Genesis 3:4

Genesis 3:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
• New International Version (NIV)“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.

Context of Genesis 3:4

2The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. 3But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’” “No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5“In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

Genesis 3:4 word by word

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַנָּחָ֖שׁ אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה לֹֽא־מ֖וֹת תְּמֻתֽוּן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the serpentנָחָשׁnâchâsh · serpentH5175
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto the womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• Ye shall not surelyמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for Genesis 3:4

• John 8:44You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
• Genesis 3:13So the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
• Deuteronomy 29:19When someone hears the words of this oath, he may consider himself exempt, thinking, ‘I will have peace even though I follow my own stubborn heart.’ This will lead to the destruction of the well-watered land as well as the dry land.
• 2 Kings 1:4Therefore, this is what the Lord says: You will not get up from your sickbed; you will certainly die.’” Then Elijah left.
• 2 Kings 8:10Elisha told him, “Go say to him, ‘You are sure to recover.’ But the Lord has shown me that he is sure to die.”
• Psalms 10:11He says to himself, “God has forgotten; he hides his face and will never see.”
• 2 Corinthians 2:11so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.
• 2 Corinthians 11:3But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
• 1 Timothy 2:14And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed.

Commentaries on Genesis 3:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Ye shall not surely die - Here the father of lies at once appears; and appears too in flatly contradicting the assertion of God. The tempter, through the nachash, insinuates the impossibility of her dying, as if he had said, God has created thee immortal, thy death therefore is impossible; and God knows this, for as thou livest by the tree of life, so shalt thou get increase of wisdom by the tree of knowledge.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
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-5You will not surely die: This directly contradicts God's clear and emphatic words: “you will surely die” (2:17). The serpent takes advantage of the woman's doubt. He denies there will be any penalty and quickly shifts her focus to the supposed reward. He says she will become like God, knowing good and evil. The deceiver falsely implies that this would be totally beneficial for them. The term used for God is Elohim. It can also mean “divine beings,” such…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Ye shall not surely die--He proceeded, not only to assure her of perfect impunity, but to promise great benefits from partaking of it.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 3:4

• Craftiness
• Deception
• Fall of Man
• Falsehood
• Infidelity
• Influence
• Presumption
• Satan
• Serpent
• Temptation
• Tree
• Truth
• Unbelief
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Above
• Adam
• Beguile
• Bread
• Clothe
• Coat
• Conception
• Dust
• Enmity
• Fall of man

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