CPCC Bible Study: Genesis 3

Chapter 3

interloquer
      We have no idea how much time has passed between the end of Chapter Two and the beginning of Three.
      Most commentaries that we looked into either ignore that fact or seem to suggest that there was no more than a few days between the arrival of The Woman and the Fall.
      While that is possible, it seems more likely that there was a significant interval, perhaps as much as what we might call An Age of the Earth (several thousand years) while Adam and The Woman wandered around checking on the vines and flowers of the Garden. As They, THEN, were not affected by the passage of time, and indeed, Time was essentially meaningless, it doesn't matter. In Genesis Five it states that Adam lived some nine hundred and thirty years, but was that his total time, or did that clock start when they changed mailing addresses because it also says that he was 130 when Seth was born. That is an interesting statement when you look at the episode where 'a spare' became needed. But we'll come back to that later.
      Now...Back to the Garden:

Chapter 3
      After the charming note that ends chapter 2 the scene opens in chapter three with a line that requires some of that background music from one of those old deep melodrama mystery movies where you just knew that the character that walked out into the dark alley was up to no good. Maybe with some fog blowing in, and a creaky door opening and closing somewhere just out of sight.
1
      Now the "nachash" (serpent / snake)....

An Ophiologic Tangent:
      There has been endless debate about the nature of the "Serpent in the Garden".
      Did it have legs or wings with feathers (think K'uk'ulkan / Quetzalcoatl), was it what we'd call "a dragon", maybe it was a type of dinosaur, and so on.
      It doesn't matter. At all.
      The word "nachash" is used throughout the old testament. We see the word again in Exodus 4 when Moses' walking stick becomes a snake, and then again when it happens in the court of Pharaoh in chapter 7, but more on that in a moment. A lot of snakes show up in Numbers 21, and then there's venomous ones in Psalm 58 and 140.
      But there's also dragons. Well, sea monsters, and assorted critters that way.
      The word we saw in Genesis 1 : 21 is "tannin", we looked at its monstrous implications there, now we'll consider it in light of other slithery things.
      Remember when we said there was a snake that used to be a cane in Pharoah's court? Chapter 7 of Exodus. The word for snake, "nachash", and the word previously used for sea monster, "tannin", are used interchangeably. "tannis" is the word of choice in verse 12, "nachash" in 15, although it may depend on the size of the serpent in question, but that is speculation.
      According to Jeremiah in chapter 51 of his book, dragons are big enough to swallow a prophet, see verse 34. Those are also "tannin".
      The point here is that while 'things' are described with a word that implies that they are impressive in some way, and that word was available, the term used for Eve's new friend is for what we would call 'a snake', not a dragon or anything else like that. As for 'his' decedents, they're still out in the woodpile today.
      The term used throughout Genesis 3 is "nachash" for snake. It isn't until much later in the Book that he gets promoted to Dragon. See the Revelation study for that, link below to chapter 12 which includes "Thar be Dragons".

(In case you were wondering, a herpetologist studies amphibians and reptiles, ophiologists focus on snakes.)
End tangent. Let's restart verse one.

1
      Now the "nachash" (serpent / 'snake') was "'arum" (crafty / shrewd (is also used for sensible and prudent in Proverbs 12 and 13, so the term probably means something we would call "street smart")) than any "chay" (living / alive) ('animal' is implied) "sadeh" (field / land) 'which were made by' YHWH 'Elohim. "Way yomer" (and 'he' said / spoke (same word used in Genesis 1:3)) to "haissah" (woman / female (she is still unnamed)), ...

Time out:
      Who / what spoke to her? From right here the text it isn't exactly clear. There author doesn't say "thus spoke the snake", or anything else. Of course it becomes clear in a moment, but the writer assumes that the reader is familiar enough with Hebrew usage to understand that the speaker is the one who was just described in the previous sentence. This is something that is used a lot in Genesis and the other Five Fifths.
      In many instances, including the Sistine Chapel, see link below, and several other works that are throughout the world of Religious Art, the Serpent is depicted as a woman. And in many cases, it appears to be a doppelganger of Eve. But that is a discussion for another section of the study.
Time in

... - "'aph ki" (((peculiar Hebrew conjunction) some translations make it 'indeed' or 'yea' (1611)) also 'has', etc) said 'Elohim ....

