God’s Word Translation
Genesis 2:17
17But you must never eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because when you eat from it, you will certainly die.”
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 put him in the Garden of Eden to farm the land and to take care of it. 16The Lord God commanded the man. He said, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden. But you must never eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because when you eat from it, you will certainly die.” 18Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is right for him.” 19The Lord God had formed all the wild animals and all the birds out of the ground. Then he brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called each creature became its name.
Read all of Genesis 2Genesis 2:17 word by word
וּמֵעֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֙עַת֙ ט֣וֹב וָרָ֔ע לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּ֗י בְּי֛וֹם אֲכָלְךָ֥ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 2:17
- Genesis 2:9The Lord God made all the trees grow out of the ground. These trees were nice to look at, and their fruit was good to eat. The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil grew in the middle of the garden.
- Genesis 3:1The snake was more clever than all the wild animals the Lord God had made. He asked the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must never eat the fruit of any tree in the garden’?”
- Genesis 3:3except the tree in the middle of the garden. God said, ‘You must never eat it or touch it. If you do, you will die!’ ”
- Genesis 20:7Give the man’s wife back to him now, because he’s a prophet. He will pray for you, and you will live. But if you don’t give her back, you and all who belong to you are doomed to die.”
- Numbers 26:65The Lord had said, “They must all die in the desert.” The only ones left were Caleb (son of Jephunneh) and Joshua (son of Nun).
- Deuteronomy 27:26“Whoever doesn’t obey every word of these teachings will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
- 1 Samuel 14:39I solemnly swear, as the Lord and Savior of Israel lives, even if it is my son Jonathan ⌞who did it⌟, he must die.” But not one of the soldiers replied.
- 1 Samuel 20:31As long as Jesse’s son lives on earth, neither you nor your right to be king is secure. Now, send some men to bring him to me. He’s a dead man!”
- 1 Samuel 22:16Saul said, “Ahimelech, you and your entire family are going to die.”
- 1 Kings 2:37But the day you leave and cross the brook in the Kidron Valley, you can be certain that you will die. You will be responsible for your own death.”
- Jeremiah 26:8But as soon as Jeremiah finished saying everything that the Lord had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets, and all the people grabbed him and said, “You must die!
- Ezekiel 3:18Suppose I tell you that wicked people will surely die, but you don’t warn them or speak out so that they can change their wicked ways in order to save their lives. Then these wicked people will die because of their sin, but I will hold you responsible for their deaths.
- Ezekiel 18:4The life of every person belongs to me. Fathers and their children belong to me. The person who sins will die.
- Ezekiel 33:8Suppose I say to a wicked person, ‘You wicked person, you will certainly die,’ and you say nothing to warn him to change his ways. That wicked person will die because of his sin, and I will hold you responsible for his death.
- Romans 1:32Although they know God’s judgment that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do these things but also approve of others who do them.
- Romans 5:12Sin came into the world through one person, and death came through sin. So death spread to everyone, because everyone 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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries