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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Genesis 3:6–8. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here we see what Eve's parley with the tempter ended in. Satan, at length, gains his point, and the strong-hold is taken by his wiles. God tried the obedience of our first parents by forbidding them the tree of knowledge, and Satan does, as it were, join issue with God, and in that very thing undertakes to seduce them into a transgression; and here we find how he prevailed, God permitting it for wise and holy ends.
I.We have here the inducements that moved them to transgress.
The woman, being deceived by the tempter's artful management, was ringleader in the transgression, Ti1 2:14. She was first in the fault; and it was the result of her consideration, or rather her inconsideration.
1.She saw no harm in this tree, more than in any of the rest. It was said of all the rest of the fruit-trees with which the garden of Eden was planted that they were pleasant to the sight, and good for food, Gen 2:9. Now, in her eye, this was like all the rest. It seemed as good for food as any of them, and she saw nothing in the colour of its fruit that threatened death or danger; it was as pleasant to the sight as any of them, and therefore, "What hurt could it do them? Why should this be forbidden them rather than any of the rest?" Note, When there is thought to be no more harm in forbidden fruit than in other fruit sin lies at the door, and Satan soon carries the day. Nay, perhaps it seemed to her to be better for food, more grateful to the taste, and more nourishing to the body, than any of the rest, and to her eye it was more pleasant than any. We are often betrayed into snares by an inordinate desire to have our senses gratified. Or, if it had nothing in it more inviting than the rest, yet it was the more coveted because it was prohibited. Whether it was so in her or not, we find that in us (that is, in our flesh, in our corrupt nature) there dwells a strange spirit of contradiction. Nitimur in vetitum - We desire what is prohibited.
2.She imagined more virtue in this tree than in any of the rest, that it was a tree not only not to be dreaded, but to be desired to make one wise, and therein excelling all the rest of the trees. This she saw, that is, she perceived and understood it by what the devil had said to her; and some think that she saw the serpent eat of that tree, and that he told her he thereby had gained the faculties of speech and reason, whence she inferred its power to make one wise, and was persuaded to think, "If it made a brute creature rational, why might it not make a rational creature divine?" See here how the desire of unnecessary knowledge, under the mistaken notion of wisdom, proves hurtful and destructive to many. Our first parents, who knew so much, did not know this - that they knew enough. Christ is a tree to be desired to make one wise, Col 2:3; Co1 1:30. Let us, by faith, feed upon him, that we may be wise to salvation. In the heavenly paradise, the tree of knowledge will not be a forbidden tree; for there we shall know as we are known. Let us therefore long to be there, and, in the mean time, not exercise ourselves in things too high or too deep for us, nor covet to be wise above what is written.
II.The steps of the transgression, not steps upward, but downward towards the pit - steps that take hold on hell.
1.She saw. She should have turned away her eyes from beholding vanity; but she enters into temptation, by looking with pleasure on the forbidden fruit. Observe, A great deal of sin comes in at the eyes. At these windows Satan throws in those fiery darts which pierce and poison the heart. The eye affects the heart with guilt as well as grief. Let us therefore, with holy Job, make a covenant with our eyes, not to look on that which we are in danger of lusting after, Pro 23:31; Mat 5:28. Let the fear of God be always to us for a covering of the eyes, Gen 20:16.
2.She took. It was her own act and deed. The devil did not take it, and put it into her mouth, whether she would or no; but she herself took it. Satan may tempt, but he cannot force; may persuade us to cast ourselves down, but he cannot cast us down, Mat 4:6. Eve's taking was stealing, like Achan's taking the accursed thing, taking that to which she had no right. Surely she took it with a trembling hand.
3.She did eat. Perhaps she did not intend, when she looked, to take, nor, when she took, to eat; but this was the result. Note, The way of sin is downhill; a man cannot stop himself when he will. The beginning o it is as the breaking forth of water, to which it is hard to say, "Hitherto thou shalt come and no further." Therefore it is our wisdom to suppress the first emotions of sin, and to leave it off before it be meddled with. Obsta principiis - Nip mischief in the bud.
4.She gave also to her husband with her. It is probable that he was not with her when she was tempted (surely, if he had, he would have interposed to prevent the sin), but came to her when she had eaten, and was prevailed upon by her to eat likewise; for it is easier to learn that which is bad than to teach that which is good. She gave it to him, persuading him with the same arguments that the serpent had used with her, adding this to all the rest, that she herself had eaten of it, and found it so far from being deadly that it was extremely pleasant and grateful. Stolen waters are sweet. She gave it to him, under colour of kindness - she would not eat these delicious morsels alone; but really it was the greatest unkindness she could do him. Or perhaps she gave it to him that, if it should prove hurtful, he might share with her in the misery, which indeed looks strangely unkind, and yet may, without difficulty, be supposed to enter into the heart of one that had eaten forbidden fruit. Note, Those that have themselves done ill are commonly willing to draw in others to do the same. As was the devil, so was Eve, no sooner a sinner than a tempter.
