The Meaning of Genesis 3:22 Explained

Genesis 3:22

KJV: 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:

YLT: And Jehovah God saith, 'Lo, the man was as one of Us, as to the knowledge of good and evil; and now, lest he send forth his hand, and have taken also of the tree of life, and eaten, and lived to the age,' --

Darby: And Jehovah Elohim said, Behold, Man is become as one of us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he stretch out his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever ...!

ASV: And Jehovah 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-

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Genesis 3:22 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 3:22-24 - Offerings By Cain And Abel
It was good that man should be driven from Eden. Soft comfort enervates. The natives of the South Sea Islands are moral pulp. Man goes forth from the Eden of innocence, of home, of the land of his birth, to create gardens out of deserts, and to become a pilgrim to the abiding City of God. Angels of Love forbid our return. Heaven lies before us, the City gleams with light on the far horizon. For the Tree of Life see Revelation 2:7. The inner motive of Cain's ruthless deed is supplied in 1 John 3:12. Abel, deeply conscious of sin, felt that a sacrifice was needed; therefore his faith saved him and links him with all who believe. See Hebrews 11:4. Cain had no sense of sin, and thought a gift of produce enough. But all the while sin was crouching at the door, like a hungry tiger, waiting for the chance to enter. Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation! "Thou shouldst rule." [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 3

1  The serpent deceives Eve
6  Both she and Adam transgress the divine command, and fall into sin
8  God arraigns them
14  The serpent is cursed
15  The promised seed
16  The punishment of mankind
21  Their first clothing
22  Their expulsion from paradise

What do the individual words in Genesis 3:22 mean?

And said Yahweh God behold the man has become like one of Us knowing good and evil now lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live forever
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֗ים הֵ֤ן הָֽאָדָם֙ הָיָה֙ כְּאַחַ֣ד מִמֶּ֔נּוּ לָדַ֖עַת ט֣וֹב וָרָ֑ע וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ פֶּן־ יִשְׁלַ֣ח יָד֗וֹ וְלָקַח֙ גַּ֚ם מֵעֵ֣ץ הַֽחַיִּ֔ים וְאָכַ֖ל וָחַ֥י ---לְעֹלָֽם

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהִ֗ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הֵ֤ן  behold 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
הָֽאָדָם֙  the  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
הָיָה֙  has  become 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כְּאַחַ֣ד  like  one 
Parse: Preposition-k, Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
מִמֶּ֔נּוּ  of  Us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
לָדַ֖עַת  knowing 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
ט֣וֹב  good 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
וָרָ֑ע  and  evil 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀  now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
פֶּן־  lest 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: פֶּן  
Sense: lest, not, beware lest adv.
יִשְׁלַ֣ח  he  put  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
יָד֗וֹ  his  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וְלָקַח֙  and  take 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
גַּ֚ם  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
מֵעֵ֣ץ  of  the  tree 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֵץ  
Sense: tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows.
הַֽחַיִּ֔ים  of  life 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
וְאָכַ֖ל  and  eat 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
וָחַ֥י  and  live 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
---לְעֹלָֽם  forever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.