Genesis 3:3

3 But God did say, 'You must not eat the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden. Do not even touch it. If you do, you will die.' "

Genesis 3:3 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 3:3

But of the fruit of the tree, which is in the midst of
the garden
This tree stood near the tree of life, as is highly probable, since that is described in the same situation, ( Genesis 2:9 ) she does not give it any name, which perhaps was not as yet given it; or she was not acquainted with it, its name in the preceding chapter being given by anticipation; and most likely it is, it had its name from the event, and as yet was without one: God hath said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it,
lest ye die:
here the woman is charged by some both with adding to, and taking from the law of God; and if so, must have sinned very heinously before she eat of the fruit; but neither of them are sufficiently proved; not the former by her saying, "neither shall ye touch it", which though not expressed in the prohibition, is implied, namely, such a touching the fruit as to pluck it off the tree, take it in the hand, and put it to the mouth, in order to eat it: nor the latter by these words, "lest ye die", or "lest perhaps ye die" ^F8; as if it was a matter of doubt, when it was most strongly assured; for the word used is not always to be understood of doubting, but of the event of a thing; see ( Psalms 2:12 ) and may be rendered, "that ye die not" ^F9; which would certainly be the case, should they pluck the fruit and eat of it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 (Np) "ne forte", V. L. Tigurine version, Fagius.
F9 (ina mh apoyanhte) , Sept.

Genesis 3:3 In-Context

1 The serpent was more clever than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. The serpent said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat the fruit of any tree that is in the garden'?"

2 The woman said to the serpent, "We can eat the fruit of the trees that are in the garden.

3 But God did say, 'You must not eat the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden. Do not even touch it. If you do, you will die.' "

4 "You can be sure that you won't die," the serpent said to the woman.

5 "God knows that when you eat the fruit of that tree, you will know things you have never known before. You will be able to tell the difference between good and evil. You will be like God."