5.He did eat, overcome by his wife's importunity. It is needless to ask, "What would have been the consequence if Eve only had transgressed?" The wisdom of God, we are sure, would have decided the difficulty, according to equity; but, alas! the case was not so; Adam also did eat. "And what great harm if he did?" say the corrupt and carnal reasonings of a vain mind. What harm! Why, this act involved disbelief of God's word, together with confidence in the devil's, discontent with his present state, pride in his own merits, and ambition of the honour which comes not from God, envy at God's perfections, and indulgence of the appetites of the body. In neglecting the tree of life of which he was allowed to eat, and eating of the tree of knowledge which was forbidden, he plainly showed a contempt of the favours God had bestowed on him, and a preference given to those God did not see fit for him. He would be both his own carver and his own master, would have what he pleased and do what he pleased: his sin was, in one word, disobedience (Rom 5:19), disobedience to a plain, easy, and express command, which probably he knew to be a command of trial. He sinned against great knowledge, against many mercies, against light and love, the clearest light and the dearest love that ever sinner sinned against. He had no corrupt nature within him to betray him; but had a freedom of will, not enslaved, and was in his full strength, not weakened or impaired. He turned aside quickly. Some think he fell the very day on which he was made; but I see not how to reconcile this with God's pronouncing all very good in the close of the day. Others suppose he fell on the sabbath day: the better day the worse deed. However, it is certain that he kept his integrity but a very little while: being in honour, he continued not. But the greatest aggravation of his sin was that he involved all his posterity in sin and ruin by it. God having told him that his race should replenish the earth, surely he could not but know that he stood as a public person, and that his disobedience would be fatal to all his seed; and, if so, it was certainly both the greatest treachery and the greatest cruelty that ever was. The human nature being lodged entirely in our first parents, henceforward it could not but be transmitted from them under an attainder of guilt, a stain of dishonour, and an hereditary disease of sin and corruption. And can we say, then, that Adam's sin had but little harm in it?
III.The ultimate consequences of the transgression.
Shame and fear seized the criminals, ipso facto - in the fact itself; these came into the world along with sin, and still attend it.
1.Shame seized them unseen, Gen 3:7, where observe,
(1.)The strong convictions they fell under, in their own bosoms: The eyes of them both were opened. It is not meant of the eyes of the body; these were open before, as appears by this, that the sin came in at them. Jonathan's eyes were enlightened by eating forbidden fruit (Sa1 14:27), that is, he was refreshed and revived by it; but theirs were not so. Nor is it meant of any advances made hereby in true knowledge; but the eyes of their consciences were opened, their hearts smote them for what they had done. Now, when it was too late, they saw the folly of eating forbidden fruit. They saw the happiness they had fallen from, and the misery they had fallen into. They saw a loving God provoked, his grace and favour forfeited, his likeness and image lost, dominion over the creatures gone. They saw their natures corrupted and depraved, and felt a disorder in their own spirits of which they had never before been conscious. They saw a law in their members warring against the law of their minds, and captivating them both to sin and wrath. They saw, as Balaam, when his eyes were opened (Num 22:31), the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand; and perhaps they saw the serpent that had abused them insulting over them. The text tells us that they saw that they were naked, that is,
[1.]That they were stripped, deprived of all the honours and joys of their paradise-state, and exposed to all the miseries that might justly be expected from an angry God. They were disarmed; their defence had departed from them.
[2.]That they were shamed, for ever shamed, before God and angels. They saw themselves disrobed of all their ornaments and ensigns of honour, degraded from their dignity and disgraced in the highest degree, laid open to the contempt and reproach of heaven, and earth, and their own consciences. Now see here, First, What a dishonour and disquietment sin is; it makes mischief wherever it is admitted, sets men against themselves disturbs their peace, and destroys all their comforts. Sooner or later, it will have shame, either the shame of true repentance, which ends in glory, or that shame and everlasting contempt to which the wicked shall rise at the great day. Sin is a reproach to any people. Secondly, What deceiver Satan is. He told our first parents, when he tempted them, that their eyes should be opened; and so they were, but not as they understood it; they were opened to their shame and grief, not to their honour nor advantage. Therefore, when he speaks fair, believe him not. The most malicious mischievous liars often excuse themselves with this, that they only equivocate; but God will not so excuse them.
(2.)The sorry shift they made to palliate these convictions, and to arm themselves against them: They sewed, or platted, fig-leaves together; and to cover, at least, part of their shame from one another, they made themselves aprons. See here what is commonly the folly of those that have sinned.
[1.]That they are more solicitous to save their credit before men than to obtain their pardon from God; they are backward to confess their sin, and very desirous to conceal it, as much as may be. I have sinned, yet honour me.
