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*Scripture verses covered in this section's commentary are noted in italics

Genesis 3:9-13 meaning

Verses covered in this passage:

  • Genesis 3:9
  • Genesis 3:10
  • Genesis 3:11
  • Genesis 3:12
  • Genesis 3:13

After Adam and Eve hide, God comes looking for them and confronts their disobedience. Now having sinned, Adam and Eve refuse to take responsibility, and seek to cast blame elsewhere.

God called to Adam in the garden and Adam responded by admitting that he was afraid and hid because he was naked. Here is the first mention of fear in the Bible, which came because of the shame of sin. Instead of directly admitting that he had sinned, Adam said he hid because he was naked.

God knew that Adam and Eve had eaten the fruit from the tree which he expressly told them not to. When God asked if they had eaten from the tree, Adam blames both Eve and God. Saying “The woman you gave me” indicates that Adam is blaming both God (for giving him the woman) and the woman (for offering him the fruit). Eve blames the serpent.

But the bottom line is that Adam and Eve made a choice to disobey God. Their response was to hide from him. In the end, they both still had to confront their sin and admit it to God. It is clear enough that God could have prevented this from occurring. God could have prevented Satan from tempting Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve might still have sinned some other way, but not this way. God could also have prevented the sin by not giving Adam and Eve a rule to follow, but it appears that granting a true ability for humans to choose is of such importance to God that He allowed Adam and Eve the possibility of sin.

Biblical Text

9 Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so, I hid myself.” 11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”




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