God’s Word Translation
Genesis 3:1
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 3:1 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
The 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’?” 2The woman answered the snake, “We’re allowed to eat the fruit from any tree in the garden 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!’ ”
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 asked the woman, “What have you done?” “The snake deceived me, and I ate,” the woman answered.
- Isaiah 27:1On that day the Lord will use his fierce and powerful sword to punish Leviathan, that slippery snake, Leviathan, that twisting snake. He will kill that monster which lives in the sea.
- Matthew 10:16“I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as cunning as snakes but as innocent as doves.
- 2 Corinthians 11:3However, I’m afraid that as the snake deceived Eve by its tricks, so your minds may somehow be lured away from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
- Revelation 12:9The huge serpent was thrown down. That ancient snake, named Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, was thrown down to earth. Its angels were thrown down with it.
- Revelation 20:2He overpowered the serpent, that ancient snake, named Devil and Satan. The angel chained up the serpent for 1,000 years.
- Numbers 22:28Then the Lord made the donkey speak, and it asked Balaam, “What have I done to make you hit me three times?”
- Ecclesiastes 4:10If one falls, the other can help his friend get up. But how tragic it is for the one who is ⌞all⌟ alone when he falls. There is no one to help him get up.
- 1 Peter 3:7Husbands, in a similar way, live with your wives with understanding since they are weaker than you are. Honor your wives as those who share God’s life-giving kindness so that nothing will interfere with your prayers.
- Matthew 4:3The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries