The Meaning of Genesis 3:10 Explained

Genesis 3:10

KJV: And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

YLT: and he saith, 'Thy sound I have heard in the garden, and I am afraid, for I am naked, and I hide myself.'

Darby: And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I feared, because I am naked; and I hid myself.

ASV: And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he said,  I heard  thy voice  in the garden,  and I was afraid,  because I  [was] naked;  and I hid myself. 

What does Genesis 3:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 3:9-21 - God's Condemnation Of Adam And Eve
God does not wait for Adam to find his own way back, but hastens in search of him. "Where art thou" is rendered in one version, Alas for thee. Jesus met the Tempter not in a garden, but in the wilderness. He suffered being tempted, but has become to all who obey Him a Life-giving Spirit, and the Author of Eternal Salvation. Read 1 Corinthians 15:45, and Hebrews 5:9. The penalty is gone, borne by Him in His own body on the Cross. So Paul affirms in Romans 5:14, etc. Our bias toward evil is counteracted by His indwelling through the Holy Spirit; so we are taught in Romans 8:1-4. He bruises Satan beneath the feet of those who trust Him. Such is His own assurance in Luke 10:19, and Mark 16:17. He transforms the other results of sin. Through pain the mother's love is drawn out to her child. Hard work is educative and ennobling. Death is the gate of life. Where sin abounded, grace abounds much more. [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 3:10 mean?

so he said - Your voice I heard in the garden and I was afraid because was naked I and I hid myself
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֶת־ קֹלְךָ֥ שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי בַּגָּ֑ן וָאִירָ֛א כִּֽי־ עֵירֹ֥ם אָנֹ֖כִי וָאֵחָבֵֽא

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר  so  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
קֹלְךָ֥  Your  voice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי  I  heard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
בַּגָּ֑ן  in  the  garden 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: גַּן 
Sense: garden, enclosure.
וָאִירָ֛א  and  I  was  afraid 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
כִּֽי־  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
עֵירֹ֥ם  was  naked 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עֵירֹם  
Sense: naked.
וָאֵחָבֵֽא  and  I  hid  myself 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: חָבָא  
Sense: to withdraw, hide.