Another time out:
      Satan (who we'll meet later) is speaking through the serpent. He does not use the Jewish name YHWH but only the title of the Creator, 'Elohim. 'The Woman' does exactly the same in a moment.
      Why? This story is ancient, and is here being retold untold number of years later in writing, but it retains the flavor of the oral history as retold to the children, and is quite likely in the same literary voice. When the writer was setting the scene, and introducing us to the new co-star for his brief cameo, the Jewish name for God is used in 3 : 1. But during the interaction, the it reverts to the term from Genesis chapter 1.
      The word YHWH is not seen again until He returns to the garden in verse 8, after the unfortunate conversation with the serpent.
      As to why the writer of Genesis didn't think it was odd that a snake was speaking, well, if it were Moses dictating the book, he'd already seen a bush catch fire and talk to him as well as water come out of a rock and all the other things he'd been involved in with and for GOD.
Back to verse 1

..... has said 'Elohim "lo" (nor / never / none / etc), you "akal" (eat / consume) "kol" (all / every) tree "haggan" (enclosure / garden)?

      Analysis. What the snake is saying is exactly what was said, minus the 'garden', in Chapter 1.
      The problem comes when you introduce the concept of the enclosed reserve and the two restricted trees as was done in Chapter 2, after the 'dust of the ground' and 'rib' creation of the humans story.
      The two versions are not incompatible, as many "Bible as literature" pundits state. First GOD created the Universe. Then off in one corner He put a nice little planet and made some wildlife to make it interesting. Then in one corner of that planet, He planted a private garden and hired somebody to tend it. As to why this exclusive part of creation would need a caretaker we look at in our "Eden" special.
      Perhaps even in "4004 BC" it was hard to get good help.

2 - 3
      And "amar" (said) the woman to "nachash" (serpent), the "peri" (fruit / produce) of the "ets" (tree / trees (same word is used for one by itself and a whole forest)) of the garden we may eat, but the fruit of the tree "takek" (middle) of the garden, has said 'Elohim: "lo" (not...) "akal" (eat / consume) it - "lo" (nor) "tigge'u" ('you' (form of 'naga') reach / touch) it, "pen" (otherwise / might / lest) you "muth" (die / 'the act of dying').

      Point of order.
      Go back and read the prohibition from GOD about the tree of knowledge of good and evil in chapter 2 verse 17. Hint: look for the word "touch".
      There's probably a sermon topic there, just in this one verse, about adding things to the Laws of God, and how that ended up getting the Pharisees in trouble. But we'll skip that for now.

4
      And said the serpent to the woman, "lo" (not) "muth" (die (the word is repeated in two different forms for emphasis, effectively- 'not' drop dead)!

      It is an even bet that the bad guy had a good idea what "death" was. But how would Eve, or Adam for that matter, have any concept of what that would mean to them personally?

5
      "ki" (for (that same conjunction as before)) "yada" (knows (includes 'realizes' / 'aware of')) 'Elohim "ki" (that) "yom" (day) you eat it, 'then' "paqach" (opened / to observe) 'your' "ayin" (eyes), 'and you' "hayah" (become (includes 'appear as') "ki" (that) 'Elohim", "yada" (knowing) "towb" (good / pleasant (same word as before) and "ra'" (bad / evil).

6
      This verse is evidently some time later, and some distance away from where the ventriloquist snake made his speech as a passage of time, and possibly a different location is implied as the tree in question is in the center of the landscape.

      "Wat te re" (when saw) the woman "towb" (good / pleasant / agreeable / beautiful (the same word from Genesis 1 : 4 and similar verses)) "ha'es" ('that' tree) "maakal" (food), "taavah" (desirable (includes: delight)) "ayin" ('to the' eye) "chamad" (to desire / take pleasure in / pleasing (includes the idea of 'to covet') same word as in the description of the trees in 2 : 9) tree "lehas sakal" ('to make' prudent / understanding (includes: wisdom / wise)), ....

