Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
What does Genesis 3:23 mean?
This chapter ends with some account of Nahor's family, who had settled at Haran. This seems to be given for the connexion which it had with the church of God.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Genesis 3:22-24 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Genesis 3:23
In consequence of man's disobedience the tree of life is withdrawn from the reach of man as a forfeited boon, and the dissolution of the present life allowed to take place according to the laws of nature, still remaining in force in regard to other animated beings; aided, indeed, and accelerated in their operation, by the sinful abuse of human passions. And thus the expression, "in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die," receives its simple application. It is a conditional sentence, pronounced antecedently as a warning to the responsible party. On the very day of transgression it becomes legally valid against him, and the first step toward its regular execution in the ordinary course of things is taken.
Key words
- Therefore
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Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden,.
- forth
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Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden,.
- garden
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Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden,.
Context in Genesis 3
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Genesis 3 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as primeval history from creation to Babel. Genesis opens the whole Bible with creation, fall, flood, Babel, and the long patriarchal story that carries the reader from Eden to Egypt. Read this chapter with the wider themes of creation, fall, and covenant in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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A collection of passages on hope under pressure, future inheritance, resurrection expectation, and confidence in God’s final faithfulness.
Glossary
- Eden Place
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Biblical garden. Modern identification: Armenia.