Genesis 2:17

“But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, etc.] Of the name of this tree, and the reasons of it, (see Gill on “<010209>Genesis 2:9”) thou shalt not eat of it; not that this tree had any efficacy in it to increase knowledge, and improve in science and understanding, as Satan suggested God knew; and therefore forbid the eating of it out of envy to man, which the divine Being is capable of; or that there was anything hurtful in it to the bodies of men, if they had eaten of it; or that it was unlawful and evil of itself, if it had not been expressly prohibited: but it was, previous to this injunction, a quite indifferent thing whether man ate of it or not; and therefore was pitched upon as…”

“thou shalt not eat of it . . . thou shalt surely die--no reason assigned for the prohibition, but death was to be the punishment of disobedience. A positive command like this was not only the simplest and easiest, but the only trial to which their fidelity could be exposed.”

“- XII. The Command 15. נוּח nûach “rest, dwell.” עבד ‛ābad “work, till, serve.” שׁמר shāmar “keep, guard.” We have here the education of man summed up in a single sentence. Let us endeavor to unfold the great lessons that are here taught. Genesis 2:15 The Lord God took the man. - The same omnipotent hand that made him still held him. “And put him into the garden.” The original word is “caused him to rest,” or dwell in the garden as an abode of peace and recreation. “To dress it and to keep it.” The plants of nature, left to their own course, may degenerate and become wild through the poverty of the soil on which they alight, or the gradual exhaustion of a once rich soil. The hand of…”

“2:17 except (literally but you must not eat): This prohibition is given in the same legal format as Israel’s Ten Commandments (see Exod 20:1-17; Deut 5:6-21). The Lord built law and obedience into the fabric of his covenant relationship with humanity. • the knowledge of good and evil: See study note on 2:9. • you are sure to die: The consequences of disobedience would be immediate spiritual death (loss of relationship with God) and eventual physical death (see 3:22-23; Eccl 12:6-7).”

“of the tree: Gen 2:9, Gen 3:1-3, Gen 3:11, Gen 3:17, Gen 3:19 surely: Gen 3:3, Gen 3:4, Gen 3:19, Gen 20:7; Num 26:65; Deu 27:26; Sa1 14:39, Sa1 14:44, Sa1 20:31, Sa1 22:16; Kg1 2:37, Kg1 2:42; Jer 26:8; Eze 3:18-20, Eze 18:4, Eze 18:13, Eze 18:32, Eze 33:8, Eze 33:14; Rom 1:32; Rom 5:12-21, Rom 6:16, Rom 6:23, Rom 7:10-13, Rom 8:2; Co1 15:22, Co1 15:56; Gal 3:10; Eph 2:1-6; Eph 5:14; Col 2:13; Ti1 5:6; Jam 1:15; Jo1 5:16; Rev 2:11, Rev 20:6, Rev 20:14; Rev 21:8 thou shalt surely die: Heb. dying thou shalt die Genesis 2:18”