A short break:
      We're going to step away from the narration and look at that word "sakal". This is the first time that word is used in the Hebrew text up to this point.
      In 2 : 17 where this tree is introduced it is called the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil".
      Earlier in chapter 3 when the serpent is discussing it with Eve, she simply referred to it by location, the serpent didn't name it at all.
      The word for 'prudence' and 'wisdom' is used repeatedly in Proverbs, including as the benefit of sound teaching in Proverbs 21. It is used in relation to the making of choices and considering outcomes. However here in Genesis 3 it is implied that Eve thinks that wisdom comes from the knowledge of good and evil.
      OK, we said that. Because that is what the text says.
      But on the other hand, we have NO IDEA what Eve was thinking, or what she said. We only know what a thousand years of Jewish Mythology and story telling has her saying before the original text was written down. Another thing is we have to remember that when it was later brought into the current format the original language may have been somewhat modified for readability. We don't know.
Back to verse six.

      ..... she "nathan" (take (implies intent, same root word is used for the removal of Adam's rib)) "peri" (fruit) and "akal" (ate (implies intent)), and "nathan" (gave (same word, as in "to take what is given)) "gam" (also / furthermore) "enosh" ('the' man) "im" (with) her he "akal".

      The words used in the text state implicitly that they knew what they were doing, and did it willingly.

7
      "paqach" (opened / observant) "ayin" (eyes) of the two....
      So what the snake said came true, the Old Serpent knew what would happen, and it did.
      .... "way" (and) "yada" (knew) that they "erom" (naked (is also used to imply a state of helplessness- Ezekiel 16 : 7, 22 and especially 39, also 23 :29)) they "taphar" (sewed together) "'aleh" (leaf) "teenah" (fig tree) "chagowr" (belt / girdle / armor ... (covering))

      One of the questions we could ask is this: did the 'wisdom' that came from the fruit include where to find or make thread and how to fashion a needle? But there are those that would be upset with us if we mentioned that, so we'll skip it.

8
      "way" (and) they "shama" (heard (implies comprehension)) "qol" (voice / sound / noise) of YHWH 'Elohim "halak" (going (the same word is used to describe the course of the rivers of Eden in 2 : 14)) in the "rauch" (wind / breath / spirit (same root as is used in 1 : 2)) of the day-

      The text makes it look like they had just finished their bit of tailoring when GOD stops by. However, the time of day is stated in the text, not how long after their illicit snack.
      - and they "chaba" (hide / conceal (intentionally)) 'Adam "ishshah" (woman / wife) from "panim" (face / presence) of YHWH 'Elohim, "tavek" (among / between) trees of the garden.

9
      "way" (and) "yamer" (said / spoke) YHWH 'Elohim to Adam and said "'ay" (where) are you?

10
      He said "qol" (voice / sound) "shama" ('I' heard (with comprehension)) in the garden...

      The comment here from Adam is interesting. Go back and read verse 8. We are being told the same thing twice. Again, this sort of repetition in Hebrew poetry means the subject was deemed especially important. In this case, we are to notice that Almighty GOD passing through the garden wasn't a secret, HE was not trying to sneak up on anybody, and that this was apparently HIS usual activity in the evenings.

      ... "yare'" (afraid / frightened), "ki" (for) "'erom" (naked)...

A Naked Note.
      The word here in 3 : 10 "'erom" is slightly different than the naked "'arom" in 2 : 25.
      In chapter 2 the term implies innocence while being unclothed. It is the word Job used to describe how he was born in 1: 21 of his epic poem, and is used elsewhere in that book, and the OT as a whole, such as Ecclesiastes 5 : 15, to imply a state of exposure without outside threat. See 1 Samuel 19 : 24.
      Here, it implies a state of undressed (and unarmed) vulnerability, but without the innocence associated with the other term. Which is how it is used in Deuteronomy 28 : 48 and Ezekiel 16 and 22.

