Serpent had uttered words against God, the sum whereof is in this speech. A like phrase is in 1 Sam. 14. 30. because God hath:] or, hath God indeed said? So the Chaldee paraphrase translateth, in truth, (that is, Is it true) that God hath said? and the Greeke, why is it that God hath said? In this un∣derstanding, Satan beginneth with a question, as when by his servants, hee sought to have taken Christ in his talke, Luke 20. 20. 21. 23. The ten∣tation is directly against Gods word; which as it was that whereby the world was made and existed Psal. 33. 6. 2 Pet. 3. 4. so by it all things are uphol∣den, or caried, Heb. 1. 3. and if Gods word had abidden in Eve, shee had overcome the wicked one, 1 Ioh. 2. 14. So Satan began the assault upon Christ, taking occasion at the word of God, (this is my sonne, Mat. 3. 17) saying, If thou bee the Sonne of God, Mat. 4. 3. of every tree:] or, of all trees: but the Hebrew word for all, is sometime used for eve∣ryone, sometime for any one, as Psal. 143. 2. so the Serpents speech was doubtfull, and bent to de∣ceive. And as here hee assailed the woman about food, so he began with Christ, Mat. 4. 3.
Vers. 2. Trees:] in Hebrew, tree: so in vers. 7. [unspec 2] leafe, for leaves. This the Scripture openeth, as pa∣rable, Psal. 78. 2. is expounded parables, Mat. 13. 35. heart, Psal. 95. 8. for hearts, Heb. 3. 8. worke, Psal. 95. 9. for workes, Heb. 3. 9. And in the Hebrew text it selfe; as, speare, 2 King. 11. 10. for speares, 2 Chron. 23. 9. ship, 1 King. 10. 22. for ships, 2 Chr. 9. 21. See also Gen. 4. 20.
Vers. 3. lest ye dye:] or, (as the Greek translateth) that ye die not. This manner of speech doth not al∣wayes [unspec 3] shew doubt, but speakes of danger, and to prevent evill: as Psal. 2. 12. lest he bee angry: Gen. 24. 6. lest thou bring, for, that thou bring not. So Mar. 14. 2. lest there be an uprore, for, that there be not an uprore, Mat. 26. 5. Yea sometime it rather affirmeth a thing, lest Ezekiah deceive, Esa. 36. 18. for which in 2 King. 18. 3. is written, for he deceiveth you. So, lest they faint in the way, Mat. 15. 32. that is, they will faint, Mark. 8. 3.
Vers. 4. not dying dye:] that is, not surely dye: the [unspec 4] Greeke translateth, not die the death. Here hee im∣pugneth the certainty of Gods word, which had threatned assured death, Gen. 2. 17. And thus the Devill was a lyar, and the father thereof, Ioh. 8. 44.
Vers. 5. in the day:] that is, presently: so he op∣poseth [unspec 5] present good, unto the present evill threat∣ned of God. Whom hee also calumniateth, as of ill will, he had forbidden them this tree. then your eyes, &c.] By an ambiguous deceitfull promise, hee draweth her into sinne: for by opening of eyes, shee understood a further degree of wisedome, as the like speech importeth, Acts 26. 18. Eph. 1. 18. but he meant, a seeing of their nakednesse, and con∣fusion of conscience, as fell out immediately, Gen. 3. 7. 10. The Hebrew phrase is, and your eyes: but and, is often used for then; as Mark 14. 34. And he saith: which another Evangelist writeth, Then saith he; Mat. 26. 38. so Mark 15. 27. and they cru∣cifie, Mat. 27. 38. then were crucified: and many the like. as Gods] This the woman understood of the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, as appea∣reth by the words of God himselfe in v. 22. but the tempter might meane it also of the Angels, which had sinned, (for Angels are called Gods, Psal. 8. 6.) who of their knowledge are named Daemons, and have wofull experience of the good which they have lost, and the evill wherein they lye. The Chaldee saith, as princes: and Devils are also called principalities and powers, Col. 2. 15. Another Chal∣dee paraphrase, which goeth under the name of Io∣nathan, for Gods, translateth Angels. knowing, &c.] the name before given to this tree, Gen. 2. 17. the serpent here wresteth to a wrong sense: as if to know good and evill, were to be like God himselfe, & that the eating of the fruit, would worke such an effect: whereas the tree was so called for another cause. See Gen. 2. 9.
Vers. 6. saw:] that is, looked upon with affecta∣tion. [unspec 6] So Achan saw and coveted, and tooke, Ios. 7. 21. a desire:] or a lust, that is, most pleasant, and to be desired. to make one wise:] or, to get pru∣dency, and so prosperity and good successe thereby; as the Hebrew word often signifieth. According to these three things which the woman (by false suggestion) saw in the tree, for meat, for the eyes, and for prudency: the Apostle reduceth all that is in the world (and not of the father,) to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, 1 Iohn 2. 16. With which we may also compare the three tentations of Christ, Luke 4. she gave:] toge∣ther with words to move and perswade him: for he is said to have hearkned to her voice, vers. 17. hee did eat:] so the sinne was accomplished that brought death into the world, as God threatned, Gen. 2. 17. and the death is gone over all men, for that all have sinned; and by the disobedience of one, the many are made sinners, Rom. 5. 12. 19. By eating, the Scripture elsewhere signifieth the com∣mitting of sinne, Prov. 30. 20. Againe, by eating, sinne and death are done away, and life restored in Christ, Ioh. 6. 50.—54. whom Satan sought to have drawne into sinne also by eating, but was defeated, Mar. 4. 2. 3. 4. This first sinne of man, is called in respect of himselfe an offence or fall; because by it, he fell from his good estate: in respect of God, it was disobedience; as unto whom hereby he denyed subjection, and renounced obedience, Roman. 5. 18. 19. Neither was it his owne sinne onely, but the common sinne of us all his posterity, which were then in his loynes; for by this one mans dis∣obedience many were made sinners, Rom. 5. 19. and in Adam all dye, 1 Cor. 15. 22.
V. 7. naked:] both in body and soule, which were [unspec 7] bereaved of the image of God, deprived of his glo∣ry, & subjected to inordinate lusts, and thereupon to shame: of which nakednes the Scriptures often speak, as Ex. 32. 25. Ezek. 16. 22. Rev. 3. 17. & 16. 15 Hos. 2. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 3. Sewed:] that is, fastned toge∣ther, by twisting and platting the leaves and twigs, for to gird about them. fig leaves:] in Heb. leaf, or branch, as we english the word in Neh 8. 15. and as the Greek translateth it in Ier. 17. 8. This was to cover, not to cure their filthy nakednes: therfore in v. 10. they nevertheless do hide thēselves for shame. The like naturall hypocrisie, is elsewhere cōpared