Genesis 3:21 - Printer Friendly

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

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

NASB: And the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.

CSB: The Lord God made clothing from skins for the man and his wife, and he clothed them.

NLT: And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife.

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

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

As with the previous verse, this passage contains some hope for Adam, Eve, and humanity. God's curses for their sin were severe and painful to hear. However, Eve's name points to the future generations to come. And this verse reveals that God will still provide, starting with clothing for Adam and Eve. Their hastily constructed fig leaves would not be adequate to continue to cover their nakedness. In clothing them, God demonstrates that it is right for them to be clothed.

In order to make this clothing of skin, though, an animal had to die. This is the first recorded physical death in Scripture, even of an animal. No death is explicitly recorded until after human sin. God Himself is the one who takes the animal's life to provide warmth and covering for the humans. Later in Genesis, God will require the sacrifice of animals to provide a blood covering for human sin. Eventually, Jesus' Himself would bleed and die to provide a final covering for the sins of all who would trust in Him for salvation.

Genesis 3:8–24 describes the consequences of man's rebellion against God. After falling to temptation, humans are ashamed and foolishly attempt to hide from God. When confronted with their sin, the man and woman confess, but also attempt to shift the blame to others. Adam even blames God. In response, God issues three individual ''curses'' which affect humanity to this day. Mankind can no longer stay in the ''very good'' garden, and is banished. Even so, God continues to provide for His creation.

Genesis 3 tells the story of paradise lost by the willfulness of human sin. Humanity was originally given every perfect thing they could need or want, and virtually no restrictions. Despite that, Adam and Eve needed only a bit of prompting from a talking serpent to disobey their good Creator. Immediately overcome by shame and quickly cursed by God, the painful story of human history begins with their exit from the Garden of Eden.

Genesis 2 ended with the last glimpse of a sinless world. Adam and Eve are perfect in themselves, in their purpose, and in their relationship as husband and wife. Chapter 3 tells the story of that paradise lost; the result of the first willful human sin. The consequences: immediate shame and lifelong separation from their home with God. Chapter 4 will describe the beginning of their lives together, the beginning of the painful story of human history.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 5/3/2024 7:27:52 PM