H. P. Mansfield Bible notes — checked and arranged in verse-by-verse Expositor style

Source: HPB 01-Gen01-Gen41.PDF, inserted serpent study p. 41 and Genesis 3 pp. 42–43

CHAPTER OVERVIEW

Mansfield heads verses 1–7 “THE FALL.” The chapter then moves through the serpent’s temptation, the woman’s response, Adam’s participation, opened eyes and shame; “THE INQUEST” as Yahweh Elohim questions the pair; “THE JUDGMENT” upon serpent, woman, man and ground; the promise of the woman’s seed; a divine covering for nakedness; and exclusion from Eden with guarded access to the tree of life.

An inserted study headed “SERPENT. Nāchāsh” is integral to Mansfield’s treatment of the chapter and is therefore incorporated chiefly under verses 1–6 rather than left as detached material.

THE SERPENT — NĀCHĀSH

Mansfield records nāchāsh as “a serpent” and, from Davidson and Gesenius, develops verbal associations with perceiving, observing, divining or prognosticating, and acquiring knowledge by attentive observation. Deuteronomy 18:10 is cited in relation to divination. Genesis 30:27 is cited for the idea “I have learned by experience.”

Strong is cited for the serpent’s hissing sound, and Mansfield connects the root with nechosheth, brass or brazen metal, which he treats figuratively as a symbol of flesh. Job 26:13 and Isaiah 27:1 are cited for serpent imagery, and Isaiah 65:25 for the statement that dust remains the serpent’s meat.

James 3:5–8 and Ecclesiastes 10:11 are appropriately linked with the tongue, speaking and the serpent. Mansfield’s central point is that the serpent reasoned from observation on completely earthy principles, without divine revelation. Eve’s mind became “serpentinised”; lust conceived and sin followed. Thereafter the serpent’s mode of reasoning became internalised in mankind — the “word of the serpent made flesh,” in deliberate contrast with the Word of God made flesh.

Mansfield summarises the serpent’s reasoning in stages: it broods on the command; exaggerates it to provoke criticism; Eve responds from the revealed command, though adding “neither shall ye touch it”; and finally the serpent denies the certainty of death. Psalm 10:4 is cited for reasoning without God in view.

A separate note, “EVE GRASPED AT EQUALITY,” contrasts Eve’s desire with the humility of the Second Adam in Philippians 2. Genesis 1:28, Genesis 2:19, Psalm 8, Hebrews 2:6–10 and 1 Corinthians 15:27 are used to trace dominion from promise through Christ’s suffering, victory, elevation and final subjection of all things. Luke 24:26 is cited for the pattern of suffering before glory.

Genesis 3:1 — “Now the serpent was more subtil...”

“Serpent,” “more subtil,” and the serpent’s question are heavily marked. Mansfield reads the opening as partly interrogative and partly reflective, as though the serpent had reasoned upon the divine restriction. Its question exaggerates the command: “Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”

The serpent is treated as an intelligent animal and as the representative of fleshly reasoning based upon observation rather than revelation.

Genesis 3:2 — “We may eat of the fruit of the trees...”

Eve’s reply is marked as an initial defence of the divine command. At this stage Mansfield treats her as opposing the mind of the flesh with what had been revealed by God.

Genesis 3:3 — “neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die”

“Neither shall ye touch it” is underlined. Mansfield observes that this goes beyond the bare wording of Genesis 2:17, yet treats it as an attempt to express the spirit of the prohibition rather than as a replacement for God’s command.

Genesis 3:4 — “Ye shall not surely die”

The denial is strongly underlined and identified as the central lie. Mansfield’s Expositor confirms the Hebrew force discussed at Genesis 2:17: the text is literally of the form “dying ye shall not die.” The serpent’s conclusion is based on fleshly reasoning rather than revelation.

Genesis 3:5 — “ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil”

“Your eyes shall be opened,” “ye shall be as gods,” and “knowing good and evil” are marked. The inserted heading “EVE GRASPED AT EQUALITY” directly interprets the temptation. Philippians 2 is used as the contrast: Christ submitted to God and received dominion by divine appointment rather than grasping at equality.

Genesis 3:6 — “the woman saw that the tree was good for food...”

The threefold attraction is heavily marked: “good for food,” “pleasant to the eyes,” and “desired to make one wise.” Mansfield explicitly writes the triad “lust of the flesh,” “lust of the eyes,” and “pride of life.”

The temptation is compared with Christ’s testing, and Philippians 2:5–10 is again used to contrast grasping with obedient submission. Some small red cross-references remain unreadable.

Genesis 3:7 — “the eyes of them both were opened...”

“Eyes ... opened,” “knew,” “naked,” “fig leaves,” and “aprons” are marked. Mansfield says they became more observant than before and knew their condition experimentally — by experience — continuing the experiential theme associated with nāchāsh.

Their awareness of nakedness is linked with aggravated sexual desire. Job 31:33 is cited. Their fig-leaf covering is later contrasted with the covering supplied by God in verse 21.

Genesis 3:8 — “they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden...”

