The Beginning:
God places the first man and woman in Eden and gives them freedom to enjoy the garden, with one clear command: they must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The serpent approaches the woman and challenges God’s word, raising doubt about God’s motives and truthfulness.
The Middle:
The serpent contradicts God’s warning and portrays disobedience as the path to wisdom and godlike status. The woman eats the forbidden fruit and gives some to the man, who also eats. Their eyes are opened; they recognize their nakedness, feel shame, and attempt to cover themselves, then hide from God among the trees. When God questions them, the man blames the woman, and the woman blames the serpent.
The End:
God pronounces judgments: the serpent is cursed, the woman will experience increased pain in childbearing and relational struggle, and the man will face painful toil as the ground is cursed, ending in death—returning to dust. Yet God also speaks of future conflict between the serpent and the woman’s offspring, and God clothes the humans with garments. To prevent them from taking from the tree of life and living forever in their fallen state, God expels them from Eden and stations cherubim to guard the way.
This account explains the entrance of sin, shame, and death into human experience through deliberate disobedience to God’s command. It reveals God as both just—holding humanity accountable—and merciful, pursuing the humans, speaking to them, and providing covering even as consequences unfold. The promise of ongoing enmity between the serpent and the woman’s offspring (often called the “first gospel” by later Christian interpretation) points forward to God’s continuing redemptive purpose, even after human rebellion.
In the ancient Near East, serpents could symbolize both danger and cunning, making the serpent an effective literary figure for deception. The “tree of life” and guarded sacred space also echo temple imagery found across the region, where access to divine presence is protected; Genesis presents Eden as a holy place from which humans are exiled after violating God’s command.
“The LORD God called to the man and said to him, ‘Where are you?’” — Genesis 3:9
Answer the questions below. When you choose an option, you will see the result and an explanation.
1. What single command did God give the man and woman while they lived in the Garden of Eden?
2. After expelling the humans from Eden, whom did God station to guard the way?