Genesis 3:24

Genesis 3:24 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
• New International Version (NIV)After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

Context of Genesis 3:24

22And the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), knowing [how to distinguish between] good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take from the tree of life as well, and eat [its fruit], and live [in this fallen, sinful condition] forever”— 23therefore the Lord God sent Adam away from the Garden of Eden, to till and cultivate the ground from which he was taken. So God drove the man out; and at the east of the Garden of Eden He [permanently] stationed the cherubim and the sword with the flashing blade which turned round and round [in every direction] to protect and guard the way (entrance, access) to the tree of life.

Genesis 3:24 word by word

וַיְגָ֖רֶשׁ אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּשְׁכֵּן֩ מִקֶּ֨דֶם לְגַן־עֵ֜דֶן אֶת־הַכְּרֻבִ֗ים וְאֵ֨ת לַ֤הַט הַחֶ֙רֶב֙ הַמִּתְהַפֶּ֔כֶת לִשְׁמֹ֕ר אֶת־דֶּ֖רֶךְ עֵ֥ץ הַֽחַיִּֽים׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• So he drove outגָּרַשׁgârash · to drive out: drive outH1644
• the manאָדָם'âdâm · the man (Adam)H120
• and he placedשָׁכַןshâkan · to dwellH7931
• at the eastקֶ֫דֶםqedem qêdmâh · front: eastH6924
• of the gardenגַּןgan · gardenH1588
• of Edenעֵ֫דֶן‛êden · EdenH5731
• Cherubimsכְּרוּבkerûb · cherubH3742
• and a flamingלַ֫הַטlahaţ · flameH3858
• swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• which turned every wayהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
• to keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
• the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
• of the treeעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
• of lifeחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416

Cross-references for Genesis 3:24

• Genesis 2:8And the Lord God planted a garden (oasis) in the east, in Eden (delight, land of happiness); and He put the man whom He had formed (created) there.
• Exodus 25:2“Tell the children of Israel to take an offering for Me. From every man whose heart moves him [to give willingly] you shall take My offering.
• 1 Samuel 4:4So the people sent word to Shiloh, and from there they carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts who sits above the cherubim; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were with the ark of the covenant of God.
• 1 Kings 6:25The [wingspan of the] other cherub was also ten cubits. The measurements and cut (shape) of the two cherubim were the same;
• Psalms 80:1Hear us O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned above the cherubim [of the ark of the covenant], shine forth!
• Psalms 99:1The Lord reigns, let the peoples tremble [with submissive wonder]! He sits enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake!
• Psalms 104:4Who makes winds His messengers, Flames of fire His ministers.
• Ezekiel 10:2And the Lord spoke to the man (seventh angel) clothed in linen and said, “Go between the whirling wheels under the cherubim; fill your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” And he entered as I watched.
• Hebrews 1:7And concerning the angels He says, “Who makes His angels winds, And His ministering servants flames of fire [to do His bidding].”
• Numbers 22:23When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way and His drawn sword in His hand, the donkey turned off the path and went into the field; but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back toward the path.
• Joshua 5:13Now when Joshua was by Jericho, he looked up, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his drawn sword in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?”
• 1 Chronicles 21:16Then David raised his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, covered in sackcloth, fell on their faces.
• John 14:6Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
• Hebrews 10:18Now where there is [absolute] forgiveness and complete cancellation of the penalty of these things, there is no longer any offering [to be made to atone] for sin.

Commentaries on Genesis 3:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24So he drove out the man - Three things are noted here: God's displeasure against sinful man, evidenced by his expelling him from this place of blessedness; Man's unfitness for the place, of which he had rendered himself unworthy by his ingratitude and transgression; and, His reluctance to leave this place of happiness. He was, as we may naturally conclude, unwilling to depart, and God drove him out. He placed at the east - מכדם mikkedem , or before the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22-24Verses 22-24 - XVII. The Execution 24. כרוּב kerûb ברך in Aramaic: “carve, plow”; Persian: “grip, grasp.” This word occurs about eighty-seven times in the Hebrew scriptures; in sixty of which it refers to carved or embroidered figures; in twenty-two to the living being in the vision of Ezekiel Ezekiel 28:14, Ezekiel 28:16; in two to a being on which the Lord is poetically described as riding 2 Samuel 22:11; Psalm 18:11; and in the present passage…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-24Verses 22-24 God bid man go out; told him he should no longer occupy and enjoy that garden: but man liked the place, and was unwilling to leave it, therefore God made him go out. This signified the shutting out of him, and all his guilty race, from that communion with God, which was the bliss and glory of paradise. But man was only sent to till the ground out of which he was taken. He was sent to a place of toil, not to a place of torment. Our first…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24Cherubim are a type of angel that guard access to God's presence (Exodus 26:31; Ezekiel 28:14). east … of Eden: In Genesis, moving east often means leaving God's presence or blessing. This can happen because of: judgment (Genesis 4:16), human pride or independence (Genesis 11:2; Genesis 13:11), or separation from the family (Genesis 25:6).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. 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…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 3:24

• Adam
• Angel (a Spirit)
• Banishment
• Cherubim
• Eden
• Life
• Sin
• Sword
• Symbols and Similitudes
• Tree

In the dictionaries

• Eden
• Eden, garden of Eden
• Tree of life
• Above
• Adam
• Beguile
• Bread
• Cherub
• Clothe
• Coat

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