Genesis 3 - The Elect of God Royal Academy

3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”

Hebrew
וְהַנָּחָשׁ הָיָה עָרוּם מִכֹּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־הָאִשָּׁה אַף כִּי־אָמַר אֱלֹהִים לֹא תֹאכְלוּ מִכֹּל עֵץ הַגָּן

Verse Power: 4348

Key highlights:

עָרוּם ( crafty / shrewd)
אַף כִּי־אָמַר (Did God actually say…?) — the first question that twists the word
The serpent’s subtle distortion of the command

Gospel
2 Corinthians 11:3
φοβοῦμαι δὲ μή πως, ὡς ὁ ὄφις ἐξηπάτησεν Εὕαν ἐν τῇ πανουργίᾳ αὐτοῦ, οὕτως φθαρῇ τὰ νοήματα ὑμῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ἁπλότητος τῆς εἰς τὸν Χριστόν.

English:
But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Quran
Surah Al-A’raf 7:20
فَوَسْوَسَ لَهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ لِيُبْدِيَ لَهُمَا مَا وُورِيَ عَنْهُمَا مِن سَوْآتِهِمَا…

English:
Then Satan whispered to them to make apparent to them that which was concealed from them of their private parts…

Brief note:
The crafty serpent’s first words that question and twist what God had said are paralleled in the Quran’s account of Satan whispering to Adam and his wife, and in the Gospel’s warning about the serpent’s cunning that deceives and leads thoughts astray.

Illumination note
The quiet innocence of the garden is interrupted. The serpent, more crafty than any other beast the LORD God had made, approaches the woman with a question that subtly distorts the generous command: “Did God actually say…?” The first lie begins as a twist of the word. The Gospel later warns of the same cunning that seeks to lead hearts astray from pure devotion. The Quran recounts Satan’s whisper that sought to expose what had been covered. Three witnesses stand at this first temptation: the serpent speaks, the word is questioned, and the boundary of life is being tested.

3:2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,

Verse Power: 2001 Key highlights:

וַתֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁה ( and the woman said)
מִפְּרִי עֵץ־הַגָּן נֹאכֵל ( of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat)
The woman begins by correctly recalling the wide permission

Gospel
Matthew 4:4
…Οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ.

English:
…“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Quran
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:35
…وَكُלَا مِنْהَا رَغَדًا حَيْثُ شِئْتُמَا…

English:
…and eat from it in [ease and] abundance from wherever you will…

Brief note:
The woman’s initial reply correctly affirms the abundant permission to eat from the trees of the garden, echoing the original generous command and the Quran’s recollection of the free eating granted in the Garden.

Illumination note
The woman answers. She begins with the truth of the wide permission: of the fruit of the trees of the garden they may eat. For a moment the original generosity is still clear in her words. The Gospel later teaches that true life comes from every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. The Quran recalls the abundant permission given in the Garden. Three witnesses stand in this first reply: the woman speaks, the permission is remembered, and the conversation with the serpent has begun.

3:3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”

Hebrew
וּמִפְּרִי הָעֵץ אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹךְ־הַגָּן אָמַר אֱלֹהִים לֹא תֹאכְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא תִגְּעוּ בּוֹ פֶּן־תְּמֻתוּן

Verse Power: 3989 Key highlights:

וְלֹא תִגְּעוּ בּוֹ (neither shall you touch it) — the added restriction not found in the original command
פֶּן־תְּמֻתוּן ( lest you die)
The woman both remembers and slightly enlarges the boundary

Gospel
Matthew 15:9
μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με διδάσκοντες διδασκαλίας ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων.

English:
In vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

Quran
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:35
…وَلَا تَقْرَבَا هَٰذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ…

English:
…but do not approach this tree…

Brief note:
The woman’s addition of “neither shall you touch it” to the original command not to eat is a subtle enlargement of the boundary, while the Quran later records the command simply as “do not approach this tree,” and the Gospel warns against adding human commandments to the word of God.

Illumination note
The woman continues. She correctly names the tree in the midst of the garden and the prohibition against eating its fruit, yet she adds a word not spoken by the LORD God: “neither shall you touch it.” The boundary is slightly enlarged. The Gospel later warns of the danger of teaching human additions as though they were divine commandments. The Quran recalls the command not to approach the tree. Three witnesses stand in this reply: the original word is still remembered, yet something has already been added, and the conversation with the serpent continues.

3:4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.”

Hebrew
וַיֹּאמֶר הַנָּחָשׁ אֶל־הָאִשָּׁה לֹא־מוֹת תְּמֻתוּן

Verse Power: 2335

Key highlights:

לֹא־מוֹת תְּמֻתוּן (“You will not surely die”) — the direct contradiction of God’s emphatic “you shall surely die”
The first outright denial of the Creator’s word

Gospel
John 8:44
…ἐκεῖνος ἀνθρωποκτόνος ἦν ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ οὐκ ἔστηκεν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἀλήθεια ἐν αὐτῷ. ὅταν λαλῇ τὸ ψεῦδος, ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων λαλεῖ, ὅτι ψεύστης ἐστὶν καὶ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ.

