Genesis 3:22 Meaning and Explanation
“And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God observes that the man has gained knowledge of good and evil, and must be prevented from eating the tree of life.
The Context of Genesis 3:22
God notes the couple's new knowledge and the need to prevent them from attaining eternal life in their fallen state.
What Does Genesis 3:22 Mean?
God's statement acknowledges that the serpent's promise has partly come true: humans now know good and evil. Yet this knowledge comes not as elevation but as a consequence of disobedience. The man has accessed a form of wisdom that comes with alienation from innocence.
God must now prevent the couple from reaching the tree of life. If they ate from it while separated from Him and bearing knowledge of evil, they would live forever in that state of separation. Preventing access to the tree of life becomes an act of grace—limiting the eternal duration of the consequences.
Genesis 3:22 in the Original Language
yada (יָדַע), know — experiential knowledge gained through doing, not merely intellectual understanding
Frequently Asked Questions About Genesis 3:22
What does Genesis 3:22 mean?
God observes that the man has gained knowledge of good and evil, and must be prevented from eating the tree of life.
What is the context of Genesis 3:22?
God notes the couple's new knowledge and the need to prevent them from attaining eternal life in their fallen state.