The heading “THE INQUEST” begins here. The obscured lexical note beside “voice” can be substantially recovered: the Hebrew qol means voice or sound, and Mansfield’s Expositor specifically compares the sound of footsteps in 2 Samuel 5:24 and 2 Kings 6:32.

“In the cool of the day” is explained through ruach, “wind.” Mansfield treats the evening approach as evidence of divine grace: the Elohim approached at a comfortable time for man. Song of Songs 2:17 is cited. The sinful day was closing and a new day of grace was opening.

The exact handwritten wording attached to “walking” itself remains indistinct; it is not replaced by a reconstructed phrase.

Genesis 3:9 — “Where art thou?”

“Called” and “Where art thou?” are marked. Mansfield treats the question as part of the divine inquest and an act of grace, not as evidence that God lacked knowledge of Adam’s location.

Genesis 3:10 — “I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself”

“Afraid,” “naked,” and “hid” are marked. Mansfield identifies these as the results of a defiled conscience. In this condition Adam has become, morally, the serpent’s word made flesh: serpent-like reasoning now operates within him.

Genesis 3:11 — “Who told thee that thou wast naked?”

The question and “I commanded thee” are emphasised. Mansfield writes that Adam is self-condemned by his own action and words.

Genesis 3:12 — “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me...”

“The woman whom thou gavest” is strongly underlined. Mansfield calls Adam’s reply self-justification and contrasts it with the Second Adam, who willingly bears responsibility for others rather than shifting blame. Isaiah 53 is among the nearby references; several smaller New Testament references cannot be read safely.

Genesis 3:13 — “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat”

“The serpent beguiled me” is marked. Mansfield sees a genuine confession in “I did eat,” opening the way for mercy; 1 John 1:9 is cited. At the same time, Eve still points away from herself toward the serpent, so the note retains the tension between confession and self-excuse.

Genesis 3:14 — “thou art cursed above all cattle...”

The section is headed “THE JUDGMENT.” “Cursed,” “upon thy belly,” and “dust shalt thou eat” are strongly marked. Mansfield distinguishes the curse on the serpent here from the curse on the ground in verse 17.

He treats the serpent’s degradation as a visible sign of judgment and suggests that it probably moved upright before this sentence. Isaiah 65:25 is correctly connected with the continuing serpent/dust imagery.

Genesis 3:15 — “I will put enmity between thee and the woman...”

This is one of the most heavily marked verses. “Enmity,” “the woman,” “thy seed,” “her seed,” “bruise thy head,” and “bruise his heel” are all distinguished.

Mansfield sets “THE SERPENT — SIN” against “WOMAN = TRUTH”: the serpent represents the mind of the flesh, while the woman represents the divine mind or truth as manifested through the community of saints. Numbers 21:6, Psalm 58, Revelation 12:14, Romans 8, Philippians 2, 2 Corinthians 11:3 and Ephesians 5 are among the references used in developing the contrast.

The enmity is therefore moral and doctrinal as well as personal. The woman’s seed is the line through which the serpent principle is finally defeated.

Genesis 3:16 — “I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception...”

“Greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception,” “thy desire,” and “he shall rule over thee” are marked. Mansfield notes that ignorance is no justification for sin.

The pains of childbirth are treated as proverbial for extreme anguish. Isaiah 13:8, Micah 4:9 and Jeremiah 30:6 are clearly among the references. The altered husband-wife relationship is compared with the New Testament order, with Ephesians 5 and 1 Timothy among the marginal references.

Genesis 3:17 — “Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife... cursed is the ground”

“Thou hast hearkened,” “I commanded,” “cursed is the ground,” and “in sorrow” are prominently marked. Mansfield contrasts Adam’s listening to his wife with God’s prior command and notes that the curse extends to the ground for Adam’s sake.

The obscured Hebrew noun behind “sorrow” can be identified lexically as itstsabon (ʿiṣṣāḇôn), meaning pain, toil or labor. Because the handwriting itself remains indistinct, this is recorded as a recovered lexical identification rather than a claim that every written letter is legible.

Genesis 3:18 — “Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth”

“Thorns,” “thistles,” “herb,” and “field” are marked. Mansfield says the effects of sin will become increasingly visible in succeeding generations and directs attention into Genesis 4. In the published Expositor, Hebrews 6:7–9 is used to compare thorns and thistles with the sinful fruits of flesh.

Genesis 3:19 — “In the sweat of thy face... dust thou art...”

“Sweat of thy face,” “return unto the ground,” “dust thou art,” and “unto dust shalt thou return” are strongly marked. Romans 6:23 is written alongside the death emphasis. Mansfield plainly treats death as a return to dust, not as release of an inherently immortal soul.

Genesis 3:20 — “Adam called his wife's name Eve...”

“Eve” and “mother of all living” are marked under the heading “ADAM’S HOPE 20–21.” Mansfield reads the naming of Eve after the death sentence as Adam’s statement of faith in the promise of verse 15: Eve signifies Life or Living, and the promised Redeemer will come through her.