English:
…He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Quran
Surah Al-A’raf 7:20–21
…قَالَ مَا نَهَاكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنْ هَٰذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ إِلَّا أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ أَوْ تَكُونَا مِنَ الْخَالِدِينَ وَقَاسَمَهُمَا إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ

English:
…He said, “Your Lord did not forbid you this tree except that you become angels or become of the immortal.” And he swore to them, “Indeed, I am to you from among the sincere advisors.”

Brief note:
The serpent’s flat contradiction “You will not surely die” is the first direct denial of God’s word, echoed in the Quran’s account of Satan promising immortality and claiming to be a sincere advisor, and identified in the Gospel as the father of lies who was a murderer from the beginning.

Illumination note
The serpent no longer questions; he contradicts. Against the LORD God’s solemn “you shall surely die,” he declares, “You will not surely die.” The word of the Creator is openly denied. The Gospel later names the one who does not stand in the truth as a liar and the father of lies from the beginning. The Quran recounts Satan’s promise of immortality and his claim to be a sincere advisor. Three witnesses stand at this moment: the serpent speaks a direct lie, the consequence of death is denied, and the first open rebellion against the Creator’s word is spoken.

3:5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Hebrew
כִּי יֹדֵעַ אֱלֹהִים כִּי בְּיוֹם אֲכָלְכֶם מִמֶּנּוּ וְנִפְקְחוּ עֵינֵיכֶם וִהְיִיתֶם כֵּאלֹהִים יֹדְעֵי טוֹב וָרָע

Verse Power: 1949

Key highlights:

וְנִפְקְחוּ עֵינֵיכֶם ( your eyes will be opened)
וִהְיִיתֶם כֵּאלֹהִים ( and you will be like God)
The promise of elevated knowledge and equality with the Creator

Gospel
Philippians 2:6
ὃς ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα θεῷ…

English:
…who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped…

Quran
Surah Al-A’raf 7:20
…וַقَالَ مَا نَهَاكُمَا رَبُّكُמَا عَنْ هَٰذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ إِلَّا أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ أَوْ تَكُونَا מِنَ الْخَالِדِينَ

English:
…And he said, “Your Lord did not forbid you this tree except that you become angels or become of the immortal.”

Brief note:
The serpent’s promise that their eyes will be opened and they will be like God, knowing good and evil, is paralleled in the Quran’s account of Satan offering the tree as the way to become angels or immortal, and stands in contrast to the Gospel’s portrait of the One who did not grasp at equality with God.

Illumination note
The serpent finishes his temptation with a promise: eyes will be opened, and they will be like God, knowing good and evil. What was forbidden is now presented as the path to divine knowledge and status. The Gospel later reveals the Son who, though in the form of God, did not grasp at equality with God. The Quran recounts Satan’s offer of becoming angels or immortal through the tree. Three witnesses stand at this promise: the serpent offers opened eyes and likeness to God, the boundary is reimagined as opportunity, and the temptation reaches its height.

3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Hebrew
וַתֵּרֶא הָאִשָּׁה כִּי טוֹב הָעֵץ לְמַאֲכָל וְכִי תַאֲוָה־הוּא לָעֵינַיִם וְנֶחְמָד הָעֵץ לְהַשְׂכִּיל וַתִּקַּח מִפִּרְיוֹ וַתֹּאכַל וַתִּתֵּן גַּם־לְאִישָׁהּ עִמָּהּ וַיֹּאכַל

Verse Power: 5323

Key highlights:

וַתֵּרֶא … וַתִּקַּח … וַתֹּאכַל … וַתִּתֵּן … וַיֹּאכַל ( she saw … she took … she ate … she gave … and he ate)
The progression from sight to desire to action to shared participation

Gospel
1 John 2:16
ὅτι πᾶν τὸ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν καὶ ἡ ἀλαζονεία τοῦ βίου, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ πατρός, ἀλλ’ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου ἐστίν.

English:
For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.

Quran
Surah Al-A’raf 7:22
فَأَكَلَا مِنْهَا فَبَدَتْ לَهُمَا سَوْآتُهُمَا…

English:
So they both ate of it, and their private parts became apparent to them…

Brief note:
The woman’s seeing the tree as good for food, a delight to the eyes, and desirable for wisdom, followed by taking, eating, and giving to her husband, is echoed in the Quran’s account of them both eating and then seeing their nakedness, and is described in the Gospel as the desires of the flesh, the eyes, and the pride of life.

Illumination note
The woman sees. The tree appears good for food, a delight to the eyes, and desirable to make one wise. She takes of its fruit and eats, then gives to her husband who is with her, and he eats. Sight leads to desire, desire to taking, and taking to shared eating. The Gospel later names the desires of the flesh, the eyes, and the pride of life as not from the Father. The Quran records that they both ate and their nakedness became apparent. Three witnesses stand at this decisive moment: the fruit is taken, both eat, and the boundary that was once clear has been crossed.

