Genesis 3:12 kjv
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
Genesis 3:12 nkjv
Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."
Genesis 3:12 niv
The man said, "The woman you put here with me?she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
Genesis 3:12 esv
The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate."
Genesis 3:12 nlt
The man replied, "It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it."
Genesis 3 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 3:13 | And the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this...?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." | Eve also shifts blame. |
| Prov 19:3 | The foolishness of a man ruins his way, and his heart rages against the Lord. | Blaming God for self-inflicted consequences. |
| Jam 1:13-15 | Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God,"... each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire... gives birth to sin. | Personal responsibility for sin, God tempts no one. |
| Num 27:3 | Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company... but died for his own sin. | Individual accountability for sin. |
| Ezek 18:20 | The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father... | Emphasis on individual culpability. |
| Gal 6:5 | For each will have to bear his own load. | Individual burden of accountability. |
| Jam 1:17 | Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights... | God gives only good gifts, they are misused by man. |
| Gen 2:18 | Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." | God gave Eve as a good helper, not a stumbling block. |
| Gen 1:31 | And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. | All of creation, including relationships, was initially good. |
| Rom 8:28 | And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good... | God's ultimate plan is for good, despite human misuse. |
| 1 Jn 1:9 | If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us... | Contrast: call to confession, not blame-shifting. |
| Ps 32:5 | I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity... and you forgave... | Example of true confession and its blessing. |
| Prov 28:13 | Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. | Negative consequences of concealment vs. benefits of confession. |
| Josh 7:19 | Then Joshua said to Achan, "...make confession to him. Tell me now what you have done..." | Demand for direct confession. |
| Lk 15:21 | And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy...' | The prodigal son's confession and repentance. |
| Rom 5:12 | Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin... | Adam's primary responsibility for bringing sin into the world. |
| 1 Cor 15:21-22 | For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection... as in Adam all die... | Adam's role as the federal head of humanity in sin and death. |
| Gen 3:16-19 | To the woman he said... To Adam he said... | Immediate consequences for both pronounced by God. |
| Hos 6:7 | But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me. | Later Israel's unfaithfulness likened to Adam's original transgression. |
| Rom 5:19 | For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. | Contrast of Adam's disobedience with Christ's obedience. |
| Rom 6:23 | For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. | Ultimate consequence of Adam's sin leading to spiritual death. |
| Eph 4:25 | Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor... | The divine standard of truthfulness, contrasting with blame-shifting. |
Genesis 3 verses
Genesis 3 12 Meaning
Genesis 3:12 records Adam's first response when confronted by God about eating the forbidden fruit. Instead of confessing his disobedience, Adam deflects responsibility, blaming Eve and, indirectly, God for giving Eve to him. It reveals a broken will, unwillingness to accept personal culpability, and the initial deterioration of human relationships with God and each other post-fall.
Genesis 3 12 Context
Genesis chapter 3 records humanity's fall from grace due to disobedience to God's specific command. Following Adam and Eve's eating of the forbidden fruit, God calls out to them. Verse 11 details God's direct question to Adam: "Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" This question, rather than seeking information, provides Adam with an opportunity for open confession and repentance. Verse 12 is Adam's direct response, immediately seeking to divert culpability away from himself. This interaction highlights the immediate breakdown of the relationship between God and humanity, and between humanity itself, instigated by sin.
Genesis 3 12 Word analysis
The man (הָאָדָם - hā’ādām): This refers specifically to Adam, emphasizing his personal accountability as the one who received the original command from God (Gen 2:16-17). He is the human head, directly confronted by God.
said (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyō’mer): A standard Hebrew verb for "and he said." It marks Adam's vocal reply to God's inquiry, demonstrating a conscious response rather than an involuntary utterance.
The woman (הָאִשָּׁה - hā’iššāh): This highlights "the woman," Eve, his partner. Adam directly points to her, making her the object of his blame.
whom You gave (אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה - ’ăšer nātattāh): This crucial phrase means "whom you yourself gave." Natan (to give) denotes a deliberate act of divine provision (Gen 2:18-24). By attaching "You gave," Adam subtly yet profoundly casts blame upon God. He implies that God, by providing Eve, indirectly caused his sin. This represents a distortion of God's benevolent act of creating Eve as a "helper suitable for him."
to be with me (עִמָּדִי - ‘immādî): The word ‘immād means "with" or "beside." It underscores the relational aspect of Eve's creation—for companionship and shared life. Adam here twists this good purpose into an excuse for his transgression.
she gave (הִוא נָתְנָה - hî nātenâ): The pronoun "she" (הִוא) is explicitly stated for emphasis in Hebrew, stressing Eve's perceived role as the primary active agent in the exchange. Again, natan (to give) is used. Adam positions himself as merely a passive recipient, minimizing his own independent choice to eat.
me fruit (לִּי מִן-הָעֵץ - lî min-hā‘ēṣ): Literally "to me from the tree." Identifies the specific object, the fruit from the forbidden tree. Adam confirms his physical act of consuming the fruit.
and I ate (וָאֹכֵל - wā’ōkhel): A simple past tense, "and I ate." This is a stark, factual admission of the deed itself, but devoid of any expressed regret, sorrow, or acknowledgement of wrongdoing. It frames his action as a mere consequence of Eve's offering rather than his own responsible decision.
Words-group Analysis:
- "The woman whom You gave to be with me": This complete phrase demonstrates a deep-seated evasion of responsibility. Adam not only blames his wife, but implicates God, the Creator, for the sin by implying God was indirectly responsible for providing the person who led him to transgress. It transforms God's perfect, good gift of companionship (Gen 2:18) into a rationalization for disobedience. This is the root of blaming one's circumstances, relationships, or even divine providence for personal sin.
- "she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate": This part of the statement describes the mechanism of the sin from Adam's perspective. It presents Adam as a passive actor, merely receiving and consuming what was offered to him. The brevity and lack of emotional weight in "and I ate" underscore Adam's unwillingness to take personal ownership of his willful disobedience to God's clear command. He prioritizes self-preservation and evasion over confession and reconciliation.
Genesis 3 12 Bonus section
- Adam's response here fundamentally misinterprets God's sovereignty and goodness, projecting human fallenness onto divine provision.
- As the first man and the direct recipient of God's initial command (Gen 2:16-17), Adam held primary accountability. His abdication of this responsibility is a key aspect of his fall and why Scripture often attributes the entry of sin into the world primarily through "one man" (Rom 5:12; 1 Cor 15:21-22).
- This verse signifies the inception of the human tendency to self-justify and deflect, a characteristic seen throughout biblical history and within the human heart today.
Genesis 3 12 Commentary
Genesis 3:12 is a foundational text demonstrating humanity's immediate response to sin: not contrition, but condemnation. Adam, as the divinely appointed head and recipient of the direct command, shirks his responsibility by pointing a finger first at Eve and then, implicitly, at God Himself. The phrasing "the woman whom You gave to be with me" weaponizes God's good provision of a helper, transforming it into an alleged cause for his downfall. This profound act of blame-shifting reveals a deeply damaged heart—a heart unwilling to acknowledge its own active role in transgression and unwilling to humble itself before its Creator. This initial act of evasion sets a pervasive pattern for fallen humanity, often seen when individuals blame others, their environment, or even God for their choices, rather than taking accountability for their sin. Adam's failure to confess truly further broke the foundational harmony and trust established in Eden. This absence of sincere repentance prevented immediate reconciliation, leading to the consequences pronounced by God for both Adam and Eve.