Genesis 2:17

KJV1611 – Modern English

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat: for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וּמֵעֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֙עַת֙ ט֣וֹב וָרָ֔ע לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּ֗י בְּי֛וֹם אֲכָלְךָ֥ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת׃

Transliteration

But-from-ʿēṣ haddaʿaṯ ṭôḇ wārāʿ lōʾ ṯōʾḵal mimmenû kî bəyôm ʾăḵālḵā mimmenû môṯ tāmûṯ

Grammar Details

• *ʿēṣ*: noun, masculine, singular construct - tree of
• *haddaʿaṯ*: definite article + noun, feminine, singular construct - the knowledge of
• *ṭôḇ*: adjective, masculine, singular - good
• *wārāʿ*: conjunction + adjective, masculine, singular - and evil
• *lōʾ*: negative particle - not
• *ṯōʾḵal*: Qal imperfect, 2nd singular masculine - you shall eat
• *mimmenû*: preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - from it
• *kî*: conjunction - for/because
• *bəyôm*: preposition + noun, masculine, singular construct - in the day of
• *ʾăḵālḵā*: Qal infinitive construct + 2nd person masculine singular suffix - your eating
• *môṯ tāmûṯ*: Qal infinitive absolute + Qal imperfect, 2nd singular masculine - dying you shall die

Word Meanings

• *haddaʿaṯ ṭôḇ wārāʿ*: the knowledge of good and evil
• *ṯōʾḵal*: you shall eat/you may eat
• *bəyôm*: in the day/when
• *ʾăḵālḵā*: your eating/when you eat
• *môṯ tāmûṯ*: you shall surely die/you will certainly die [emphatic construction]

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  'but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will surely die.'

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  But of the tree of the knowled of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  but of the tree{H6086} of the knowledge{H1847} of good{H2896} and evil,{H7451} thou shalt not eat{H398} of it: for in the day{H3117} that thou eatest{H398} thereof thou shalt surely{H4191} die.{H4191}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  But of the tree{H6086} of the knowledge{H1847} of good{H2896} and evil{H7451}, thou shalt not eat{H398}{(H8799)} of it: for in the day{H3117} that thou eatest{H398}{(H8800)} thereof thou shalt surely{H4191}{(H8800)} die{H4191}{(H8799)}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  But of the tre of knowlege of good and badd se that thou eate not: for even ye same daye thou eatest of it thou shalt surely dye.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  But of ye tre of knowlege of good and euell, shalt thou not eate. For loke in what daye so euer thou eatest therof, thou shalt dye the death.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  But of the tree of knowledge of good and euill, thou shalt not eate of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  But as touching the tree of knowlege of good and euyll thou shalt not eate of it: For in what daye so euer thou eatest therof, thou shalt dye the death.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die."

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou dost not eat of it, for in the day of thine eating of it -- dying thou dost die.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  But of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you may not take; for on the day when you take of it, death will certainly come to you.

• World English Bible (2000)

  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.”

Referenced Verses

• Jas 1:15 : 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin: and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
• Rom 6:23 : 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
• Gen 3:19 : 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.
• Ezek 18:4 : 4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sins, it shall die.
• Col 2:13 : 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he has made alive together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
• 1 Tim 5:6 : 6 But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.
• Rev 20:14 : 14 And Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
• Rev 21:8 : 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and sexually immoral, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
• Rom 8:2 : 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
• 1 Cor 15:22 : 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
• 1 Cor 15:56 : 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
• Gal 3:10 : 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.'
• Eph 2:1-6 : 1 And you He has made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 In which in times past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conduct in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, made us alive together with Christ, (by grace you are saved;) 6 And raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
• Gen 3:17 : 17 Then to Adam He said, Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat of it: cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
• Ezek 3:18-20 : 18 When I say to the wicked, You shall surely die; and you do not give him warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. 20 Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die: because you have not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.
• Ezek 18:32 : 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies, says the Lord GOD: therefore turn yourselves, and live.
• Ezek 33:8 : 8 When I say to the wicked, O wicked man, you shall surely die; if you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.
• Ezek 33:14 : 14 Again, when I say to the wicked, You shall surely die; if he turns from his sin, and does that which is lawful and right;
• Rom 1:32 : 32 Who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.
• Rom 5:12-21 : 12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned: 13 For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not charged when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is a type of him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the offense of one many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore, as through one offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one act of righteousness the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one many will be made righteous. 20 Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more: 21 So that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
• Rom 6:16 : 16 Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves as servants to obey, you are the servants of the one whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
• Gen 2:9 : 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the middle of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
• Gen 3:1-4 : 1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, Yes, has God said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat of it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die. 4 And the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die:
• Gen 3:11 : 11 And He said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?
• Gen 20:7 : 7 Now therefore restore the man his wife, for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for you, and you shall live: and if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you, and all that belong to you.
• Num 26:65 : 65 For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
• Deut 27:26 : 26 Cursed be he who does not confirm all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.
• Deut 30:15 : 15 See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil;
• Deut 30:19 : 19 I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live:
• 1 Sam 14:39 : 39 For as the LORD lives, who saves Israel, though it be Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But not one of all the people answered him.
• 1 Sam 14:44 : 44 Saul said, "God do so and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan."
• 1 Sam 20:31 : 31 For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the ground, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Therefore now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.
• 1 Sam 22:16 : 16 And the king said, You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you, and all your father's house.
• 1 Kgs 2:37 : 37 For it shall be that on the day you go out and cross the brook Kidron, you shall know certainly that you shall surely die; your blood shall be on your own head.
• 1 Kgs 2:42 : 42 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, Did I not make you swear by the Lord, and warned you, saying, Know for certain, on the day you go out and walk abroad anywhere, that you shall surely die? And you said to me, The word I have heard is good.
• Eph 5:14 : 14 Therefore he says, Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.
• Rom 7:10-13 : 10 And the commandment, which was intended for life, I found to be leading to death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? Certainly not. But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good; that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.
• 1 John 5:16 : 16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should pray about that.
• Rev 2:11 : 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.
• Rev 20:6 : 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. On such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
• Ezek 18:13 : 13 Has given out loans with interest, and has taken increase; shall he then live? He shall not live: he has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
• Jer 26:8 : 8 Now it happened, when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, You shall surely die.