3:7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

Hebrew
וַתִּפָּקַחְנָה עֵינֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי עֵירֻמִּם הֵם וַיִּתְפְּרוּ עֲלֵה תְאֵנָה וַיַּעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם חֲגֹרֹת

Verse Power: 4066

Key highlights:

וַתִּפָּקַחְנָה עֵינֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם ( the eyes of both were opened)
וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי עֵירֻמִּם הֵם ( and they knew that they were naked)
וַיִּתְפְּרוּ עֲלֵה תְאֵנָה ( and they sewed fig leaves)

Gospel
Revelation 3:18
συμβουλεύω σοι ἀγοράσαι παρ’ ἐμοῦ χρυσίον πεπυρωμένον ἐκ πυρὸς ἵνα πλουτήσῃς, καὶ ἱμάτια λευκὰ ἵνα περιβάλῃ καὶ μὴ φανερωθῇ ἡ αἰσχύνη τῆς γυμνότητός σου…

English:
I counsel you to buy from Me… white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen…

Quran
Surah Al-A’raf 7:22
…فَأَكَلَا مִنْهَا فَبَדَתْ לَهُمَا سَوْآتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ עَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ الْجَنَّةِ…

English:
…So they both ate of it, and their private parts became apparent to them, and they began to fasten over themselves from the leaves of Paradise…

Brief note:
The opening of their eyes and the awareness of their nakedness, followed by sewing fig leaves for coverings, is closely paralleled in the Quran’s account of their private parts becoming apparent and their fastening leaves of the Garden over themselves, and is later answered in the Gospel by the offer of white garments to cover shame.

Illumination note
The promise of the serpent is partially fulfilled: their eyes are opened. Yet what they see is their own nakedness. Knowledge comes, but it brings shame. They sew fig leaves together and make themselves coverings. The Gospel later speaks of white garments given so that the shame of nakedness may not be seen. The Quran recounts that their private parts became apparent and they began to cover themselves with leaves of the Garden. Three witnesses stand in this moment: eyes are opened, nakedness is known, and the first human attempt at covering begins.

3:8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Hebrew
וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶת־קוֹל יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים מִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּגָּן לְרוּחַ הַיּוֹם וַיִּתְחַבֵּא הָאָדָם וְאִשְׁתּוֹ מִפְּנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים בְּתוֹךְ עֵץ הַגָּן

Verse Power: 4064

Key highlights:

קוֹל יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים מִתְהַלֵּךְ ( the sound / voice of the LORD God walking)
וַיִּתְחַבֵּא ( and they hid themselves)
מִפְּנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים ( from the presence of the LORD God)

Gospel
John 3:20
πᾶς γὰρ ὁ φαῦλα πράσσων μισεῖ τὸ φῶς καὶ οὐκ ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς, ἵνα μὴ ἐλεγχθῇ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ.

English:
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

Quran
Surah Al-A’raf 7:22
…وَنَادَاهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا أَلَمْ أَنْهَكُمَا عَن تِلْكُمَا الشَّجَرَةِ…

English:
…And their Lord called to them, “Did I not forbid you from that tree…?”

Brief note:
Hearing the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden and hiding among the trees is paralleled in the Quran’s account of their Lord calling to them after the eating, and is reflected in the Gospel’s description of those who do wicked things hating the light and refusing to come to it.

Illumination note
They hear the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. The familiar presence that once brought nearness now brings fear. The man and his wife hide themselves from His face among the trees of the garden. The Gospel later says that those who do wicked things hate the light and do not come to it. The Quran records that their Lord called to them after the transgression. Three witnesses stand in the garden: the sound of the LORD God is heard, the man and his wife hide, and the open fellowship of the original creation is broken.

3:9 But YHVH Elohim called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”

Hebrew
וַיִּקְרָא יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים אֶל־הָאָדָם וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אַיֶּכָּה

Verse Power: 839 Key highlights:

וַיִּקְרָא (and He called)
אַיֶּכָּה (“Where are you?”)

Gospel
Luke 19:10
ἦλθεν γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ζητῆσαι καὶ σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός.

English:
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Quran
Surah Al-A’raf 7:22
…وَנَادَاهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا أَلَمْ أَنْهَكُمَا عَن تِلْكُمَا الشَّجَرَةِ…

English:
…And their Lord called to them, “Did I not forbid you from that tree…?”

Brief note:
YHWH Elohim’s call to the man with the question “Where are you?” is paralleled in the Quran’s account of their Lord calling to them after the eating, and is fulfilled in the Gospel’s declaration that the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Illumination note
YHWH Elohim does not abandon the garden. He calls to the man: “Where are you?” The question is the seeking voice of the Creator toward the one who is hiding. The Gospel later declares that the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. The Quran records that their Lord called to them. Three witnesses stand in this moment: the voice of YHWH Elohim is heard, the man is sought, and the first question after the fall is one of seeking.

