Devine Scripture

Genesis 3:2

What does Genesis 3:2 mean?

A plain-English look at Genesis 3:2 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Genesis 3:2 means

The woman's response indicates partial knowledge of God's command. She affirms their freedom to eat from most of the garden's trees, showing an initial understanding of God's benevolent provision. However, her phrasing also reveals an openness to dialogue with the tempter, rather than an immediate rejection. This engagement begins to demonstrate the subtle erosion of their unwavering obedience, opening a door for further deception.

Genesis 3:2 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 the woman said unto the serpent, Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat:

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And the woman said unto the serpent, Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat:

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And the woman said, We may take of the fruit of the trees in the garden:

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And the woman saith unto the serpent, `Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we do eat,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And the woman answered him, saying: Of the fruit of the trees that are in paradise we do eat:

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden;

Context

This verse is the woman's initial reply to the serpent's manipulative question. It follows the serpent's first verbal assault on God's command and precedes the woman's more detailed, yet flawed, recitation of the prohibition. Her answer establishes the baseline of her understanding before the serpent escalates his deceptive tactics, setting up the critical turning point of direct contradiction to God.

v.1Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which Jehovah God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?

v.2This passage

v.3but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

Cross references

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

  • Psalms 58:4

    Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: They are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear,

Sermon ideas from Genesis 3:2

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

  • What Genesis 3:2 teaches us about temptation

  • What Genesis 3:2 teaches us about sin and shame

  • What Genesis 3:2 teaches us about the protoevangelium

  • What Genesis 3:2 teaches us about god's mercy in judgment

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