[2.]That the excuses men make, to cover and extenuate their sins, are vain and frivolous. Like the aprons of fig-leaves, they make the matter never the better, but the worse; the shame, thus hidden, becomes the more shameful. Yet thus we are all apt to cover our transgressions as Adam, Job 31:33.
2.Fear seized them immediately upon their eating the forbidden fruit, Gen 3:8. Observe here,
(1.)What was the cause and occasion of their fear: They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. It was the approach of the Judge that put them into a fright; and yet he came in such a manner as made it formidable only to guilty consciences. It is supposed that he came in a human shape, and that he who judged the world now was the same that shall judge the world at the last day, even that man whom God has ordained. He appeared to them now (it should seem) in no other similitude than that in which they had seen him when he put them into paradise; for he came to convince and humble them, not to amaze and terrify them. He came into the garden, not descending immediately from heaven in their view, as afterwards on mount Sinai (making either thick darkness his pavilion or the flaming fire his chariot), but he came into the garden, as one that was still willing to be familiar with them. He came walking, not running, not riding upon the wings of the wind, but walking deliberately, as one slow to anger, teaching us, when we are ever so much provoked, not to be hot nor hasty, but to speak and act considerately and not rashly. He came in the cool of the day, not in the night, when all fears are doubly fearful, nor in the heat of day, for he came not in the heat of his anger. Fury is not in him, Isa 27:4. Nor did he come suddenly upon them; but they heard his voice at some distance, giving them notice of his coming, and probably it was a still small voice, like that in which he came to enquire after Elijah. Some think they heard him discoursing with himself concerning the sin of Adam, and the judgment now to be passed upon him, perhaps as he did concerning Israel, Hos 11:8, Hos 11:9. How shall I give thee up? Or, rather, they heard him calling for them, and coming towards them.
(2.)What was the effect and evidence of their fear: They hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God - a sad change! Before they had sinned, if they had heard the voice of the Lord God coming towards them, they would have run to meet him, and with a humble joy welcomed his gracious visits. But, now that it was otherwise, God had become a terror to them, and then no marvel that they had become a terror to themselves, and were full of confusion. Their own consciences accused them, and set their sin before them in its proper colours. Their fig-leaves failed them, and would do them no service. God had come forth against them as an enemy, and the whole creation was at war with them; and as yet they knew not of any mediator between them and an angry God, so that nothing remained but a certain fearful looking for of judgment. In this fright they hid themselves among the bushes; having offended, they fled for the same. Knowing themselves guilty, they durst not stand a trial, but absconded, and fled from justice. See here,
[1.]The falsehood of the tempter, and the frauds and fallacies of his temptations. He promised them they should be safe, but now they cannot so much as think themselves so; he said they should not die, and yet now they are forced to fly or their lives; he promised them they should be advanced, but they see themselves abased - never did they seem so little as now; he promised them they should be knowing, but they see themselves at a loss, and know not so much as where to hide themselves; he promised them they should be as gods, great, and bold, and daring, but they are as criminals discovered, trembling, pale, and anxious to escape: they would not be subjects, and so they are prisoners.
[2.]The folly of sinners, to think it either possible or desirable to hide themselves from God: can they conceal themselves from the Father of lights? Psa 139:7, etc.; Jer 23:24. Will they withdraw themselves from the fountain of life, who alone can give help and happiness? Jon 2:8.
[3.]The fear that attends sin. All that amazing fear of God's appearances, the accusations of conscience, the approaches of trouble, the assaults of inferior creatures, and the arrests of death, which is common among men, is the effect of sin. Adam and Eve, who were partners in the sin, were sharers in the shame and fear that attended it; and though hand joined in hand (hands so lately joined in marriage), yet could they not animate nor fortify one another: miserable comforters they had become to each other!
Historical interpretation
Five Centuries of Reception
11 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Rather they discerned the approach of the Lord by a certain breeze. As soon, therefore, as they had sinned, God appeared to them, producing consciousness of their sin, and calling them to repentance.
It was not only by the patience he exhibited that God wished to help them; he also wished to benefit them by the sound of his feet. God endowed his silent footsteps with sound so that Adam and Eve might be prepared, at that sound, to make supplication before him who made the sound. .