3:10 And he said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

Hebrew
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶת־קֹלְךָ שָׁמַעְתִּי בַּגָּן וָאִירָא כִּי־עֵירֹם אָנֹכִי וָאֵחָבֵא

Verse Power: 2350 Key highlights:

שָׁמַעְתִּי … וָאִירָא (I heard … and I was afraid)
כִּי־עֵירֹם אָנֹכִי (because I was naked)
וָאֵחָבֵא (and I hid myself)

Gospel
Hebrews 4:13
καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν κτίσις ἀφανὴς ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, πάντα δὲ γυμνὰ καὶ τετραχηλισμένα τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ πρὸς ὃν ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος.

English:
And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Quran
Surah Al-A’raf 7:22
…قَالَا رَبَّנَا ظَلَمْנَا أَنفُסَنَا…

English:
…They said, “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves…”

Brief note:
The man’s confession that he heard the sound, was afraid because he was naked, and hid himself is paralleled in the Quran’s later confession of having wronged themselves, and is reflected in the Gospel’s truth that nothing is hidden from the eyes of the One to whom we must give account.

Illumination note
The man answers. He has heard the sound of YHWH Elohim in the garden, and fear has entered. Nakedness, once without shame, is now the reason for hiding. The Gospel later declares that all are naked and exposed before the eyes of the One to whom we must give account. The Quran records their confession of having wronged themselves. Three witnesses stand in this reply: the man speaks, fear and nakedness are named, and the first human response after the fall is one of hiding.

3:11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”

Hebrew
וַיֹּאמֶר מִי הִגִּיד לְךָ כִּי עֵירֹם אָתָּה הֲמִן־הָעֵץ אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִיךָ לְבִלְתִּי אֲכָל־מִמֶּנּוּ אָכָלְתָּ

Verse Power: 3542

Key highlights:

מִי הִגִּיד לְךָ ( Who told you…?)
הֲמִן־הָעֵץ ( Have you eaten of the tree…?)
The questions that draw the man toward confession

Gospel
John 8:32
καὶ γνώσεσθε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐλευθερώσει ὑμᾶς.

English:
And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Quran
Surah Al-A’raf 7:22
…أَلَمْ أَنْهَكُمَا عَن تِلְكُמَا الشَّجَرَةِ وَأَقُل لَّكُمَا إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَكُمَا عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ

English:
…“Did I not forbid you from that tree and tell you that Satan is to you a clear enemy?”

Brief note:
The LORD God’s questions that confront the man about his nakedness and the forbidden tree are paralleled in the Quran’s account of their Lord asking if He had not forbidden them the tree and warned them of Satan, and point toward the Gospel’s promise that knowing the truth brings freedom.

Illumination note
The LORD God continues the conversation with two direct questions: “Who told you that you were naked?” and “Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The questions are searching and precise. The Gospel later promises that knowing the truth sets free. The Quran records their Lord asking if He had not forbidden the tree and warned them of the clear enemy. Three witnesses stand in these questions: the Creator seeks truth, the command is recalled, and the man is invited to answer.

3:12 The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”

Hebrew
וַיֹּאמֶר הָאָדָם הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה עִמָּדִי הִוא נָתְנָה־לִּי מִן־הָעֵץ וָאֹכֵל

Verse Power: 2967

Key highlights:

הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה עִמָּדִי ( the woman whom You gave to be with me)
The shifting of responsibility toward the woman and, implicitly, toward the Giver

Gospel
James 1:13–14
μηδεὶς πειραζόμενος λεγέτω ὅτι Ἀπὸ θεοῦ πειράζομαι· ὁ γὰρ θεὸς ἀπείραστός ἐστιν κακῶν… ἕκαστος δὲ πειράζεται ὑπὸ τῆς ἰδίας ἐπιθυμίας ἐξελκόμενος καὶ δελεαζόμενος.

English:
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil… But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

Quran
Surah Al-A’raf 7:23
قَالَا رَبَّנَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِרْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

English:
They said, “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.”

Brief note:
The man’s response that blames the woman whom God gave him is later answered in the Quran by their joint confession of having wronged themselves and their plea for forgiveness, and is addressed in the Gospel by the warning not to say that one is tempted by God, for temptation arises from one’s own desire.

Illumination note
The man answers, yet he does not simply confess. He points to the woman whom the LORD God had given to be with him: she gave him of the tree, and he ate. Responsibility is shifted. The Gospel later teaches that temptation does not come from God but from one’s own desire. The Quran records their later confession that they had wronged themselves and their cry for forgiveness and mercy. Three witnesses stand in this reply: the man speaks, blame is redirected, and the need for honest confession remains.

3:13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Hebrew
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים לָאִשָּׁה מַה־זֹּאת עָשִׂית וַתֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁה הַנָּחָשׁ הִשִּׁיאַנִי וָאֹכֵל

Verse Power: 3692

Key highlights:

מַה־זֹּאת עָשִׂית (“ What is this that you have done?”)
הַנָּחָשׁ הִשִּׁיאַנִי ( the serpent deceived me)
The woman names the deceiver

Gospel
2 Corinthians 11:3
φοβοῦμαι δὲ μή πως, ὡς ὁ ὄφις ἐξηπάτησεν Εὕαν ἐν τῇ πανουργίᾳ αὐτοῦ…

English:
But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning…

Quran
Surah Al-A’raf 7:22
…فَدَلَّاهُמَا بِغُرُورٍ…

English:
…So he made them fall, through deception…

Brief note:
The LORD God’s question to the woman and her answer that the serpent deceived her are paralleled in the Quran’s account of Satan making them fall through deception, and in the Gospel’s reference to the serpent deceiving Eve by his cunning.