      Also, remember what we said at the end of chapter two about innocence. The statement here in 3:10 from Adam indicates that that innocence is gone.
            And he knows it.
end note

      .... hid themselves (same words as before).

11
      God asks the obvious question about his "thou shalt not" statement (the word 'bilti' means exactly that), with the obvious inquiry about how they may have come by that information.
      He did NOT ask them about where they learned to sew, or how they came to the conclusion that it was possible to hide from the Creator in His own garden.

We're going to skim the next few verses to get to the important stuff.

12
      and said the man, "the woman"...
            Their names are not used.

13
      she blames the snake

14
      God doesn't ask the snake anything, the creature is simply 'cursed' (we'll look at this word again in a few moments). Also, the 'serpent' offers no defense.

15
      Think about who is GOD talking to here?

      ..."ebah" (enmity (intense hatred at the sight of))...
          .... her "zera" (seed / offspring) ...
      The promise that the coming One of her seed does not mention 'the man', the Seed will come from the woman.
      .... "shuph" (bruise / crush. can also mean 'overwhelm')

      Of course we see this as the first promise of the Messiah. And it is, and we're less than two thousand (English) words into the Bible. But what is actually in the original text is surprisingly limited. However, there is plenty of other information to come later in Genesis.

16
      Now The Creator addresses the two principals in the drama.
      To the woman He said, "rabah" (will become great / much (same word used in 1 : 22 'multiply')) (a form of) "itstsabon" (toil / work (also, one time: pain) (implies: unpleasant effort: / exertion))...

Linguistic note:
      This section of verses is a good example of where the translators of some editions have no idea whatthe English word should be for what the Hebrew means, in 16 the word is "itstsabon". You see pain, sorrow, labor... and so on, both here in verse 16 to the woman, and then in verse 17 to the man. What it means is that the experiences themselves won't be what's usually thought of as a good time.
      Later in 16 we have "etseb" which is a related term with similar meaning: sorrow / hurt / pain / toil / work (labor), such as in Psalm 127 : 2 where it describes bread earned by hard labor, and as is used several times in Proverbs.
      The message here to humanity is straightforward: 'you messed up, you'll live to regret it.'
End note

      ... "heron / herayon" (conception / pregnancy (related to child-bearing)
      - (the hypen here is important, it indicates a break between the idea that was just presented and the next one)
      "etseb" ('in' pain / etc, as before) "yalad" (bear / 'bring forth' / beget (the first use of the word!)) ben (son (implied: children))
      - (another hyphen) for "ish" ('your' man (implied: husband)) "teshuqah" (longing / desire (implies a level of intensity)), and he "mashal" (rule / authority / govern / etc) you.

      The LORD is speaking to a single living woman, who, at this point, is still unnamed. However, the writer of the account makes it clear that The Almighty is speaking to the rest of us now and in the verses to follow.
      If you want to know why your life (expletive deleted) and your toaster caught fire this morning... blame these two and their choice for a snack that one morning.

17
      And to Adam HE said...
      The speaker is still YHWH 'Elohim as it was in the previous verse and has been since verse 13.
      .... 'because you listened to you wife' (which has been the source of lousy jokes ever since), 'and did what I told you not to do'... :
      "arar" (cursed (same word as what was used toward the snake) (which is a divine invocation of a long term punishment and/or unfavorable conditions)) is the "adamah" (ground / land (same word from 2 : 5)) "abur" (because / on account of) you - "itstsabon" (toil / work / etc) "akal" (consume / eat) all the days "chay" (alive / living) -

18
      "qots" (thornbushes / thorns) and "dardar" (thistles) 'for you', "akal" herbs of the fields -

19
      by the "zeah" (sweat (the only occurrence of this word in the OT)) "aph" (face (also: anger)) you shall eat "lechem" (bread (also: food)), until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken - for "'apar" (dust / dry earth) you are, and to dust you shall "shub" (to turn back / return).

      And now the story about man from the dust of the ground has come full circle. A point that is underscored elsewhere in Scripture.