What does 'walking' mean in reference to God, who is everywhere? In my opinion God may be said to walk wherever throughout Scripture the presence of God is implied, when we hear that He sees all things and ' the eyes of the Lord are upon the just.' [ Ps 33:16 ] We read, too, that Jesus knew their thoughts and we read: ' Why do you harbor evil thoughts in your hearts?' [ Luke 6:8: Matt 9:4 ] When we reflect, therefore, on these statements, we have a knowledge of God in the act of walking. The sinner, in fact, had tried to hide away from the sight of God. He wished to conceal himself in his thoughts and was unwilling that his works appear in the light of day.' [ Matt 5:16 ] The just man saw Him face to face, [ Deut 34:10; 1 Cor 13:12 ] because the mind of the just man is in the presence of God and even converses with Him, as it is written: ' Judge for the fatherless and defend the widow said the Lord.' [ Isa 1:17,18 ] When a sinner, therefore, reads these passages from Scripture, he hears the voice of God walking towards evening, so to speak. What does the phrase 'towards evening' mean? Does it not mean that the sinner realizes his sin too late and that the shame which should have forestalled the fault before it occurred was itself too late?
While the sinner is physically overcome by passions that affect the soul, he in his errant fashion does not heed, that is to say, does not hear, God, as He in holy Scripture walks in the hearts and minds of each and every one of us. God says: ' For I will dwell in their midst and I will walk among them and will be their God.' [ Lev. 26:12 ] Therefore, the dread of divine power returns to the soul when we are eager to hide ourselves. Then, placed as we are by the thought of our sins in the midst of the trees of Paradise where we committed sin, we are discovered to be desirous of concealing ourselves and to be thinking of hidden things which God does not demand of us. But He who is ' the discerner of our thoughts and intentions of our hearts, extending to the division of soul and spirit,' [ Heb 4:12 ] says: ' Adam, where are you?' [ Gen 3:9 ]
How does God speak? Is it with the voice of the body? Not at all. He utters oracular words with a voice that is far more significant than is the voice of the body. The prophets heard this voice. It is heard by the faithful, but the wicked do not comprehend it. Wherefore we find the Evangelist in the Gospel listening to the voice of the Father speaking: ' I have glorified it and will glorify it again.' But the Jews did not listen. Hence they said: ' I had thundered.' [ John 12:28.29 ] We have given an instance above wherein God was thought to be walking when He was not. Here is an occasion when He was heard speaking, whereas to some people He spoke not.
But let us take note of what He speaks: 'Adam, where, are you?' Even now these words have the healing power of salvation for those who hear the Word of God. Hence it is that the Jews who closed their eyes lest they hear do not deserve to hear even today. It follows that those who conceal themselves have a remedy, for he who hides himself is ashamed and he who is ashamed is converted, as it is written: ' Let them be much troubled and let them all be turned back speedily.' [ Ps 6:11 ] The very fact of His calling a person is a testimony of salvation to him who comes, because the Lord calls those for whom He feels pity. When He says, therefore, 'where are you?' it is not a question of a locality to one who knows what is hidden. God did not have His eyes closed, so that a man in hiding was able to escape His notice. For that reason He said: ' Adam has become like one of us,' [ Gen 3:22 ] because his eyes were opened. He, in fact, opened his eyes, so that he saw his own sin which he was unable to avoid. It happens that after we have sinned, we become, somehow or other, more aware of our crimes. We are then aware of the sin which we did not consider to be such before we actually fell into sin. Certainly we did not then believe that a sin was subject to our disapproval, for, if we had felt guilty, we would not have committed it. God sees the faults of all men and knows their offenses. His eyes penetrate into the secrets of the souls of each and every one of us. What, then, does He mean by 'Adam, where are you?' Does He not mean 'in what circumstances' are you; not, 'in what place'? It is, therefore, not a question, but a reproof. From what condition of goodness, beatitude, and grace, He means to say, have you fallen into this state of misery? You have forsaken eternal life. You have entombed yourself in the ways of sin and death. Where is that noble confidence and trust of yours? That fear that you show is evidence of your wrongdoing and that hiding place of yours betrays your dereliction. 'Where are you?' does not mean 'in what place,' but 'in what condition.' Where have your sins led you, so that you fled the God whom before you sought after? Perhaps you are disturbed by the fact that Adam is the first to be rebuked, although the woman was the first to eat the fruit. But the weaker sex begins by an act of disobedience, whereas the stronger sex is more liable to feelings of shame and forgiveness. The female furnished the occasion for wrongdoing; the male, the opportunity to feel ashamed.
WE HAVE SAID ENOUGH, I would think, as far as our abilities lie, in giving our explanation lately of the tree, to teach you, dearly beloved, what was the reason why Sacred Scripture called it the knowledge of good and evil. So today I want to proceed to what follows, so that you may learn God's unspeakable love and the degree of considerateness he employs in his care for our race. Everything, you see, he made and arranged so that this rational being created by him had the good fortune to be of the greatest importance, and far from being in any way inferior to the life of the angels, enjoyed in the body their immunity from suffering.
