King James Version

What Does Genesis 3:22 Mean?

Genesis 3:22 in the King James Version says “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his han...” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 3 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:”

Genesis 3:22 · KJV

Context

20

And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. Eve: Heb. Chavah: that is Living

21

Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

22

And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

23

Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

24

So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Read Genesis 3 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest ... This chapter narrates humanity's tragic fall from innocence through temptation, sin, and divine judgment. The serpent's subtle questioning of God's word, Eve's addition to and misquotation of God's command, and Adam's passive participation demonstrate the progression from doubt to disobedience to disaster.

The consequences affect every dimension of human existence: spiritual death (separation from God), physical death (mortality), relational dysfunction (shame, blame, conflict), vocational difficulty (cursed ground, painful labor), and cosmic disruption (groaning creation). Yet within the curses, God provides gracious provisions: proto-evangelium promise of redemption, clothing to cover shame, and preservation of life despite deserved death.

Theologically, this chapter establishes the origin and nature of sin, the reality of Satan's activity, the universality of human fallenness, the justice of divine judgment, and the necessity of redemption. Understanding the fall illuminates why the world contains suffering and evil, why humans rebel against God, why salvation requires divine intervention, and how Christ as the second Adam reverses the first Adam's failure (Romans 5:12-21, 1 Corinthians 15:22, 45).

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Historical & Cultural Context

The serpent in Genesis 3 reflects ancient Near Eastern associations between serpents and chaos, evil, or deceptive wisdom. Unlike pagan myths where serpents might be deified, Genesis presents the serpent as a mere creature, though Satan's instrument (Revelation 12:9, 20:2). Ancient curse formulas from various cultures parallel God's pronouncements, but Genesis uniquely embeds redemptive promise within judgment.

The agricultural curses (thorns, sweat, difficult labor) would have resonated deeply with ancient subsistence farmers for whom crop failure meant starvation. The pain in childbearing acknowledges a universal female experience that ancient cultures attributed to various causes, but Genesis traces it to sin's consequences rather than divine cruelty or inherent evil in creation or sexuality.

Archaeological evidence of humanity's ancient struggles with agriculture, disease, death, and violence aligns with Genesis's portrayal of a fallen world. Ancient wisdom literature from Mesopotamia and Egypt grappled with suffering's origins, but Genesis alone provides the theological explanation: human rebellion against God brought cosmic corruption. This account would have answered Israelite questions about why their promised land required hard labor, why they suffered pain and death, and why they needed redemption.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does this passage reveal about God's sovereignty and human responsibility?
  2. What specific changes in thinking or behavior does this verse call us to make?
  3. How does this passage point forward to Christ and the gospel of redemption?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 22 words
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר׀1 of 22

“said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

יְהוָ֣ה2 of 22

“And the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

אֱלֹהִ֗ים3 of 22

“God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

הֵ֤ן4 of 22

“Behold”

H2005

lo!; also (as expressing surprise) if

הָֽאָדָם֙5 of 22

“the man”

H120

ruddy i.e., a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)

הָיָה֙6 of 22
H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

כְּאַחַ֣ד7 of 22

“is become as one”

H259

properly, united, i.e., one; or (as an ordinal) first

מִמֶּ֔נּוּ8 of 22
H4480

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses

לָדַ֖עַת9 of 22

“of us to know”

H3045

to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including o

ט֣וֹב10 of 22

“good”

H2896

good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good

וָרָ֑ע11 of 22

“and evil”

H7451

bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)

וְעַתָּ֣ה׀12 of 22
H6258

at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletive

פֶּן13 of 22
H6435

properly, removal; used only (in the construction) adverb as conjunction, lest

יִשְׁלַ֣ח14 of 22

“and now lest he put forth”

H7971

to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)

יָד֗וֹ15 of 22

“his hand”

H3027

a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v

וְלָקַח֙16 of 22

“and take”

H3947

to take (in the widest variety of applications)

גַּ֚ם17 of 22
H1571

properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and

מֵעֵ֣ץ18 of 22

“also of the tree”

H6086

a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks)

הַֽחַיִּ֔ים19 of 22

“of life”

H2416

alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or livin

וְאָכַ֖ל20 of 22

“and eat”

H398

to eat (literally or figuratively)

וָחַ֥י21 of 22

“and live”

H2425

to live; causatively to revive

לְעֹלָֽם׃22 of 22

“for ever”

H5769

properly, concealed, i.e., the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e., (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Genesis. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Genesis 3:22 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Genesis 3:22 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Revelation 2:7Revelation 22:14Proverbs 3:18Genesis 11:6-7Revelation 22:2John 6:48-58

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