Amplified Bible
Genesis 3:1
1Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And the serpent (Satan) said to the woman, “Can it really be that God has said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”
Genesis 3:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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?
- New International Version (NIV)Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
Context of Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more crafty (subtle, skilled in deceit) than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And the serpent (Satan) said to the woman, “Can it really be that God has said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” 2And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees of the garden, 3except the fruit from the tree which is in the middle of the garden. God said, ‘You shall not eat from it nor touch it, otherwise you will die.’ ”
Read all of Genesis 3Genesis 3:1 word by word
וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אַ֚ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now the serpentנָחָשׁnâchâsh · serpentH5175
- wasהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- more subtilעָרוּם‛ârûm · prudentH6175
- than any beastחַיָּהchay · living thingH2416
- of the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
- which the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- had madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto the womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- Yeaאַף'aph · alsoH637
- Ye shall not eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- of every treeעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
- of the gardenגַּןgan · gardenH1588
Cross-references for Genesis 3:1
- Genesis 3:13Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent beguiled and deceived me, and I ate [from the forbidden tree].”
- Isaiah 27:1In that day the Lord will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent With His fierce and great and mighty sword [rescuing Israel from her enemy], Even Leviathan the twisted serpent; And He will kill the dragon who lives in the sea.
- Matthew 10:16“Listen carefully: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; so be wise as serpents, and innocent as doves [have no self-serving agenda].
- 2 Corinthians 11:3But I am afraid that, even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of [your sincere and] pure devotion to Christ.
- Revelation 12:9And the great dragon was thrown down, the age-old serpent who is called the devil and Satan, he who continually deceives and seduces the entire inhabited world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
- Revelation 20:2And he overpowered and laid hold of the dragon, that old serpent [of primeval times], who is the devil and Satan, and bound him [securely] for a thousand years (a millennium);
- Numbers 22:28And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times?”
- Ecclesiastes 4:10for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and does not have another to lift him up.
- 1 Peter 3:7In the same way, you husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way [with great gentleness and tact, and with an intelligent regard for the marriage relationship], as with someone physically weaker, since she is a woman. Show her honor and respect as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered or ineffective.
- Matthew 4:3And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
Commentaries on Genesis 3:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Now the serpent was more subtle - We have here one of the most difficult as well as the most important narratives in the whole book of God. The last chapter ended with a short but striking account of the perfection and felicity of the first human beings, and this opens with an account of their transgression, degradation, and ruin. That man is in a fallen state, the history of the world, with that of the life and miseries of every human being, establishes…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-7Verses 1-7 - Section III - The Fall - The Fall 1. נחשׁ nachash “serpent; related: hiss,” Gesenius; “sting,” Mey. ערוּם 'ārûm “subtle, crafty, using craft for defence.” 7. תפר tāpar “sew, stitch, tack together.” חגורה chăgôrâh “girdle, not necessarily apron.” This chapter continues the piece commenced at Genesis 2:4. The same combination of divine names is found here, except in the dialogue between the serpent and the woman, where God (אלהים…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The serpent deceives Eve. (1-5) Adam and Eve transgress the Divine command, and fall into sin and misery. (6-8) God calls upon Adam and Eve to answer. (9-13) The serpent cursed, The promised Seed. (14-15) The punishment of mankind. (16-19) The first clothing of mankind. (20-21) Adam and Eve are driven out from paradise. (22-24) Verses 1-5 Satan assaulted our first parents, to draw them to sin, and the temptation proved fatal to them. The tempter was the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Genesis describes the deceiver as a serpent, one of the animals God created (see also 3:14 and study note). Scripture later identifies him as Satan, the great enemy of God’s people (Revelation 12:9; 20:2). He used manipulative language and disguised himself as a serpent. The serpent was the most clever of all creatures. This showed Satan as a master deceiver. Satan uses different methods to oppose God’s people (see 1 Chronicles 21:1; Zechariah 3:1–2)…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-51. 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" [Re 20:2]. Though Moses makes no…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 3:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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