When, however, he saw them both through negligence transgress the commands he had given them, despite the warnings he had conveyed by threatening them and putting them more on the alert, he did not stop loving them at that point. Instead, faithful to his own goodness, he is like a loving father who sees his own son through negligence committing things unworthy of his upbringing and being reduced from his eminent position to the utmost depravity: he is stirred to the depths of his being as a father, yet, far from ceasing to care for him, he displays further concern for him in his desire to extricate him gradually from his abasement and return him to his previous position of dignity. Well, in just the same way does the good God, too, have pity on man for the plot to which he fell victim with his wife after being deceived and accepting the devil's advice through the serpent. Like a
doctor treating a sick and suffering patient confined to bed, who needs much healing and the doctor's attention, he goes immediately to his side.
In order, however, that you may learn God's ineffable considerateness, from the words themselves you must listen to the reading. "They heard the sound of the Lord God," the text says, "as he strolled in the garden in the evening; both Adam and his wife hid from the Lord's presence amongst the trees of the garden." [ Gen 3:8 ] Let us not, dearly beloved, pass heedlessly by the words from Sacred Scripture, nor re main at the level of their expression, but consider that the ordinariness of their expression occurs with our limitations in mind and that everything is done in a manner befitting God for the sake of our salvation. I mean, tell me this: were we prepared to follow the drift of the words without taking what is said in a sense befitting God, how could many absurdities be avoided? See now, let us consider this from the very beginning of the reading: "They heard the sound of the Lord God," the text says, "as he strolled in the garden in the evening, and they hid." What are you saying God strolls? Are we assigning feet to him? Have we no exalted conception of him? No, God doesn't stroll perish the thought: how could he, present as he is everywhere and filling everything with his presence? Can he, for whom heaven is his throne and earth his footstool, be confined to the garden? What right-minded person could say this?
So what is the meaning of this statement, "They heard the sound of the Lord God as he strolled in the garden in the evening "? He wanted to provide them with such an experience as would induce in them a state of anguish, which in fact happened: they had so striking an experience that they tried to hide from the presence of God. Sin, you see, appeared and transgression, and they were covered in confusion. After all, that incorruptible judge conscience, I mean in taking a stand against the accused cried out in unmistakable tones, leveled its accusation, brought forward evidence, and as if before their very eyes wrote down details of their sins in all their magnitude. For this reason, you see, the loving Lord from on high, in forming human beings right from the be ginning, implanted conscience in them as a tireless accuser, proof against dissuasion and deception at ally time.
Even if someone were able to escape the notice of all human beings in committing sin and perpetrating improper conduct, he could not escape that accuser; he would go his wicked way with this accuser ever present within him to trouble him, tear at him and flay him, never resting, be it in public, in company, at table, sleeping or rising, demanding justice for felonies committed, bringing into focus the impropriety of sin and the punishment due to it. Like a skillful physician it does not cease from applying its remedies; and should it find itself rebuffed, it does not take no for an answer but continues its ministrations unremittingly. This, after all, is its role, to make memory proof against dissuasion and not permit us to lay our sins to rest but keep them in focus so that even by this means it may make us reluctant to fall into the same ones again. You see, if we find an ally in conscience and get assistance from it as the forthright accuser innate within us, our scourge, tearing at our vitals, bringing more weight to bear on us than a public executioner, and yet in many cases we still fall victims to our indifference, to what extremes would we not be taken if we were deprived of such assistance?
This, then, is the reason why in the present case the firstformed human being immediately hides on receiving this impression and realizing the presence of the Lord. Why so, tell me? Because he saw that stern accuser conscience, I mean taking his position against him. He had no one else as prosecutor and witness of his felonies with the sole exception of the one that he carried around within him. They were, however, taught through their nakedness the magnitude of the sins they had committed by the removal of the glory that had previously draped them like a garment, as well as by the accusation of conscience. So since they were covered in confusion after that grievous sin, they tried to hide. "they heard the sound of the lord God," the text says, "as he strolled in the garden in the evening; both Adam and his wife hid from the Lord's presence in the middle of the garden."
Nothing is worse than sin, dearly beloved: once it appears it not merely fills us with shame but also robs of their senses people previously sensible and full of great intelligence. I mean, consider, I ask you, the depth of folly now displayed by this person previously endowed with intelligence, who had demonstrated the intelligence granted him in the actions he performed, and who had given vent to such inspired utterances. "Hearing the sound of the Lord God," the text says, "as he strolled in the garden in the evening, he and his wife hid from the Lord's presence amongst the trees of the garden." What depths of folly does this not reveal for this man to endeavor to hide from the God who is present every where, the Creator who brings all things from nonbeing into being, who knows things that lie hidden, who alone fashions people's hearts and understands all their works, [ Ps 33:15 ] who tests hearts and minds, [ Ps 7:9 ] who understands the movements of our heart? [ Ps 43:22 ] But do not wonder, dearly beloved. For that is the nature of sinners. Even if they are not able to hide, they try earnestly to hide. That you may know that they did this because they had been denuded of their glory, unable to endure the shame which enveloped them after their sin, consider where they hid themselves: In the midst of paradise. Just like heedless slaves and ones due for a whipping, when they are unable to hide from their master, try to run hither and thither into the corners of the house when their minds are shaking with fear, likewise these two ran around in that abode, that is in Paradise, but without finding any escape.
