Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Genesis 3

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

serpent

The serpent, in his Edenic form, is not to be thought of as a writhing reptile. That is the effect of the curse (Genesis 3:14). The creature which lent itself to Satan may well have been the most beautiful as was the most "subtle" of creatures less than man. Traces of that beauty remain despite the curse. Every movement of a serpent is graceful, and many species are beautifully coloured. In the serpent, Satan first appeared "as an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Satan, vs. 1, 2, 4, 13, 14; 1Ch 21:1. (Gen 3:1; Rev 20:10.)

Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Temptation. vs. 1-6, 12, 13; Gen 22:1. (Gen 3:1; Jas 1:2.)

Gen 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

The Adamic Covenant conditions the life of fallen man—conditions which must remain till, in the kingdom age, "the creation also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God" (Romans 8:21). The elements of the Adamic Covenant are:

1. The serpent, Satan's tool, is cursed (Genesis 3:14), and becomes God's illustration in nature of the effects of sin—from the most beautiful and subtle of creatures to a loathsome reptile! The deepest mystery of the atonement is intimated here. Christ, "made sin for us," in bearing our judgment, is typified by the brazen serpent (Numbers 21:5-9; John 3:14-15; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Brass speaks of judgment—in the brazen altar, of God's judgment, and in the laver, of self-judgment.
2. The first promise of a Redeemer (Genesis 3:15). Here begins the "Highway of the Seed,"
   • Abel, Seth, Noah (Genesis 6:8-10),
   • Shem (Genesis 9:26-27),
   • Abraham (Genesis 12:1-4),
   • Isaac (Genesis 17:19-21),
   • Jacob (Genesis 28:10-14),
   • Judah (Genesis 49:10),
   • David (2 Samuel 7:5-17),
   • Immanuel-Christ (Isaiah 7:9-14; Matthew 1:1, 20-23; 1 John 3:8; John 12:31).
3. The changed state of the woman (Genesis 3:16). In three particulars:
   1. Multiplied conception;
   2. motherhood linked with sorrow;
   3. the headship of the man (cf. Genesis 1:26, 27). The entrance of sin, which is disorder, makes necessary a headship, and it is vested in man (1 Timothy 2:11-14; Ephesians 5:22-25; 1 Corinthians 11:7-9).
4. The earth cursed (Genesis 3:17) for man's sake. It is better for fallen man to battle with a reluctant earth than to live without toil.
5. The inevitable sorrow of life (Genesis 3:17).
6. The light occupation of Eden (Genesis 2:15) changed to burdensome labour (Genesis 3:18, 19).
7. Physical death (Genesis 3:19; Romans 5:12-21). See "Death (spiritual)" Scofield Genesis 2:17; Ephesians 2:5, note).

See for the other covenants:

• Edenic (Scofield Genesis 1:28)
• Noahic (Scofield Genesis 9:1)
• Abrahamic (Scofield Genesis 15:18)
• Mosaic (Scofield Exodus 19:25)
• Palestinian (Scofield Deuteronomy 30:3)
• Davidic (Scofield 2 Samuel 7:16)
• New (Scofield Hebrews 8:8)

The Eight Covenants Gen 8:21. (Gen 1:28; Heb 8:10).

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

thou shalt bruise his heel

The chain of references which begins here includes the promises and prophecies concerning Christ which were fulfilled in His birth and works at His first advent. See, for line of unfulfilled promises and prophecies:

• "Christ (second advent)" (Scofield Deuteronomy 30:3; Acts 1:9, note);
• "Kingdom" (Scofield Genesis 1:26-28; Zechariah 12:8);
• "Kingdom (N.T.)" (Scofield Luke 1:31; 1 Corinthians 15:28);
• "Day of the Lord" (Scofield Isaiah 2:10; Revelation 19:11).

bruise

Sacrifice (prophetic). Psa 2:1-3. (Gen 3:15; Heb 10:18.)

his heel

Christ (First Advent). Gen 12:3. (Gen 3:15; Act 1:9.)

Gen 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

sorrow

Or, thy sorrow with thy conception.

rule over thee

Cf. 1 Cor 11:3; 14:34; Eph 5:22; Col 3:18; 1Ti 2:11; Tts 2:5; 1Pe 3:1, 5, 6.

Gen 3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

thistles

Cf. Rom 8:22.

Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

return

Death (physical). Gen 5:5. (Gen 3:19; Heb 9:27).

Gen 3:20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

called

Faith. Gen 4:4. (Gen 3:20; Heb 11:39.)

Eve

i.e. living, or life-giver.

Gen 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

coats of skins

Coats of skins: Type of "Christ, made unto us righteousness"—a divinely provided garment that the first sinners might be made fit for God's presence. See Righteousness, garment (Genesis 3:21; Revelation 19:8).

clothed them

Righteousness (garment). Job 29:14. (Gen 3:21; Rev 19:8.)

Gen 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

The Second Dispensation: Conscience. By disobedience man came to a personal and experimental knowledge of good and evil—of good as obedience, of evil as disobedience to the known will of God. Through that knowledge conscience awoke. Expelled from Eden and placed under the second, or Adamic Covenant, man was responsible to do all known good, to abstain from all known evil, and to approach God through sacrifice. The result of this second testing of man is stated in Genesis 6:5, and the dispensation ended in the judgment of the Flood. Apparently "the east of the garden" (Genesis 3:24), where were the cherubims and the flame, remained the place of worship through this second dispensation. See for the other six dispensations:

• Innocence (Scofield Genesis 1:28)
• Human Government (Scofield Genesis 8:21)
• Promise (Scofield Genesis 12:1)
• Law (Scofield Exodus 19:8)
• Grace (Scofield John 1:17)
• Kingdom (Scofield Ephesians 1:10)

Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Cherubims

(Scofield Ezekiel 1:5, note)