Genesis 3:21

Genesis 3:21

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

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

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

c. YLT: And Jehovah God doth make to the man and to his wife coats of skin, and doth clothe them.

d. Amplified Bible: For Adam also and for his wife the Lord God made long coats (tunics) of skins and clothed them.

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

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: And HASHEM God made for Adam and his wife garments of skin, and He clothed them.

1. “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins…”

a. Adam [120 * ‘adam] [Strong: from 119; ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.):--X another, + hypocrite, + common sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.]

b. and his wife [802 * ‘ishshah] [Strong: feminine of 376 or 582; irregular plural, nashiym {naw-sheem'}; a woman (used in the same wide sense as 582):--(adulter)ess, each, every, female, X many, + none, one, + together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.]

c. did the LORD [3068 * Yhovah] [Strong: from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

d. God [430 * ‘elohiym] [Strong: plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.]

e. make [6213 * ‘asah] [Strong: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be (warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.]

f. coats [3801 * kthoneth] [Strong: from an unused root meaning to cover (Compare 3802); a shirt:--coat, garment, robe.]

g. of skins [5785 * ‘owr] [Strong: from 5783; skin (as naked); by implication, hide, leather:--hide, leather, skin.]

1). Dake’s Notes: From animals that God had taught Adam to offer as sacrifice in looking forward to the promised redeemer.

2. “…and clothed them.”

a. clothed them [3847 * labash] [Strong: a primitive root; properly, wrap around, i.e. (by implication) to put on a garment or clothe (oneself, or another), literally or figuratively:--(in) apparel, arm, array (self), clothe (self), come upon, put (on, upon), wear.]

1). There is much about this simple act by God that is not recorded here but had to occur. There is a double meaning to these words, in that the LORD God not only covered their naked bodies, He covered their sin also and provided a way for them to approach God and stay in fellowship with him. Scofield writes in his notes that these coats of skins were a “divinely provided garment that the first sinners might be made fit for God’s presence.” During this process of killing and sheding the animal’s blood and the covering of their bodies, a lesson and instructions were given to Adam and Eve on how to approach Him on His terms. Although the Hebrew word for atonement (kaphar * Strong’s 3722) does not appear in the sense of covering sin until Exodus 29:33-37, this is exactly what occurred in Genesis 3:21. Adam and Eve’s sin was being cover by the shed blood of the animals and their nakedness covered by the animal skins.

2). What is hinted to about the atonement in this verse is revealed in other later verses. For example, we can see some things in the events surrounding Cain and Abel’s offerings.

a). Genesis 4:3-5 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.

4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

2). Why did God have respect or accept Abel’s offering and not Cain’s? Part of the understanding lies in what they offered, Abel offered “the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof”, while Cain “brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.”  What is the big deal some may ask? Well let’s look at a passage in Hebrews that will answer most of our questions.

a). Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

b). Notice closely what is said in this verse, Abel offered his sacrifice in “faith”. Faith always requires previous instruction as it says in Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” There had to be previous instruction to Cain and Abel regarding sacrifices for Abel’s to be offered in “faith”. Notice also that when Abel offered his sacrifice of “the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof” in faith, that Abel “obtained witness that he was righteous”. This sacrifice was a sacrifice for atonement because righteousness was the goal and result. This also implies the animals had to be killed and their blood shed. The sheding of blood was a requirement in these sacrifices.

(1) Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

(2) Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

3). We can conclude from these verses that far more happened in Genesis 3:21 than just the clothing of their naked bodies. We can deduce that this was the beginning of the institution of the blood covenant and animal sacrifice. The shedding of animal blood covered their sin and provided a way to approach God and the skins covered their bodies. Man’s attempt to cover their nakedness/sin does not work. Adam and Eve tried to cover their nakedness/sin.

a). Genesis 3:7  And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

(1) All our attempts to cover our unrighteousness/sin are insufficient. Leaves after they are separated from their life source shrivel up, die, become brittle and crumble.

(2) Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

4). The beginning of the blood covenant through animal sacrifice looked forward to the moment in the history of mankind when our merciful God would forever take care of the sin problem.

a). John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.