It is not without purpose, however, that the time is specified: "They heard the sound of the Lord God," the text says, remember, "as he strolled in the garden in the evening." The purpose was for you to learn the Lord's loving kindness, that he didn't postpone action in the slightest; instead, once he saw what had happened and sized up the gravity of the ulcer, he at once set in motion the healing process lest the ulcer spread and open up an incurable wound. So he moved to catch it at an early stage and at once took action against the spread of the ulcer, not for a moment leaving the victim deprived of his prompt attention, out of fidelity to his own goodness. What I mean is that the enemy of our salvation had displayed such rage in his unfailing envy of our advantages that he concocted his plot from the very beginning and, through his disastrous advice, he robbed those two of their wonderful way of life. But God, ever anxious to try something new, watching over our affairs in his wisdom, saw, on the one hand, the malice practiced by the devil and, on the other hand, the man's negligence, which was the means of covering him in such shame once he had been prevailed on by his wife; so God takes his position as a gentle and loving judge presiding over a tribunal that causes fear and trembling, and conducts his examination in detail teaching us through this approach not to condemn our fellows before we have conducted a detailed examination.
loving kindness and human beings' severity towards their fellows
See the Lord’s loving kindness and the surpassing degree of his longsuffering. I mean, though being in a position to begrudge such great sinners the right of reply and rather than to consign them at once to the punishment he had determined in anticipation of their transgression, he shows patience and withholds action. He asks a question, receives a reply and questions them further as if inviting them to excuse themselves so that he might seize the opportunity to display his characteristic love in regard to the sinners, even despite their fall.
What are you saying—God strolls? Are we assigning feet to him? Have we no exalted conception of him? No, God doesn’t stroll—perish the thought. How could he, present as he is everywhere and filling everything with his presence? Can he for whom heaven is throne and earth a footstool be confined to the garden? What rightminded person could say this? So what is the meaning of this statement, “They heard the sound of the Lord God as he strolled in the garden in the evening?” He wanted to provide them with such an experience as would induce in them a state of anguish, which in fact happened: they had so striking an experience that they tried to hide from the presence of God.
We read in Genesis that when Adam transgressed, when he paid heed to the serpent rather than to God, when he hid himself from the face of God, then God came into the garden and was walking about in the cool of day. Now listen to what the Scripture says. God sought out Adam, not at midday but in the evening. Adam had already lost the sunlight, for his high noon was over.
(Verse 8) And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in paradise at evening. In many Latin manuscripts, instead of 'at evening,' it has 'in the afternoon' because we cannot translate the Greek word 'δειλινὸν' word for word. In Hebrew it is written 'Larue Aiom,' which Aquila interpreted as 'in the wind of the day,' that is, in the wind of the day. But Symmachus interpreted it as 'through the spirit of the day.' Moreover, Theodotion clearly showed in the spirit the cooling of the day, so that after the heat of noon had passed, he displayed the refreshing breath of the breeze.
Toward evening God was walking in paradise, that is, he was coming to judge them. He was still walking in paradise before their punishment, that is, the presence of God still moved among them, when they no longer stood firm in his command. It is fitting that he comes toward evening, that is, when the sun was already setting for them, that is, when the interior light of the truth was being taken from them. They heard his voice and hid from his sight. Who hides from the sight of God but he who has abandoned him and is now beginning to love what is his own? For they now were clothed with a lie, and he who speaks a lie speaks from what is his own. This is why they are said to hide near to the tree that was in the middle of paradise, that is, near themselves who were set in the middle rank of things beneath God and above bodies. Hence they became hidden to themselves so that they might be troubled by their wretched errors after they had left the light of truth that they were not. For the human soul can be a partaker in the truth, but the truth is the immutable God above it. Hence whoever turns away from that truth and toward himself, rejoicing not in God who rules and enlightens him but rather in his own seemingly free movements, becomes dark by reason of the lie. .
And when he heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, Adam and his wife hid themselves. After noon, those who had failed from the light of truth were accustomed to be visited. Hence, the Lord fittingly ascended the cross at noon, and having promised the thief the abode of paradise, after noon, that is, at the ninth hour, he gave up his spirit; so that indeed at the same hour at which the first man had touched the tree of transgression, the second man ascended the tree of redemption, and at the hour of the day at which he had expelled the transgressors from paradise, he might at that hour bring a confessor into paradise.
