Genesis 3:4

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

And the serpent {H5175} said {H559} unto the woman {H802}, Ye shall not surely {H4191} die {H4191}:

The serpent said to the woman, โ€œIt is not true that you will surely die;

โ€œYou will not surely die,โ€ the serpent told her.

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Commentary

Context

Genesis 3:4 marks a pivotal moment in biblical history, following God's clear command to Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, with the warning: "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Genesis 2:17). This verse introduces the serpent, a cunning creature used by Satan, initiating a direct challenge to God's truth and setting the stage for the Fall of Man. The interaction begins with the serpent questioning God's word, and here, it delivers its first bold lie.

Key Themes

  • The First Lie: This verse records the first explicit lie uttered in Scripture, a direct contradiction of God's stated truth. It introduces deception as a powerful force in the world, undermining trust and leading to disobedience.
  • Doubt and Deception: The serpent's statement is designed to sow doubt about God's integrity and the severity of His warning. By negating the consequence of death, the serpent attempts to make the forbidden fruit seem harmless and God appear restrictive or untruthful.
  • Spiritual vs. Physical Death: While Adam and Eve did not immediately drop dead physically upon eating the fruit, they did experience spiritual death โ€“ a separation from God's immediate presence and life-giving communion. Furthermore, this act introduced mortality and physical decay into the human experience, leading to eventual physical death (Genesis 3:19).
  • Satan's Tactics: This verse reveals Satan's enduring strategy: to undermine God's word, challenge His character, and promise false freedom or enlightenment, often by appealing to human desires or doubts. He is portrayed as the father of lies, seeking to draw humanity away from God.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase God used in Genesis 2:17 was "ืžื•ึนืช ืชึธึผืžื•ึผืช" (mot tamut), which literally translates to "dying, you shall die" or "surely die," an emphatic construction indicating absolute certainty and severity of consequence. The serpent's reply, "Ye shall not surely die," is a direct and absolute negation of this emphatic warning, highlighting the audacious nature of its deception.

Practical Application

The serpent's lie in Genesis 3:4 serves as a timeless warning for believers today:

  • Discerning Truth: It underscores the critical importance of knowing God's Word intimately and trusting in its absolute truth, so as not to be swayed by deceptive voices that contradict it. We must always test what we hear against the Scriptures (1 John 4:1).
  • Resisting Temptation: Temptation often begins with a subtle questioning of God's boundaries, His goodness, or the consequences of disobedience. Understanding this tactic helps us recognize and resist such attempts.
  • The Reality of Consequences: While the serpent promised no death, disobedience brought both spiritual separation and the inevitability of physical death into the world (Romans 5:12). We learn that God's warnings are real and His commands are for our ultimate good.
Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Corinthians 11:3

    But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

  • John 8:44

    Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

  • 1 Timothy 2:14

    And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

  • Genesis 3:13

    And the LORD God said unto the woman, What [is] this [that] thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

  • 2 Corinthians 2:11

    Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

  • 2 Kings 8:10

    And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die.

  • Deuteronomy 29:19

    And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:
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