Illumination note
The LORD God turns to the woman: “What is this that you have done?” She answers that the serpent deceived her, and she ate. The source of the deception is named. The Gospel later recalls the serpent’s cunning that deceived Eve. The Quran describes how Satan made them fall through deception. Three witnesses stand in this exchange: the woman is questioned, the serpent is identified as the deceiver, and the truth of the temptation is spoken.

3:14 The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.”

Hebrew
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים אֶל־הַנָּחָשׁ כִּי עָשִׂיתָ זֹּאת אָרוּר אַתָּה מִכָּל־הַבְּהֵמָה וּמִכֹּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה עַל־גְּחֹנְךָ תֵלֵךְ וְעָפָר תֹּאכַל כָּל־יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ

Verse Power: 5365

Key highlights:

אָרוּר אַתָּה ( cursed are you)
עַל־גְּחֹנְךָ תֵלֵךְ ( on your belly you shall go)
וְעָפָר תֹּאכַל ( and dust you shall eat)

Gospel
Romans 16:20
ὁ δὲ θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης συντρίψει τὸν σατανᾶν ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας ὑμῶν ἐν τάχει.

English:
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

Quran
Surah Al-A’raf 7:18
قَالَ اخْرُجْ مِنْهَا مَذْءُومًا مَّدْحُورًا…

English:
[Allah] said, “Get out of it, reproached and expelled…”

Brief note:
The curse pronounced upon the serpent — to go on its belly and eat dust — is paralleled in the Quran’s expulsion of Satan as reproached and driven out, and is fulfilled in the Gospel’s promise that the God of peace will crush Satan under the feet of the saints.

Illumination note
Judgment begins with the serpent. Because he has done this, he is cursed above all livestock and beasts of the field. He shall go on his belly and eat dust all the days of his life. The Gospel later promises that the God of peace will crush Satan under the feet of His people. The Quran records Satan’s expulsion as one reproached and driven out. Three witnesses stand at this first curse: the serpent is judged, his form is humbled, and the enmity that will continue is already declared.

3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

Hebrew
וְאֵיבָה אָשִׁית בֵּינְךָ וּבֵין הָאִשָּׁה וּבֵין זַרְעֲךָ וּבֵין זַרְעָהּ הוּא יְשׁוּפְךָ רֹאשׁ וְאַתָּה תְּשׁוּפֶנּוּ עָקֵב

Verse Power: 4266 Key highlights:

וְאֵיבָה אָשִׁית ( I will put enmity)
זַרְעֲךָ וּבֵין זַרְעָהּ ( your offspring and her offspring)
הוּא יְשׁוּפְךָ רֹאשׁ ( he shall bruise your head)

Gospel
Romans 16:20
ὁ δὲ θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης συντρίψει τὸν σατανᾶν ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας ὑμῶν ἐν τάχει.

English:
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

Quran
Surah Al-Hijr 15:39–40
قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنִי لَأُزَيِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِينَ

English:
[Iblis] said, “My Lord, because You have put me in error, I will surely make [disobedience] attractive to them on earth, and I will mislead them all except, among them, Your chosen servants.”

Brief note:
The declaration of ongoing enmity between the serpent and the woman, and between their offspring, culminating in the bruising of the serpent’s head, is reflected in the Quran’s account of Iblis vowing to mislead humanity except the chosen servants, and is fulfilled in the Gospel’s promise that the God of peace will crush Satan under the feet of the saints.

Illumination note
Enmity is established. Between the serpent and the woman, and between his offspring and hers, conflict will continue. Yet the promise is given: her offspring shall bruise the serpent’s head, while the serpent shall bruise his heel. The Gospel later declares that the God of peace will crush Satan under the feet of His people. The Quran records Iblis’s vow to mislead, with the exception of the chosen servants. Three witnesses stand at this first gospel promise: enmity is declared, the head of the serpent will be bruised, and hope is spoken in the midst of judgment.

3:16 To the woman He said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.”

Hebrew
אֶל־הָאִשָּׁה אָמַר הַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה עִצְּבוֹנֵךְ וְהֵרֹנֵךְ בְּעֶצֶב תֵּלְדִי בָנִים וְאֶל־אִישֵׁךְ תְּשׁוּקָתֵךְ וְהוּא יִמְשָׁל־בָּךְ

Verse Power: 4246

Key highlights:

הַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה עִצְּבוֹנֵךְ ( I will surely multiply your pain)
תְּשׁוּקָתֵךְ וְהוּא יִמְשָׁל־בָּךְ ( your desire… and he shall rule over you)

Gospel
1 Timothy 2:15
σωθήσεται δὲ διὰ τῆς τεκνογονίας, ἐὰν μείνωσιν ἐν πίστει καὶ ἀγάπῃ καὶ ἁγιασμῷ μετὰ σωφροσύνης.

