Genesis 2:17

Genesis 2:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
• New International Version (NIV)but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
• New King James Version (NKJV)but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Context of Genesis 2:17

15Then the LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it. 16And the LORD God commanded him, “You may eat freely from every tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.” 18The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.” 19And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and He brought them to the man to see what he would name each one. And whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.

Genesis 2:17 word by word

וּמֵעֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֙עַת֙ ט֣וֹב וָרָ֔ע לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּ֗י בְּי֛וֹם אֲכָלְךָ֥ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת׃Read the interlinear

• but you must notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• fromמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• the treeעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
• of the knowledgeדַּ֫עַתda‛ath · knowledgeH1847
• of goodטוֹבţôb · goodH2896
• and evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• forכִּיkîy · forH3588
• in the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• you will surely dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for Genesis 2:17

• Genesis 2:9Out of the ground the LORD God gave growth to every tree that is pleasing to the eye and good for food. And in the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
• Genesis 3:1Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’”
• Genesis 3:3but about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You must not eat of it or touch it, or you will die.’”
• Genesis 20:7Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.”
• Numbers 26:65For the LORD had told them that they would surely die in the wilderness. Not one was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
• Deuteronomy 27:26‘Cursed is he who does not put the words of this law into practice.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
• 1 Samuel 14:39As surely as the LORD who saves Israel lives, even if it is my son Jonathan, he must die!” But not one of the troops said a word.
• 1 Samuel 20:31For as long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Now send for him and bring him to me, for he must surely die!”
• 1 Samuel 22:16But the king replied, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”
• 1 Kings 2:37On the day you go out and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”
• Jeremiah 26:8and as soon as he had finished telling all the people everything the LORD had commanded him to say, the priests and prophets and all the people seized him, shouting, “You must surely die!
• Ezekiel 3:18If I say to the wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ but you do not warn him or speak out to warn him from his wicked way to save his life, that wicked man will die in his iniquity, and I will hold you responsible for his blood.
• Ezekiel 18:4Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
• Ezekiel 33:8If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ but you do not speak out to dissuade him from his way, then that wicked man will die in his iniquity, yet I will hold you accountable for his blood.
• Romans 1:32Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.
• Romans 5:12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.

Commentaries on Genesis 2:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Of the tree of the knowledge - thou shalt not eat - This is the first positive precept God gave to man; and it was given as a test of obedience, and a proof of his being in a dependent, probationary state. It was necessary that, while constituted lord of this lower world, he should know that he was only God's vicegerent, and must be accountable to him for the use of his mental and corporeal powers, and for the use he made of the different creatures put…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-17Verses 15-17 - XII. The Command 15. נוּח nûach “rest, dwell.” עבד ‛ābad “work, till, serve.” שׁמר shāmar “keep, guard.” We have here the education of man summed up in a single sentence. Let us endeavor to unfold the great lessons that are here taught. Genesis 2:15 The Lord God took the man. - The same omnipotent hand that made him still held him. “And put him into the garden.” The original word is “caused him to rest,” or dwell in the garden as an abode…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-17Verses 16-17 Let us never set up our own will against the holy will of God. There was not only liberty allowed to man, in taking the fruits of paradise, but everlasting life made sure to him upon his obedience. There was a trial appointed of his obedience. By transgression he would forfeit his Maker's favour, and deserve his displeasure, with all its awful effects; so that he would become liable to pain, disease, and death. Worse than that, he would lose…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17but you must not eat: This rule is given in the same way as Israel’s Ten Commandments (see Exodus 20:1–17; Deuteronomy 5:6–21). The Lord included law and obedience in his covenant with humanity. the knowledge of good and evil: See study note on 2:9. you will surely die: Disobedience would bring immediate spiritual death (loss of relationship with God) and eventual physical death (see 3:22–23; Ecclesiastes 12:6–7).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. thou shalt not eat of it ... thou shalt surely die--no reason assigned for the prohibition, but death was to be the punishment of disobedience. A positive command like this was not only the simplest and easiest, but the only trial to which their fidelity could be exposed.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 2:17

• Adam
• Contingencies
• Covenant
• Death
• Eden
• Fall of Man
• God
• Knowledge
• Probation
• Punishment
• Sin
• Symbols and Similitudes
• Tree
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Tree of the knowledge of good and evil
• Adam
• Alone
• Bdellium
• Bless
• Breathe
• Cleave
• Close
• Covenant
• Deep

Commentaries on Genesis 2

• 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