Genesis 3:21 kjv

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

Genesis 3:21 nkjv

Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.

Genesis 3:21 niv

The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.

Genesis 3:21 esv

And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

Genesis 3:21 nlt

And the LORD God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife.

Genesis 3 verses

Genesis 3 21 Meaning

Genesis 3:21 records a profound act of divine grace and provision after humanity's rebellion in the Garden of Eden. Following Adam and Eve's attempt to cover their shame with self-made fig leaves, God Himself intervened. This verse signifies God's compassionate covering for human sin, not with a flimsy, temporary solution, but with durable garments acquired through the death of an innocent life. It represents the first instance of a blood sacrifice in the Bible, foreshadowing the divine principle that atonement for sin requires the shedding of blood and God's provision of true righteousness. It also demonstrates God's initiative in reconciling with fallen humanity, taking personal action to address their state of nakedness and shame.

Genesis 3 21 Context

Genesis 3:21 immediately follows God's pronouncements of curses upon the serpent, Eve, and Adam in response to their disobedience in the Garden of Eden. After partaking of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve recognized their nakedness and attempted to cover themselves with hastily stitched fig leaves (Gen 3:7). This human attempt was insufficient both physically and spiritually. The divine intervention in verse 21 occurs before their expulsion from Eden, demonstrating God's continued engagement and care for humanity even in their fallen state. It contrasts sharply with their flimsy self-covering, highlighting God's initiative in providing a substantial, lasting covering that came at a cost—the death of an animal—setting a crucial precedent for understanding atonement and God's provision for sin throughout the rest of the Bible.

Genesis 3 21 Word analysis

• The LORD God (YHWH Elohim): This specific divine title signifies God as the personal, covenant-keeping God (YHWH) in conjunction with His role as the sovereign, all-powerful Creator and Judge (Elohim). This combined name underscores the divine authority and intimate concern behind this act of provision.
• made (עָשָׂה - asah): This Hebrew verb means "to make," "to do," or "to prepare." Unlike bara (בָּרָא), which is creation ex nihilo (out of nothing), asah implies crafting or forming something from existing materials. In this context, it highlights God's purposeful action and direct involvement in producing the garments, which would have required the death of an animal whose skin was used. It signifies divine intervention rather than a passive observation of human inadequacy.
• garments of skin (כֻּתְנוֹת עוֹר - k'thonoth or):
  • garments (k'thonoth): This plural form refers to tunics or long robes, typically worn as an inner garment, offering more complete covering than mere loincloths. It suggests a more substantial and dignified covering. This word appears elsewhere (e.g., Gen 37:3 for Joseph's "coat of many colors," which was likely a rich, full garment), implying importance and full coverage.
  • of skin (or): This Hebrew word denotes the skin or hide of an animal. This is critically significant as it directly implies the taking of a life. An innocent animal had to die to provide this covering, establishing the foundational biblical truth that sin requires a life to be given, a vicarious sacrifice, to provide a suitable atonement and covering. It underscores the cost of sin and the divine method for dealing with it.
• for Adam and his wife (לְאָדָם וּלְאִשְׁתּוֹ - l'adam ul'ishto): This emphasizes the specific and personal nature of God's act. He provides for them individually, addressing their particular need for covering and shame. It highlights divine attentiveness to individual human predicaments.
• and clothed them (וַיַּלְבִּשֵׁם - vayyalbishēm): This is a causative verb, meaning "He caused them to wear" or "He dressed them." It emphasizes God's direct, intimate, and active involvement in applying the covering. It was not merely a provision left for them to don, but God Himself dressed them, a tender act of care and authority. This underscores the divine initiative in rectifying humanity's state, performing an act that demonstrated compassion and the full efficacy of His provision.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "The LORD God made garments": This phrase underlines God's sovereign and proactive response to human sin. It reveals that the solution to human nakedness and guilt comes from divine initiative and design, not from human ingenuity or effort. It highlights His continued engagement with humanity even after their disobedience.
• "garments of skin": This pivotal phrase signifies the introduction of blood sacrifice as the divine means for dealing with sin. The death of an innocent being (implied by "skin") to cover the guilt and shame of humanity sets a trajectory for the entire biblical narrative of redemption, pointing ultimately to Christ. It communicates the seriousness of sin (demanding a life) and the divine grace in providing that sacrifice.
• "for Adam and his wife and clothed them": This entire phrase encapsulates the essence of divine grace: a personal, specific, and active provision for those who are helpless and shamed by sin. It shows God not just offering a way but enacting the solution Himself, ensuring that they were fully covered, physically and symbolically. It’s an act of compassion, dignity restoration, and prefiguring of imputed righteousness.

Genesis 3 21 Bonus section

The intimacy of the act in Genesis 3:21 is significant. God, the infinite Creator, stooped down to personally "clothe" the rebellious first humans. This immediate post-Fall interaction is not solely punitive but includes an astonishing act of tender care and provision, showing God's unceasing love even in judgment. This gesture sets a powerful precedent that despite humanity's sin, God would remain engaged, providing the means for reconciliation. Furthermore, the longevity and durability of "garments of skin" versus perishable fig leaves subtly imply the lasting nature of God's provision compared to temporary human solutions, foreshadowing the eternal efficacy of Christ's sacrifice. This passage is considered by many theologians to be the first subtle revelation of the Gospel, portraying a "Proto-Gospel" or first promise of redemption. It speaks volumes about God's plan being centered on His redemptive character, not just His punitive justice.

Genesis 3 21 Commentary

Genesis 3:21 stands as a pivotal moment in biblical theology, revealing foundational truths about God's character and His approach to human sin. Immediately following the Fall and their failed attempts at self-covering, God demonstrates immense grace by initiating the provision of a proper covering. This was not a punitive act, but a redemptive one. The act of "making garments of skin" inherently means that an innocent animal died. This is the first recorded death in the Bible, a death required to cover sin. This physical covering therefore symbolically represents a spiritual truth: sin demands a life, and the solution comes through a vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice.

The insufficiency of humanity's fig leaves (representing human efforts, religion, or good works) is starkly contrasted with God's divinely provided skin garments (representing a costly, blood-stained righteousness). God Himself takes the initiative and personally "clothes them," highlighting that true spiritual covering and restoration come not through human striving, but solely through divine intervention and grace. This powerful scene prefigures the entire redemptive narrative: humanity's need for a spotless sacrifice, God's provision of that sacrifice in Jesus Christ, and His ultimate act of "clothing" believers with Christ's righteousness (Rom 3:21-22). It establishes a pattern for atonement through blood, paving the way for the Mosaic sacrificial system and ultimately culminating in the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, "the Lamb of God" (John 1:29). It signifies that even in judgment, God's compassionate plan for salvation was unfolding.

• Examples:
  • Costly Provision: Just as a physical life was taken for the covering, our spiritual covering through Christ came at the immeasurable cost of His life.
  • God's Initiative: Like God personally clothing Adam and Eve, He initiates salvation for us through Christ's work, we do not earn it.
  • Inadequate Self-Effort: Our "fig leaves" (human attempts at righteousness) are useless; only God's provision covers our true shame and sin.