Then the man [Adam, the first human] and his wife [the woman, his female companion] heard the voice [sound, utterance] of the LORD God [Yehovah, the national name for God] walking [moving, present] in the garden [the enclosed area, paradise] in the breeze [cool of the day, gentle wind] of the day, and they hid [withdrew, concealed] themselves from the presence [face, before] of the LORD God among the trees [wood, strong and firm objects] of the garden. word study 9 But the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] God [Elohim, the one supreme God] called out [to summon, to invoke] to the man [Adam, the first human], “Where [in what location, how] are you [hiding, present]?” word study 10 “I heard [with attention and obedience] Your voice [sound or speaking] in the garden [an enclosed area, paradise],” he replied, “and I was afraid [stood in awe, feared] because I was naked [without clothes, exposed]; so I hid [withdrew, concealed] myself [my whole being].” word study 11 “Who [told thee, declared to thee] told you that you were [without clothing] naked?” asked the LORD God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler]. “Have you eaten [devoured, taken] from the tree [the tree of knowledge, the forbidden tree] of which I [personally, as your Creator] commanded you not to eat [partake, consume]?” word study 12 And the man [the first human, Adam] answered, “The woman [his female companion, Eve] whom You gave [to be with, entrusted to] me, she gave [handed over, provided] me fruit [from the forbidden tree] from the tree [of knowledge], and I ate [consumed, devoured] it.” word study 13 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] God [Elohim, the supreme God] said to the woman [the female person, wife], “What [or how] is this [thing] you have done [or made]?” “The serpent [a snake] deceived [or beguiled] me,” she replied, “and I ate [or devoured].” word study 14 So the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] God [Elohim, the supreme God] said to the serpent [a snake]: “Because you have done this, cursed [to be under a divine ban, execrated] are you above all livestock [domesticated animals] and every beast [wild animal] of the field [a cultivated or inhabited area]! On your belly [the external abdomen] will you go, and dust [dry earth or clay] you will eat, all the days [a period of time, a lifetime] of your life [physical existence, a lifetime]. word study 15 And I will put [hostility] enmity between you and the woman [the female, Eve], and between your seed [offspring, descendants] and her seed [offspring, descendants]. He will crush [bruise, overwhelm] your head [the topmost part of the body], and you will strike [bruise, wound] his heel [the foot, the lowest part].” word study 16 To the woman [the female, Eve] He said: “I will sharply increase [greatly multiply] your pain [toil, sorrow] in childbirth [conception, pregnancy]; in pain [sorrow, toil] you will bring forth [give birth to] children [sons, descendants]. Your desire [strong longing, romantic love] will be for your husband [man, male partner], and he [the man] will rule [have power over, govern] over you [exercising authority, having dominion].” word study 17 And to Adam [the first man] He said: “Because you have listened [obediently heeded, gave attention to] to the voice [sound, utterance] of your wife [companion, helper] and have eaten [partaken, consumed] from the tree [a tree; wood, timber, a plank] of which I commanded [instructed, charged] you not to eat [partake, consume], cursed [condemned, brought judgment upon] is the ground [land, earth] because of you; through toil [hard labor, painful work] you will eat [nourish yourself, survive] of it all the days [time, lifespan] of your life [existence, mortal experience]. word study 18 Both thorns [prickly growths, thorny plants] and thistles [thorny weeds] it will yield [spring forth, grow] for you, and you will eat [devour, consume] the plants [vegetation] of the field [land, earthly realm]. word study 19 By the [hard labor, toil] sweat of your brow [face, countenance] you will eat [consume, devour] your bread [food, sustenance], until [as far as, to the point of] you return [turn back, come back] to the ground [land, earth, soil]— because [for the reason that] out of it [the earth, from the ground] were you taken [removed, brought forth]. For [since, because] dust [dry earth] you are [exist, have being], and to [toward, into] dust [mortal remains] you shall return [go back, turn back].” word study 20 And Adam [the man] named [to call] his wife [woman] Eve [life], because [for] she would be [to be, to exist] the mother [a female parent] of all [everything] the living [having life]. word study 21 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] God [Elohim, the supreme God] made [to create or do something] garments [tunics or coats] of skin [animal hide, like leather] for Adam [the man, the first human] and his wife [woman, female companion], and He clothed [to wrap something around or put on a garment] them. word study 22 Then the LORD God [Yehovah, the supreme Ruler] said, “Behold [look, see], the man has become like one of Us [having God’s nature], knowing [possessing intimate understanding of] good [what is morally right] and evil [what is morally wrong]. And now [at this time], lest [to prevent, beware that] he reach out his hand [extend his power] and take also [in addition] from the tree of life [the source of eternal life], and eat [partake, consume], and live [exist, have life] forever [for all eternity]…” word study 23 Therefore the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] God [Elohim, the supreme God] banished [sent forth, expelled] him from the Garden [an enclosed area, a place of beauty] of Eden [a place of pleasure] to work [to serve, to till] the ground [the earth, the land] from which he had been taken [created, formed]. word study 24 So He drove out [expelled, cast out] the man and stationed [caused to dwell, placed] cherubim [angelic beings, guardians] on the east side [front, direction] of the Garden of Eden [paradise, place of pleasure], along with a whirling [flashing, turning] sword of flame [fire, blazing sword] to guard [keep, protect] the way [path, road] to the tree [a tree; wood, timber, a plank] of life [eternal, spiritual]. word study