The nearby grammatical note about singularity is best connected with the following verse: Mansfield’s published Expositor explicitly states that “skins,” though plural in the A.V., is singular in the Hebrew.

Genesis 3:21 — “coats of skins, and clothed them”

“Coats of skins” and “clothed them” are highlighted. Mansfield develops the contrast between a good conscience without shame and fear, a defiled conscience after transgression, man’s inadequate self-covering with fig leaves, and God’s provision of a covering that recognises blood-shedding.

The published Expositor confirms the grammatical point: the Hebrew word rendered “skins” is singular, pointing typologically to one covenant victim sufficient to provide a covering. Mansfield develops the sacrificial principle with Hebrews 9:22, Galatians 5:24, Revelation 13:8 and related covering passages.

Genesis 3:22 — “Behold, the man is become as one of us...”

“As one of us,” “know good and evil,” and “tree of life” are marked. Mansfield stresses the irony: the serpent promised Godlike experiential knowledge, but the immediate result is shame, mortality and exclusion. Several small supporting references are still unreadable.

Genesis 3:23 — “sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground”

“Sent him forth,” “garden of Eden,” and “to till the ground” are marked. Adam returns to a ground-related vocation outside the protected garden, where labour itself continually reminds him of his earthiness and mortality.

Genesis 3:24 — “he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims...”

“Drove out,” “east,” “Cherubims,” “flaming sword,” and “tree of life” are heavily marked. Mansfield’s published Expositor recovers the key lexical point: “placed” is shakan, meaning “to dwell, have habitation, lodge in.” He therefore understands the phrase as Yahweh causing the Cherubim and the flaming sword to dwell at the east of Eden as a centre of divine worship and guarded access.

Mansfield also notes that the correct Hebrew plural is “cherubim,” not “cherubims.” The flaming sword is associated with divine manifestation and judgment. Several tiny Numbers/Joshua/Psalms references in the HPB margin remain too small to identify responsibly.

PRINCIPAL THEMES

Observation versus revelation. The serpent reasons from experience and fleshly observation; divine truth comes by revelation.

The serpent principle internalised. The serpent’s word becomes a pattern of fleshly thinking in mankind.

Grasping versus submission. Eve seeks elevation; Christ receives dominion through obedience.

The progression of sin. Lust of flesh, lust of eyes and pride of life are all marked in verse 6.

Defiled conscience. Shame, fear and hiding follow transgression.

Human self-justification. Adam shifts blame; Eve points to the serpent; both are contrasted with Christ.

The promised seed. Genesis 3:15 is the central promise of victory over the serpent/sin principle.

Mortality. The sentence is return to the dust.

Divine covering. Fig leaves are inadequate; the skin covering points to divine provision involving death and blood-shedding.

Hope after judgment. Adam’s naming of Eve expresses faith in life through the promised seed.

Exclusion and guarded access. The Cherubim and flaming sword guard the way to the tree of life.

EDITORIAL VERIFICATION AND RECOVERED READINGS

Location	Checked / corrected reading	Basis
Inserted study	Deut. 18:10; Gen. 30:27; Job 26:13; Isa. 27:1; Isa. 65:25	References checked and contextually appropriate to divination/experience/serpent imagery.
Gen. 3:7	Job 31:33	Reference checked: hiding/covering transgression “as Adam.”
Gen. 3:8	qol — voice/sound; 2 Sam. 5:24; 2 Kings 6:32	Mansfield’s Expositor explicitly uses these footstep parallels.
Gen. 3:8	ruach — wind	Mansfield’s Expositor identifies the “cool” of the day with evening wind.
Gen. 3:16	Isa. 13:8; Mic. 4:9; Jer. 30:6	References checked; each uses childbirth anguish imagery.
Gen. 3:17	itstsabon (ʿiṣṣāḇôn) — pain/toil	Lexically identified from the Hebrew of Genesis 3:17; handwriting remains partly obscured.
Gen. 3:20–21	“skins” singular in Hebrew	Recovers the small singularity note from Mansfield’s published Expositor.
Gen. 3:24	shakan — dwell / have habitation	Mansfield’s Expositor supplies the same lexical explanation and proposed sense.
Gen. 3:24	cherubim, not “cherubims”	Hebrew -im is already the plural ending; Mansfield explicitly notes this.

RESIDUAL UNCERTAINTIES

• several small Hebrew and Old Testament references in the inserted nāchāsh study;

• the exact wording of the note suggesting that the serpent later lost the faculty of speech;

• the complete small-reference chain under “EVE GRASPED AT EQUALITY”;

• the exact handwritten verb-note attached specifically to “walking” at Genesis 3:8;

• some of the smaller references attached to the childbirth note at Genesis 3:16;

• the cramped remainder of the Genesis 3:18 marginal sentence;

• several tiny references at Genesis 3:22 and Genesis 3:24.

These are retained as uncertainties rather than supplied from general knowledge. Where published Expositor material genuinely resolves a lexical or grammatical point, that recovery is identified explicitly above.