Adam and his wife hid themselves, he says, from the face of the Lord God in the midst of the trees of the garden. "When God inwardly turns away his face, let us not wonder that these things happen which are similar to madness, through excessive shame and fear, with that secret impulse also not being at rest, so that they did things unknowingly which signify something, for the sake of those who would know in the future for whom these things were written. For they who sin hide themselves from the face of God, because they render themselves unworthy of being seen by divine mercy. They hide themselves from the face of God, not so that the inward judge does not see their conscience, but so that they may never see the glory of his face except by repenting."
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Summary
Genesis 3:8 dramatically captures the immediate, devastating aftermath of humanity's rebellion against God. As the LORD God approaches the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, now burdened by guilt and shame, attempt to conceal themselves from His divine presence. This pivotal verse vividly portrays the broken fellowship between Creator and creature, introducing the themes of sin's isolating power, the futility of hiding from an omniscient God, and God's persistent initiative to seek out His fallen creation.
Context
Literary Context
This verse serves as the immediate narrative consequence of Adam and Eve's disobedience, described in Genesis 3:6. Prior to this, the Garden of Eden was a place of unblemished communion between God and humanity. The preceding verse, Genesis 3:7, details their immediate realization of nakedness and their attempt to cover themselves, marking the first manifestation of shame. Genesis 3:8 thus sets the stage for God's direct confrontation with human sin, initiating a divine inquiry that leads to the pronouncement of curses and the promise of redemption in Genesis 3:15. It transitions the narrative from the act of sin to its profound relational and existential ramifications.
Historical & Cultural Context
While the Genesis account transcends specific historical periods, the imagery of God "walking in the garden" evokes a sense of intimate, tangible presence, reminiscent of how ancient Near Eastern deities were sometimes depicted as interacting with their creation, though distinct in its monotheistic purity and moral character. The "cool of the day" (often understood as the evening breeze) suggests a regular, perhaps daily, time of communion, highlighting the profound disruption caused by sin. Gardens in ancient cultures were often places of sanctuary, beauty, and divine presence, making the act of hiding within this sacred space particularly poignant. The concept of "hiding" from a deity, though futile, reflects a universal human response to guilt, where individuals instinctively seek to escape judgment or the awareness of their own transgression.
Key Themes
Genesis 3:8 is rich with foundational theological themes. It underscores the holiness of God and the gravity of sin, demonstrating how sin immediately ruptures the perfect fellowship between Creator and creature. The verse introduces the theme of shame and guilt as intrinsic consequences of disobedience, driving humanity to hide from the very source of life and truth. Furthermore, it subtly foreshadows God's redemptive initiative, as He is the one who "walks" and seeks out His fallen creation, rather than abandoning them. This act sets the trajectory for the entire biblical narrative, where God continually pursues humanity despite their rebellion, culminating in the ultimate act of reconciliation found in the New Testament, as seen in passages like Romans 5:8. The verse also highlights the futility of human attempts to conceal sin from an omniscient God, a truth echoed throughout Scripture, for instance, in Psalm 139:7-12.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root signifies more than just auditory perception; it implies intelligent hearing, often with the implication of attention, obedience, or understanding. Here, Adam and Eve "heard" the sound of God's presence, which immediately triggered their awareness of guilt and prompted their hiding, indicating a profound shift from joyful reception to fearful dread.
This primitive root denotes movement, to walk, in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively. In this context, it describes God's physical manifestation and movement within the garden, suggesting a regular, personal, and intimate interaction with humanity before the Fall. It portrays God as immanent and accessible.
This primitive root means "to secrete" or "to hide oneself." It captures the immediate, instinctive human response to guilt and shame: an attempt to conceal oneself from the perceived judgment or presence of a holy God. This act reveals the profound internal turmoil and brokenness caused by sin.
This word, often translated as "face," refers to the face as the part that turns, and is used in a great variety of applications, including "presence." Here, it signifies the direct, personal, and tangible manifestation of God. Adam and Eve hid from God's "face" or "presence," indicating a desire to escape His direct gaze and the accountability it implied.
Verse Breakdown
"And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day:"
This clause establishes the setting and the divine initiative. The "voice" (Hebrew: qôwl) could refer to an audible sound, a rustling, or even the sound of God's footsteps. The phrase "walking" (Hebrew: hâlak) depicts God's immanent presence and regular, personal communion with Adam and Eve in the garden. "In the cool of the day" (Hebrew: rûwach hayôwm) likely refers to the evening breeze, a time when the heat of the day subsides, suggesting a customary, peaceful time for divine-human fellowship. This opening highlights the profound intimacy that existed before sin, now abruptly shattered by human disobedience.
"and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden."
