Devine Scripture

Genesis 3:11

What does Genesis 3:11 mean?

A plain-English look at Genesis 3:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Genesis 3:11 means

God's follow-up questions directly pinpoint Adam's disobedience. He asks who revealed Adam's nakedness, subtly reminding him that such knowledge came from breaking God's command. Then, God directly confronts Adam about eating from the forbidden tree, making it impossible for Adam to continue to evade the true nature of his sin. This divine interrogation presses Adam towards acknowledging his specific transgression.

Genesis 3:11 in context

Genesis 3 — The Fall of Man

Into the garden of the previous chapter comes the serpent, more subtle than any beast of the field. He casts doubt on God's word, then on God's goodness, and at last persuades the woman that the way to be like God is to disobey him. Adam, present and silent, eats with her. Innocence collapses into shame; communion with God gives way to hiding; the man blames the woman, the woman blames the serpent, and creation itself is cursed. Yet at the very moment of judgment a promise is given: the seed of the woman will crush the serpent's head (3:15). It is the gospel in seed form.

  • Temptation
  • Sin and shame
  • The protoevangelium
  • God's mercy in judgment

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And he said, Who gave you the knowledge that you were without clothing? Have you taken of the fruit of the tree which I said you were not to take?

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And He saith, `Who hath declared to thee that thou <FI>art<Fi> naked? of the tree of which I have commanded thee not to eat, hast thou eaten?'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And he said to him: And who hath told thee that thou wast naked, but that thou hast eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat?

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And he said, Who told thee that thou art naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee not to eat?

Context

This verse directly follows Adam's evasive answer regarding his fear and nakedness. God's precise questions cut through Adam's generalized confession, focusing immediately on the source of his new condition – the forbidden tree. This direct confrontation forces Adam to address his specific act of disobedience, which then leads to his attempt to shift blame in the next verse.

v.10And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

v.11This passage

v.12And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Romans 3:20

    because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin.

  • Genesis 4:10

    And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.

  • Psalms 50:21

    These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself: ButI will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.

Sermon ideas from Genesis 3:11

Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.

  • What Genesis 3:11 teaches us about temptation

  • What Genesis 3:11 teaches us about sin and shame

  • What Genesis 3:11 teaches us about the protoevangelium

  • What Genesis 3:11 teaches us about god's mercy in judgment

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