The Meaning of Genesis 3:3 Explained

Genesis 3:3

KJV: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

YLT: and of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden God hath said, Ye do not eat of it, nor touch it, lest ye die.'

Darby: but of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, God has said, Ye shall not eat of it, and ye shall not touch it, lest ye die.

ASV: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But of the fruit  of the tree  which [is] in the midst  of the garden,  God  hath said,  Ye shall not eat  of it, neither shall ye touch  it, lest  ye die. 

What does Genesis 3:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 3:1-8 - Man And Woman, Temptation
Human love is God's best gift to man. Without it even Eden would not be Paradise. That Adam was able to name the animals, affixing a title suggested by some peculiarity or characteristic, indicated his royal supremacy, and, in so far as we live in God, that supremacy is restored. See Daniel 6:22; Mark 1:13. But what is power without love, or a throne without a consort? Eve was, therefore, given to crown his bliss; taken from his side, as afterward the Church from the opened side of Christ. See John 19:34, and Ephesians 5:25. Still God brings Eve to Adam; and such a marriage is truly blessed.
The order of temptation is always the same. The Tempter without, and within the strong desire for sensual gratification, with the secret hope that somehow the consequences may be avoided. The eye inflames passion; passion masters the resistance of the will; the body obeys its impulse; the act of gratification is followed immediately by remorse and guilt. Then we need the second Adam! [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 3

1  The serpent deceives Eve
6  Both she and Adam transgress the divine command, and fall into sin
8  God arraigns them
14  The serpent is cursed
15  The promised seed
16  The punishment of mankind
21  Their first clothing
22  Their expulsion from paradise

What do the individual words in Genesis 3:3 mean?

but of the fruit of the tree which [is] in the middle of the garden has said God not you shall eat it nor shall you touch it lest you die
וּמִפְּרִ֣י הָעֵץ֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּתוֹךְ־ הַגָּן֒ אָמַ֣ר : אֱלֹהִ֗ים לֹ֤א תֹֽאכְלוּ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְלֹ֥א תִגְּע֖וּ בּ֑וֹ פֶּן־ תְּמֻתֽוּן

וּמִפְּרִ֣י  but  of  the  fruit 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פְּרִי  
Sense: fruit.
הָעֵץ֮  of  the  tree 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵץ  
Sense: tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  which  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בְּתוֹךְ־  in  the  middle 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
הַגָּן֒  of  the  garden 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: גַּן 
Sense: garden, enclosure.
אָמַ֣ר  has  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
: אֱלֹהִ֗ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
תֹֽאכְלוּ֙  you  shall  eat 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
וְלֹ֥א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִגְּע֖וּ  shall  you  touch 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: נָגַע  
Sense: to touch, reach, strike.
פֶּן־  lest 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: פֶּן  
Sense: lest, not, beware lest adv.
תְּמֻתֽוּן  you  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.