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:
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman.

Context of Genesis 3:4

2The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some 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 belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
• Genesis 3:13Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
• Deuteronomy 29:19When such a person hears the words of this oath and they invoke a blessing on themselves, thinking, “I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way,” they will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry.
• 2 Kings 1:4Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!’ ” So Elijah went.
• 2 Kings 8:10Elisha answered, “Go and say to him, ‘You will certainly recover.’ Nevertheless, the Lord has revealed to me that he will in fact die.”
• Psalms 10:11He says to himself, “God will never notice; he covers his face and never sees.”
• 2 Corinthians 2:11in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
• 2 Corinthians 11:3But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
• 1 Timothy 2:14And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.

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