Genesis 3:8

Then the man and his wife heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the breeze of the day, and they hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — No one speaks; the narrative reports Adam and Eve's immediate reaction to God's presence in the garden, the moment after they have covered their nakedness with fig leaves (v. 7).

The words — מִתְהַלֵּךְ (mihalakh), hitpael of halakh, literally "walking about" or "pacing," carries a sense of deliberate, back-and-forth movement rather than a simple stroll.

The thread — The futility of hiding from God recurs in Jeremiah 23:24 ("Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?"), Proverbs 15:3, and Hebrews 4:13.

Why it lands — The verse presents two creatures who know God sees them attempting to become invisible to Him, forcing the reader to name the same impulse in their own life.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֞וּva/i.yish.me.'Uand/ they heard אֶת־'et-<obj.>ק֨וֹלKol[the] sound of יְהוָ֧הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהִ֛ים'E.lo.HimGod מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְmit.ha.Lekhwalking about בַּגָּ֖ןba./Ganin the/ garden לְר֣וּחַle./Ru.achto/ [the] wind of הַיּ֑וֹםhai./Yomthe/ day וַיִּתְחַבֵּ֨אva/i.yit.cha.Be'and/ he hid himself הָֽאָדָ֜םha./'a.Damthe/ man וְאִשְׁתּ֗וֹve./'ish.T/oand/ wife/ his מִפְּנֵי֙mi./pe.Neifrom/ before יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהִ֔ים'E.lo.HimGod בְּת֖וֹךְbe./Tokhin/ among עֵ֥ץ'etz[the] tree[s] of הַגָּֽן׃ha./Ganthe/ garden

King James Version

And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 23:24 “Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.
Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
Hebrews 4:13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Job 34:21 For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees his every step.
Psalms 139:1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
Genesis 3:10 “I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”
Jonah 1:9 “I am a Hebrew,” replied Jonah. “I worship the LORD, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.”
Romans 2:15 So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them
Amos 9:2 Though they dig down to Sheol, from there My hand will take them; and though they climb up to heaven, from there I will pull them down.
Job 31:33 if I have covered my transgressions like Adam by hiding my guilt in my heart,