God’s Word Translation
Genesis 3:4
4“You certainly won’t die!” the snake told the woman.
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 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!’ ” “You certainly won’t die!” the snake told the woman. 5“God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened. You’ll be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6The woman saw that the tree had fruit that was good to eat, nice to look at, and desirable for making someone wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
Read all of Genesis 3Genesis 3:4 word by word
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַנָּחָ֖שׁ אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה לֹֽא־מ֖וֹת תְּמֻתֽוּן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 3:4
- John 8:44You come from your father, the devil, and you desire to do what your father wants you to do. The devil was a murderer from the beginning. He has never been truthful. He doesn’t know what the truth is. Whenever he tells a lie, he’s doing what comes naturally to him. He’s a liar and the father of lies.
- Genesis 3:13Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?” “The snake deceived me, and I ate,” the woman answered.
- Deuteronomy 29:19Someone may hear the conditions of this promise. He may think that he is so blessed that he can say, “I’ll be safe even if I go my own stubborn way. After all, ⌞the Lord would never⌟ sweep away well-watered ground along with dry ground.”
- 2 Kings 1:4This is what the Lord says: You will not get up from the bed you are lying on. Instead, you will die there.’ ” Then Elijah left.
- 2 Kings 8:10Elisha replied, “Tell him that he will get better, although the Lord has shown me that he is actually going to die.”
- Psalms 10:11He says to himself, “God has forgotten. He has hidden his face. He will never see it!”
- 2 Corinthians 2:11I don’t want Satan to outwit us. After all, we are not ignorant about Satan’s scheming.
- 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.
- 1 Timothy 2:14Besides that, Adam was not deceived. It was the woman who was deceived and sinned.
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
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
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