This second clause reveals the tragic consequence of the Fall. The act of "hiding" (Hebrew: châbâʼ) is a primal response to guilt and shame, demonstrating a profound shift from delight in God's presence to fear and dread. They sought to conceal themselves from God's "presence" (Hebrew: pânîym), indicating a desire to escape His direct gaze and the accountability it brought. Their futile attempt to hide "amongst the trees" underscores the irrationality and desperation that sin introduces, highlighting the inherent impossibility of escaping the all-knowing and ever-present Creator. This act marks the profound rupture in their relationship, transforming what was once a joyful walk with their Creator into a terrifying encounter.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices. Anthropomorphism is prominent, depicting God with human-like attributes ("walking," "voice"), which makes His presence relatable and underscores the deeply personal nature of His pre-Fall relationship with humanity. The phrase "cool of the day" is a form of imagery, evoking a specific time and atmosphere, likely the gentle evening breeze, which suggests a peaceful, customary time of communion. The stark contrast between God's approach and humanity's reaction creates dramatic irony and pathos: God, the source of life and joy, is now perceived as a threat, compelling His creation to hide. The act of "hiding amongst the trees" serves as symbolism for humanity's futile attempts to conceal sin and escape divine judgment, illustrating the immediate alienation and fear that sin introduces, replacing intimacy with evasion and trust with terror.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Genesis 3:8 serves as a foundational text for understanding the immediate, devastating impact of sin on the human-divine relationship. It reveals that sin instantly breaks fellowship, replacing the joy of God's presence with fear, guilt, and shame. Yet, even in this moment of rupture, the verse subtly introduces God's unwavering commitment to His creation, as He is the one who initiates the encounter, "walking in the garden" to seek out Adam and Eve. This divine initiative foreshadows the entire biblical narrative of redemption, where God relentlessly pursues humanity for reconciliation. The futility of their hiding underscores God's omnipresence and omniscience, highlighting that no sin can truly be concealed from Him.
Reflection and Application
Genesis 3:8 is a timeless mirror reflecting the human condition. When we transgress, our natural inclination, like Adam and Eve's, is often to hide, to cover our sin, or to distance ourselves from God's holy presence. This verse powerfully illustrates the isolating and destructive nature of unconfessed sin, which replaces intimacy with fear and transparency with concealment. Yet, it also beautifully reveals God's relentless love and His initiative to pursue us, even in our guilt and fear. He is not a God who abandons His creation in their fallen state, but one who actively seeks them out. This challenges us to resist the urge to conceal our failures and instead embrace the path of honest confession and humble repentance, knowing that God is not seeking to condemn but to restore. Our hiding only prolongs our brokenness; His seeking invites us back into communion.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "the voice of the LORD God walking" mean?
This phrase is an example of anthropomorphism, a literary device where human characteristics (like a voice, walking, or footsteps) are attributed to God. It signifies a tangible, audible manifestation of God's presence in the garden, indicating a personal and relational interaction that was part of their daily life before the Fall. It suggests a regular, intimate communion that was now perceived differently due to their sin.
What is the significance of "in the cool of the day"?
The phrase "in the cool of the day" (Hebrew: rûwach hayôwm) literally means "the wind/spirit of the day" or "the evening breeze." It implies a specific time, likely the late afternoon or early evening, when the heat of the day had subsided and a gentle breeze would blow. This detail underscores the intimacy and regularity of God's fellowship with Adam and Eve, suggesting a customary time for their communion. The disruption of this peaceful routine by their hiding highlights the profound impact of sin.
Why did Adam and Eve hide from God?
Adam and Eve hid from God because of overwhelming guilt and shame resulting from their disobedience. Having partaken of the forbidden fruit, their "eyes were opened" not to enlightenment, but to a profound awareness of their nakedness and sin (Genesis 3:7). They felt exposed, vulnerable, and feared God's judgment, instinctively seeking to conceal their transgression and their altered state from His holy presence. Their act of hiding is the primal human response to moral failure.
Could they actually hide from an omnipresent God?
No, their attempt to hide was utterly futile. God is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipresent (present everywhere), as affirmed in passages like Psalm 139:7-12. Their act of hiding demonstrates the irrationality, desperation, and spiritual blindness that sin produces. It highlights the inherent impossibility of escaping God's all-seeing and ever-present nature, emphasizing that sin cannot be concealed from Him.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Genesis 3:8 powerfully foreshadows the entire redemptive narrative culminating in Jesus Christ. God's act of "walking in the garden" and actively seeking out Adam and Eve, even immediately after their sin, initiates a divine pursuit that spans all of Scripture. This persistent love and unwavering initiative find their ultimate fulfillment in Christ, who is God incarnate, coming into the world not to condemn, but to seek and to save that which was lost. Where Adam and Eve hid in shame and fear, Christ, through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, provides the perfect covering for our sin, enabling us to draw near to God with confidence and without fear. He bridges the chasm created by sin, restoring the intimate fellowship that was broken in Eden, inviting us into a new covenant relationship where we no longer hide, but are welcomed into God's presence through His Son, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.