English:
Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

Quran
Surah Al-A’raf 7:189
…فَلَمَّا أَثْقَلَت دَّعَوَا اللَّهَ رَبَّهُمَا…

English:
…And when she was burdened, they both invoked Allah, their Lord…

Brief note:
The words to the woman concerning multiplied pain in childbearing and the relational tension with her husband are echoed in the Quran’s mention of the burden of pregnancy and their calling upon their Lord, and are addressed in the Gospel’s hope of salvation through childbearing in faith, love, and holiness.

Illumination note
The LORD God now speaks to the woman. Pain in childbearing will be multiplied, and in pain she shall bring forth children. Desire and rule will mark the relationship between her and her husband. The Gospel later speaks of being saved through childbearing as they continue in faith, love, and holiness. The Quran recounts the burden of pregnancy and their calling upon their Lord. Three witnesses stand in these words: the consequences of the fall touch the woman’s body and relationships, yet life continues to be brought forth, and the need for mercy remains.

3:17 And to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life.”

Hebrew
וּלְאָדָם אָמַר כִּי־שָׁמַעְתָּ לְקוֹל אִשְׁתֶּךָ וַתֹּאכַל מִן־הָעֵץ אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִיךָ לֵאמֹר לֹא תֹאכַל מִמֶּנּוּ אֲרוּרָה הָאֲדָמָה בַּעֲבוּרֶךָ בְּעִצָּבוֹן תֹּאכְלֶנָּה כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ

Verse Power: 6338 Key highlights:

כִּי־שָׁמַעְתָּ לְקוֹל אִשְׁתֶּךָ ( because you have listened to the voice of your wife)
אֲרוּרָה הָאֲדָמָה בַּעֲבוּרֶךָ ( cursed is the ground because of you)
בְּעִצָּבוֹן תֹּאכְלֶנָּה ( in pain you shall eat of it)

Gospel
Romans 8:20–21
τῇ γὰρ ματαιότητι ἡ κτίσις ὑπετάγη, οὐχ ἑκοῦσα ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν ὑποτάξαντα, ἐπ’ ἐλπίδι ὅτι καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ κτίσις ἐλευθερωθήσεται ἀπὸ τῆς δουλείας τῆς φθορᾶς…

English:
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption…

Quran
Surah Al-A’raf 7:24
قَالَ اهْبِطُوا بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ ۖ وَلَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمَتَاعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ

English:
[Allah] said, “Descend, being to one another enemies. And for you on the earth is a place of settlement and enjoyment for a time.”

Brief note:
The words to the man that the ground is cursed because of him, and that he shall eat of it in pain, are paralleled in the Quran’s account of their descent to the earth as a place of settlement and temporary enjoyment, and are addressed in the Gospel’s hope that creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption.

Illumination note
The LORD God now speaks to the man. Because he listened to the voice of his wife and ate of the forbidden tree, the ground is cursed because of him. In pain he shall eat of it all the days of his life. The Gospel later speaks of creation subjected to futility, yet with the hope of being set free. The Quran records the command to descend to the earth as a place of settlement for a time. Three witnesses stand in these words: the ground is affected by the man’s choice, labor and pain enter the provision of food, and the earth becomes the place of their dwelling under judgment and mercy.

3:18 Thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.

Hebrew
וְקוֹץ וְדַרְדַּר תַּצְמִיחַ לָךְ וְאָכַלְתָּ אֶת־עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה

Key highlights:

וְקוֹץ וְדַרְדַּר ( thorns and thistles)
תַּצְמִיחַ לָךְ ( it shall bring forth for you)
The ground that once yielded freely now resists

Gospel
Hebrews 6:8
ἐκφέρουσα δὲ ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους ἀδόκιμος καὶ κατάρας ἐγγύς, ἧς τὸ τέλος εἰς καῦσιν.

English:
But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

Quran
Surah Al-A’raf 7:58
…وَالْبَلَدُ الطَّيِّبُ يَخْرُجُ نَبَاتُهُ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ ۖ وَالَّذِي خَبُثَ لَا يَخْرُجُ إِلَّا نَكِدًا…

English:
…And the good land—its vegetation emerges by permission of its Lord; but that which has defaulted—does not emerge except with difficulty…

Brief note:
The bringing forth of thorns and thistles from the ground is paralleled in the Quran’s distinction between good land that yields easily and land that produces only with difficulty, and is reflected in the Gospel’s image of land that bears thorns and thistles as near to being cursed.

Illumination note
The ground will now bring forth thorns and thistles. What once yielded freely will resist. The man shall eat the plants of the field, but not without struggle. The Gospel later speaks of land that bears thorns and thistles as worthless and near to being cursed. The Quran describes how land that has defaulted produces only with difficulty. Three witnesses stand in these words: the earth is altered, thorns appear, and the provision of food now comes through toil.