20
      And called Adam the name of his "ishshah" (woman / wife) "Chavvah" ("life" as a proper name: "Eve") - because she was the "'em" (mother) of all "chay" (alive / living).
- NOTE: 'the woman' now has a name -
      When you consider that she is arguably one of the top three or four most famous women in the Bible, whose name is instantly recognizable even by those who are not of the faithful, it is only used twice in The Old Testament. We'll come to the occurrence shortly.
      Just as a side note, her name is only used in the New Testament twice, both in Paul's letters. And "Eve" is Never named in the Quran, she is only known as "Adam's wife" or "the woman" in several verses.
      Think about the juxtaposition of the declaration of the woman's name right in the middle of the overall sequence.

21
      The word we need to look at in this verse is "kethoneth", it is used as everything from a rather specific type of garment on to a more general outfit. In Genesis 37 we have it as the Joseph's 'coat' of many colors. It is also the 'tunic' of the priests in Exodus 28. And then in 2 Samuel 13 we see it as something of a 'robe'. Here, we're going to go with something a little more rustic than stylish.
      HOWEVER, while the text does state that this 'covering' was made of 'skin', using the word "'or", that only means 'skin'. It is used to describe leather later, see Exodus 25 and 26. But nowhere in our current text does it specify an animal skin was used. Raising the possibility that when chapter two talks about them being "naked" it is in terms of "exposed" and the Adam and Eve from Before the fall were non-corporeal. The "dust of the ground" part comes now, at the Fall.

22
      YHWH 'Elohim talks to Himself, pointing out what has already been said, but adds a twist about the Tree of Life.

      Discussion, and this idea may make some readers angry, so be it. We need a couple of statements first:
      It is generally accepted that what we know of as Death entered the world at the Fall. Correct?
      OK, then. In the Garden as depicted in Genesis 2, you have Adam and his wife, there's no snakes around. It is the most idyllic environment living humans have ever known.
      The moment before he took the bite of the Fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, whether that was a real fruit (like an apple) or a symbolic, even metaphysical fruit, doesn't really matter, the disobedience of the act was what counted..... was Adam (and by extension- his wife) Immortal?
      GOD stated that if he ate the fruit, then he would surely die. If he didn't eat it, would Adam still be alive today? If not, then was 'man' designed to live forever in This World, in some sort of unchanging energy body, or was he built to eventually die? Or perhaps the fruit of the Tree of Life was always a physical, real world, tree, and until the humans became physical beings in this world, it wouldn't have applied to them. We look at that in some depth in the study's special look at Adam... and Eve. See link below.

      Perhaps this is another one of those questions you're not supposed to ask your Sunday School Teacher. See others linked below.

23
      "shalach" (send 'away' / cast out / drive out) 'him' YHWH 'Elohim 'out of' "gan 'eden" (garden Eden), "abad" (serve / labor / etc) "adamah" (ground / land) "'asher" (which) "laqach" (took / brought).

24
      ..."garash" (drove out) .... and "shakan" (placed / set / stationed / etc) to the East of the Garden "kerub" (cherubim), and "lahat" (flame / enchanted) "chereb" (sword) "haphak" (turning / changing) "shamar" (keep / guard / watch) the "derek" (journey / way / road) to the tree of life.

      Of course, Christians see Another as The Way to the Tree of Life.

-end 3-

Links and References
The Interlinear: Hebrew - English https://biblehub.com/interlinear/genesis/3.htm

The opening quote is from the New Living Translation. https://biblehub.com/nlt/genesis/3.htm

The 1560 / 1599 Geneva Bible https://textusreceptusbibles.com/Geneva/3/1

“enter the dragon” (without Bruce Lee... .... sorry)http://centralparkchurchofchrist.org/revstudy/rev12.htm And a further reference in the study of 13 and is revisited with "Eve's friend" in 20.

Questions you ARE NOT supposed to ask your Sunday School Teacher - Answered! http://themediadesk.com/newfiles7/sundayschool1.htm

Genesis Study Index Page

NOTE: The Bible Study Lesson presented above is posted as a reference document to begin a conversation of the topic. And that's it. Please accept it at such.

http://centralparkchurchofchrist.org