The serpent, the eating, and the opened eyes (Genesis 3:1–7)

Says The serpent speaks of God, not the Lord God, as does the woman. It opens with אַף כִּי־אָמַר אֱלֹהִים, Yea, that God said; the BSB makes this a question, Did God really say. The woman answers that they may eat from the trees of the garden, without every and without the doubled verb of 2:16, and she adds or touch it. The serpent places the negative before the infinitive absolute: “You will not surely die” (3:4, BSB), and promises that they will be כֵּאלֹהִים, like God or like gods. She sees that the tree is good for food, a delight to the eyes, and desirable to make wise — the BSB has desirable for obtaining wisdom. She takes, eats, and gives also to her husband עִמָּהּ, with her, and he eats, a singular verb. Their eyes are opened, and they sew fig leaves. The opened eyes and the nakedness answer 2:25.

Implies This is the first human sin, through which sin and death came to all, as the notes on Romans 5 read it.

Uncertain What the added touch shows — a protective fence, an exaggeration, or growing distrust — is open, and no lean is taken here. Whether the man was present, and whether כֵּאלֹהִים means like God or like gods (the Greek is plural, ὡς θεοί), are likewise open. See the Hebrew note, and the notes on Let Us in Genesis 1.