Genesis

Genesis 3:1–5

¹Now the serpent^a was more crafty than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’”

²The woman answered the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden, ³but about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You must not eat of it or touch it, or you will die.’”

⁴“You will not surely die,” the serpent told the woman. ⁵“For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Footnotes

a 3:1 Hebrew nachash, translated in this chapter as serpent, is translated in most cases as snake.

Read all of Genesis 3

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 3:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now the serpent	וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙	wə·han·nā·ḥāš	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5175 serpent
was	הָיָ֣ה	hā·yāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
more crafty	עָר֔וּם	‘ā·rūm	Adjective - masculine singular	H6175 crafty, shrewd, sensible
than any	מִכֹּל֙	mik·kōl	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
beast	חַיַּ֣ת	ḥay·yaṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H2416 alive, living
of the field	הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה	haś·śā·ḏeh	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H7704 id.
that	אֲשֶׁ֥ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
the LORD	יְהוָ֣ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
God	אֱלֹהִ֑ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
had made	עָשָׂ֖ה	‘ā·śāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
And he said	וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the woman	הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה	hā·’iš·šāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
Did God	אֱלֹהִ֔ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
really	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
say	אָמַ֣ר	’ā·mar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
You must not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
eat	תֹֽאכְל֔וּ	ṯō·ḵə·lū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H398 eat
from any	מִכֹּ֖ל	mik·kōl	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
tree	עֵ֥ץ	‘êṣ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6086 tree, trees, wood
in the garden	הַגָּֽן׃	hag·gān	Article; Noun - common singular	H1588 enclosure, garden

Genesis 3:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The woman	הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה	hā·’iš·šāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
answered	וַתֹּ֥אמֶר	wat·tō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H559 utter, say
the serpent	הַנָּחָ֑שׁ	han·nā·ḥāš	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5175 serpent
We may eat	נֹאכֵֽל׃	nō·ḵêl	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural	H398 eat
the fruit	מִפְּרִ֥י	mip·pə·rî	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6529 fruit
of the trees	עֵֽץ־	‘êṣ-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6086 tree, trees, wood
of the garden	הַגָּ֖ן	hag·gān	Article; Noun - common singular	H1588 enclosure, garden

Genesis 3:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
but about the fruit	וּמִפְּרִ֣י	ū·mip·pə·rî	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6529 fruit
of the tree	הָעֵץ֮	hā·‘êṣ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6086 tree, trees, wood
in the middle	בְּתוֹךְ־	bə·ṯō·wḵ-	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H8432 midst
of the garden	הַגָּן֒	hag·gān	Article; Noun - common singular	H1588 enclosure, garden
God	אֱלֹהִ֗ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
has said	אָמַ֣ר	’ā·mar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
You must not	לֹ֤א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
eat	תֹֽאכְלוּ֙	ṯō·ḵə·lū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H398 eat
of it	מִמֶּ֔נּוּ	mim·men·nū	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
touch	תִגְּע֖וּ	ṯig·gə·‘ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H5060 touch, reach, strike
it	בּ֑וֹ	bōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
you will die	תְּמֻתֽוּן׃	tə·mu·ṯūn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural; Paragogic nun	H4191 die

Genesis 3:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
You will not	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
surely die	מ֖וֹת	mō·wṯ	Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H4191 die
the serpent	הַנָּחָ֖שׁ	han·nā·ḥāš	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5175 serpent
told	וַיֹּ֥אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
the woman	הָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה	hā·’iš·šāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H802 woman, wife, female

Genesis 3:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֚י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
God	אֱלֹהִ֔ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
knows	יֹדֵ֣עַ	yō·ḏê·a‘	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H3045 know
that	כִּ֗י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
in the day	בְּיוֹם֙	bə·yō·wm	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3117 day
you eat	אֲכָלְכֶ֣ם	’ă·ḵā·lə·ḵem	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; second person masculine plural	H398 eat
of it	מִמֶּ֔נּוּ	mim·men·nū	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
your eyes	עֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם	‘ê·nê·ḵem	Noun - cdc; second person masculine plural	H5869 eye
will be	וִהְיִיתֶם֙	wih·yî·ṯem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
opened	וְנִפְקְח֖וּ	wə·nip̄·qə·ḥū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H6491 open
and you will be like God	כֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים	kê·lō·hîm	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
knowing	יֹדְעֵ֖י	yō·ḏə·‘ê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct	H3045 know
good	ט֥וֹב	ṭō·wḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
and evil	וָרָֽע׃	wā·rā‘	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil