King James Version
Genesis 3:24
24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Genesis 3:24 in other versions
- New International Version (NIV)After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
- New Living Translation (NLT)After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
Context of Genesis 3:24
22And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Read all of Genesis 3Genesis 3:24 word by word
וַיְגָ֖רֶשׁ אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּשְׁכֵּן֩ מִקֶּ֨דֶם לְגַן־עֵ֜דֶן אֶת־הַכְּרֻבִ֗ים וְאֵ֨ת לַ֤הַט הַחֶ֙רֶב֙ הַמִּתְהַפֶּ֔כֶת לִשְׁמֹ֕ר אֶת־דֶּ֖רֶךְ עֵ֥ץ הַֽחַיִּֽים׃ סRead the interlinear
- So he drove outגָּרַשׁgârash · to drive out: drive outH1644
- the manאָדָם'âdâm · the man (Adam)H120
- and he placedשָׁכַןshâkan · to dwellH7931
- at the eastקֶ֫דֶםqedem qêdmâh · front: eastH6924
- of the gardenגַּןgan · gardenH1588
- of Edenעֵ֫דֶן‛êden · EdenH5731
- Cherubimsכְּרוּבkerûb · cherubH3742
- and a flamingלַ֫הַטlahaţ · flameH3858
- swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- which turned every wayהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
- to keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
- the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
- of the treeעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
- of lifeחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416
Cross-references for Genesis 3:24
- Genesis 2:8And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
- Exodus 25:2Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
- 1 Samuel 4:4So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
- 1 Kings 6:25And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size.
- Psalms 80:1Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
- Psalms 99:1The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.
- Psalms 104:4Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
- Ezekiel 10:2And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.
- Hebrews 1:7And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
- Numbers 22:23And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
- Joshua 5:13And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
- 1 Chronicles 21:16And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
- John 14:6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
- Hebrews 10:18Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
Commentaries on Genesis 3:24
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24So he drove out the man - Three things are noted here: God's displeasure against sinful man, evidenced by his expelling him from this place of blessedness; Man's unfitness for the place, of which he had rendered himself unworthy by his ingratitude and transgression; and, His reluctance to leave this place of happiness. He was, as we may naturally conclude, unwilling to depart, and God drove him out. He placed at the east - מכדם mikkedem , or before the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22-24Verses 22-24 - XVII. The Execution 24. כרוּב kerûb ברך in Aramaic: “carve, plow”; Persian: “grip, grasp.” This word occurs about eighty-seven times in the Hebrew scriptures; in sixty of which it refers to carved or embroidered figures; in twenty-two to the living being in the vision of Ezekiel Ezekiel 28:14, Ezekiel 28:16; in two to a being on which the Lord is poetically described as riding 2 Samuel 22:11; Psalm 18:11; and in the present passage…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-24Verses 22-24 God bid man go out; told him he should no longer occupy and enjoy that garden: but man liked the place, and was unwilling to leave it, therefore God made him go out. This signified the shutting out of him, and all his guilty race, from that communion with God, which was the bliss and glory of paradise. But man was only sent to till the ground out of which he was taken. He was sent to a place of toil, not to a place of torment. Our first…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24Cherubim are a type of angel that guard access to God's presence (Exodus 26:31; Ezekiel 28:14). east … of Eden: In Genesis, moving east often means leaving God's presence or blessing. This can happen because of: judgment (Genesis 4:16), human pride or independence (Genesis 11:2; Genesis 13:11), or separation from the family (Genesis 25:6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. placed ... cherbim--The passage should be rendered thus: "And he dwelt between the cherubim at the East of the Garden of Eden and a fierce fire, or Shekinah, unfolding itself to preserve the way of the tree of life." This was the mode of worship now established to show God's anger at sin and teach the mediation of a promised Saviour as the way of life, as well as of access to God. They were the same figures as were afterwards in the tabernacle and…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 3:24
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
King James Version — Public Domain except in the United Kingdom (Crown rights)
Commentaries