3:19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Hebrew
בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּיךָ תֹּאכַל לֶחֶם עַד שׁוּבְךָ אֶל־הָאֲדָמָה כִּי מִמֶּנָּה לֻקָּחְתָּ כִּי־עָפָר אַתָּה וְאֶל־עָפָר תָּשׁוּב

Verse Power: 4191

Key highlights:

בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּיךָ ( by the sweat of your face)
כִּי־עָפָר אַתָּה וְאֶל־עָפָר תָּשׁוּב ( for you are dust, and to dust you shall return)
The reminder of origin and destiny

Gospel
1 Corinthians 15:47–49
ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος ἐκ γῆς χοϊκός, ὁ δεύτερος ἄνθρωπος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ… καὶ καθὼς ἐφορέσαμεν τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ χοϊκοῦ, φορέσομεν καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ἐπουρανίου.

English:
The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven… Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

Quran
Surah Ta-Ha 20:55
מִנְהָا خَلَقְנَاكُمْ وَفִיהَا נُעִידُכֶם וَמִנְهَا נُخְרִجُכֶם תָּارָה אַחְרَى

English:
From it We created you, and into it We will return you, and from it We will extract you another time.

Brief note:
The declaration that the man shall eat by the sweat of his face until he returns to the dust from which he was taken is paralleled in the Quran’s affirmation that from the earth they were created and to it they will return, and is answered in the Gospel by the contrast between the man of dust and the second man from heaven.

Illumination note
Labor continues until the end. By the sweat of his face the man shall eat bread, until he returns to the ground from which he was taken. He is dust, and to dust he shall return. The Gospel later contrasts the first man of dust with the second man from heaven, whose image we shall bear. The Quran affirms creation from the earth, return to it, and extraction from it again. Three witnesses stand in these words: the body returns to dust, the labor of life ends in the ground, and yet the story of dust is not the final word.

3:20 The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

Hebrew
וַיִּקְרָא הָאָדָם שֵׁם אִשְׁתּוֹ חַוָּה כִּי הִוא הָיְתָה אֵם כָּל־חָי

Verse Power: 2004

Key highlights:

חַוָּה ( Eve / Chavah — “living” or “life-giver”)
אֵם כָּל־חָי ( mother of all living)
Naming in the midst of judgment

Gospel
1 Timothy 2:13–15
Ἀδὰμ γὰρ πρῶτος ἐπλάσθη, εἶτα Εὕα… σωθήσεται δὲ διὰ τῆς τεκνογονίας…

English:
For Adam was formed first, then Eve… Yet she will be saved through childbearing…

Quran
Surah An-Nisa 4:1
…וְبَثَّ מِنְهُמَا רِجَالًا כَثِירًا وَנِسَاءً…

English:
…and dispersed from both of them many men and women…

Brief note:
The naming of the woman as Eve, the mother of all living, is reflected in the Quran’s account of many men and women being dispersed from the first pair, and is addressed in the Gospel’s note that Eve was formed after Adam and that she will be saved through childbearing in faith.

Illumination note
In the midst of the words of judgment, the man names his wife. He calls her Eve, because she was the mother of all living. Life is still expected to come forth through her. The Gospel later recalls that Eve was formed after Adam and speaks of salvation through childbearing in faith, love, and holiness. The Quran affirms that from the first pair many men and women were dispersed. Three witnesses stand at this naming: the woman is called the mother of all living, hope of continuing life is spoken, and the promise of offspring remains even under the shadow of the fall.

3:21 And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

Hebrew
וַיַּעַשׂ יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים לְאָדָם וּלְאִשְׁתּוֹ כָּתְנוֹת עוֹר וַיַּלְבִּשֵׁם

Verse Power: 2856 Key highlights:

וַיַּעַשׂ … כָּתְנוֹת עוֹר ( and He made … garments of skins)
וַיַּלְבִּשֵׁם ( and clothed them)
Covering provided by the Creator Himself

Gospel
Isaiah 61:10 (quoted in spirit in the NT) / Revelation 7:14
…ἔπλυναν τὰς στολὰς αὐτῶν καὶ ἐλεύκαναν αὐτὰς ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ ἀρνίου.

English:
…They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Quran
Surah Al-A’raf 7:26
יَا بَנِي آدَمَ قَדْ أَنزَلְנَا עَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَارِي سَوْآتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا…

English:
O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment…

Brief note:
The LORD God making garments of skins and clothing Adam and his wife is paralleled in the Quran’s reminder that clothing was bestowed to conceal private parts, and is fulfilled in the Gospel’s image of robes washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb.

Illumination note
The fig leaves are not the final covering. The LORD God Himself makes garments of skins and clothes the man and his wife. Covering is provided by the Creator. The Gospel later speaks of robes washed white in the blood of the Lamb. The Quran affirms that clothing was sent down to conceal and to adorn. Three witnesses stand at this act of grace: the LORD God clothes them, the covering comes from Him, and shame is met with provision.

