Genesis 3:5 Meaning and Explanation
“For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The serpent claims that God withheld the tree to prevent the woman from gaining godlike knowledge.
The Context of Genesis 3:5
The serpent offers the forbidden fruit as a path to wisdom and godlike status.
What Does Genesis 3:5 Mean?
The serpent now reinterprets God's restriction as selfish—God knows that eating will grant wisdom (eyes opened) and make them like gods, knowing good and evil. The serpent suggests God is keeping them from advancement and power out of fear or jealousy.
This reframe shifts the narrative: the prohibition is not about love, protection, or right order, but about God preventing human elevation. The promise of becoming 'as gods' directly challenges whether God should have authority to command them at all.
Genesis 3:5 in the Original Language
elohim (אֱלֹהִים), gods — the same word for God, here applied to humans; the serpent claims eating will make them equal to the divine
Frequently Asked Questions About Genesis 3:5
What does Genesis 3:5 mean?
The serpent claims that God withheld the tree to prevent the woman from gaining godlike knowledge.
What is the context of Genesis 3:5?
The serpent offers the forbidden fruit as a path to wisdom and godlike status.