Beguiled in Gen 3:13

Paul Zellmer zellmer at
Fri Sep 25 08:12:46 EDT 1998

(I keep seeing obits on the Virginia list, but I keep getting messages from it.
This is another carry-over from the list)

Mjulrich1 at wrote:

> I'm looking for a translation of the word "beguiled" in Genesis 3:13.  I have
> heard that the translation is off.  I'm aware that the Hebrew word is plural:
> implying more than one person has been "beguiled" but can't find an accurate
> understanding of what the word itself means.  Any ideas?
> Thanks.
> Monika


The quote of Eve is:  HaNNfXf$ Hi$$iY)aNiY Wf)oK"L

Your question is about Hi$$iY)aNiY, which is from N$) [nun shin aleph].  There
appears to be two roots with these root letters, one with a basic idea of lending
and the other with the basic concept of giving a false hope.  The context would
seem to indicate that this is an example of the second case.  It is *not* plural,
however.  It is Hiphil Qatal, 3ms, with the 1cs suffix.

In the hiphil, the stem means to trick or deceive, so a translation would be, "he
deceived me" or, as Bryan Rocine would probably translate, "He was the deceiver
of me."  (Bryan would be bringing out the idea that the verb in this case
modifies in some way the subject.)

The word is used some fifteen times in the Tanakh, most of which deal with
prophets (like Hezekiah) being charged with "deceiving" or "giving false hope" to
their listeners.  Cf 2 King 18:29, Jeremiah 4:10.



Paul and Dee Zellmer, Jimmy Guingab, Geoffrey Beltran
Ibanag Translation Project
Cabagan, Philippines

zellmer at

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