3:22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—”

Hebrew
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים הֵן הָאָדָם הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ לָדַעַת טוֹב וָרָע וְעַתָּה פֶּן־יִשְׁלַח יָדוֹ וְלָקַח גַּם מֵעֵץ הַחַיִּים וְאָכַל וָחַי לְעֹלָם

Verse Power: 3150 Key highlights:

כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ ( like one of Us)
פֶּן־יִשְׁלַח יָדוֹ ( lest he reach out his hand)
מֵעֵץ הַחַיִּים ( of the tree of life)

Gospel
Revelation 22:14
Μακάριοι οἱ πλύνοντες τὰς στολὰς αὐτῶν, ἵνα ἔσται ἡ ἐξουσία αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς…

English:
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life…

Quran
Surah Ta-Ha 20:120
…هَلْ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَىٰ شَجَرَةِ الْخُלْדِ وَמُلْكٍ لَّا يَبْلَىٰ

English:
…“Shall I direct you to the tree of eternity and a kingdom that will not deteriorate?”

Brief note:
The concern that the man might reach out and take of the tree of life and live forever is paralleled in the Quran’s account of Satan offering the tree of eternity, and is answered in the Gospel by the blessed access to the tree of life given to those who wash their robes.

Illumination note
The LORD God speaks again: the man has become like one of Us in knowing good and evil. Lest he reach out and take also of the tree of life and live forever, a boundary must be set. The Gospel later declares blessed those who wash their robes and have the right to the tree of life. The Quran recalls the offer of the tree of eternity. Three witnesses stand at this moment: knowledge of good and evil has been taken, access to the tree of life is now guarded, and eternal life is not yet restored.

3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.

Hebrew
וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים מִגַּן־עֵדֶן לַעֲבֹד אֶת־הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר לֻקַּח מִשָּׁם

Verse Power: 2275

Key highlights:

וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ ( and He sent him out)
מִגַּן־עֵדֶן ( from the garden of Eden)
לַעֲבֹד אֶת־הָאֲדָמָה ( to work the ground)

Gospel
Hebrews 13:14
οὐ γὰρ ἔχομεν ὧδε μένουσαν πόλιν, ἀλλὰ τὴν μέλλουσαν ἐπιζητοῦμεν.

English:
For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.

Quran
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:36
…وَقُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا بَعْضُكُمْ لِבَעْضٍ عَدُوٌّ ۖ وَلَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمَتَاعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ

English:
…And We said, “Go down, [all of you], as enemies to one another, and you will have upon the earth a place of settlement and provision for a time.”

Brief note:
The sending of the man out of the garden of Eden to work the ground is paralleled in the Quran’s account of their being told to go down to the earth as a place of settlement for a time, and is reflected in the Gospel’s reminder that here we have no lasting city.

Illumination note
The man is sent out. The LORD God sends him from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. The place of original fellowship is left behind. The Gospel later says that here we have no lasting city, but we seek the one that is to come. The Quran records the command to go down to the earth for a time of settlement and provision. Three witnesses stand at this departure: the man is sent from the garden, he returns to the work of the ground, and the original dwelling is no longer his.

3:24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden He placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

Hebrew
וַיְגָרֶשׁ אֶת־הָאָדָם וַיַּשְׁכֵּן מִקֶּדֶם לְגַן־עֵדֶן אֶת־הַכְּרֻבִים וְאֵת לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת לִשְׁמֹר אֶת־דֶּרֶךְ עֵץ הַחַיִּים

Verse Power: 5469 Key highlights:

וַיְגָרֶשׁ ( and He drove out)
הַכְּרֻבִים וְאֵת לַהַט הַחֶרֶב ( the cherubim and the flaming sword)
לִשְׁמֹר אֶת־דֶּרֶךְ עֵץ הַחַיִּים ( to guard the way to the tree of life)

Gospel
Revelation 22:14
Μακάριοι οἱ πλύνοντες τὰς στολὰς αὐτῶν, ἵνα ἔσται ἡ ἐξουσία αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς καὶ τοῖς πυλῶσιν εἰσέλθωσιν εἰς τὴν πόλιν.

English:
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.

Quran
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:38
قُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا مِنْهَا جَمِيعًا ۖ فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّي هُدًى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

English:
We said, “Go down from it, all of you. And when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance—there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.”

Brief note:
The driving out of the man and the placing of the cherubim and flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life is paralleled in the Quran’s account of their being sent down with the promise of guidance that removes fear and grief, and is answered in the Gospel by the blessed right to the tree of life given to those who wash their robes.

Illumination note
The man is driven out. At the east of the garden the cherubim are placed, and a flaming sword that turns every way guards the way to the tree of life. Access is closed. The Gospel later declares that those who wash their robes have the right to the tree of life and may enter by the gates. The Quran records the sending down together with the promise of guidance that brings freedom from fear and grief. Three witnesses stand at the close of the chapter: the way to the tree of life is guarded, the man is driven out, and yet the hope of restored access remains in the mercy of the Creator.