John Calvin Commentary Genesis 3:8

"And they heard the voice of Jehovah God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Jehovah God amongst the trees of the garden." — Genesis 3:8 (ASV)

And they heard the voice of the Lord God. As soon as the voice of God sounds, Adam and Eve perceive that the leaves by which they thought themselves well protected are of no avail. Moses here relates nothing that does not remain in human nature and may be clearly discerned at the present day.

The difference between good and evil is engraved on the hearts of all, as Paul teaches (Romans 2:15), but all bury the disgrace of their vices under flimsy leaves until God, by his voice, inwardly strikes their consciences. Therefore, after God had shaken them out of their torpor, their alarmed consciences compelled them to hear his voice.

Moreover, what Jerome translates as ‘at the breeze after midday’ is, in Hebrew, ‘at the wind of the day.’ The Greeks, omitting the word ‘wind,’ have used ‘at the evening.’ Thus, the opinion has prevailed that Adam, having sinned about noon, was called to judgment around sunset. But I rather incline to a different conjecture: namely, that being covered with their garment, they passed the night in silence and quiet, the darkness aiding their hypocrisy. Then, about sunrise, being again thoroughly awakened, they recollected themselves.

We know that at the rising of the sun the air is naturally stirred. Then, together with this gentle breeze, God appeared. But Moses would improperly have called the evening air that of the day. Others take the word as describing the southern part or region; indeed, רוח (ruach) sometimes among the Hebrews signifies one or another region of the world. Others think that the time is specified here as one least prone to terrors, for in clear light there is greater security. Thus, they conceive, what the Scripture declares is fulfilled: that those who have accusing consciences are always anxious and disquieted, even without any danger.

To this point, they refer to what is added concerning the wind, as if Adam was terrified at the sound of a falling leaf. But what I have advanced is more true and simple: that what was hidden under the darkness of the night was detected at the rising of the sun.

Yet I do not doubt that some notable symbol of the presence of God was in that gentle breeze. For although (as I have recently said) the rising sun usually stirs up some breath of air daily, this is not opposed to the supposition that God gave some extraordinary sign of his approach to arouse the consciences of Adam and his wife.

For, since he is in himself incomprehensible, he assumes, when he wishes to manifest himself to men, those marks by which he may be known. David calls the winds the messengers of God, on whose wings he rides, or rather flies, with incredible velocity (Psalms 104:3). But, whenever he sees fit, he uses the winds, as well as other created things, beyond the order of nature, according to his own will. Therefore, Moses, in mentioning the wind here, intimates (according to my judgment) that some unusual and remarkable symbol of the Divine presence was displayed that would vehemently affect the minds of our first parents.

This resource, namely, that of fleeing from God’s presence, was nothing better than the former, since God, with his voice alone, soon brings back the fugitives. It is written,

‘Whither shall I flee from thy presence?
If I traverse the sea, if I take wings and ascend above the clouds,
if I descend into the profound abyss, thou, Lord, wilt be everywhere,’
(Psalms 139:7).

This we all confess to be true. Yet, in the meantime, we do not cease to snatch at vain subterfuges, and we imagine that shadows of any kind will prove a most excellent defense. Nor should it be omitted here that he, who had found a few leaves to be unavailing, fled to whole trees. For so we are accustomed, when shut out from frivolous cavils, to frame new excuses that may hide us as if under a denser shade. When Moses says that Adam and his wife hid themselves ‘in the midst of the tree of Paradise,’ I understand that the singular is used for the plural, as if he had said, among the trees.