This verse, which pictures the couple in the garden as being innocently naked, anticipates 3.7, in which they become aware of their nakedness.

And the man and his wife were both naked: naked means “totally naked, without any clothing.”

Not ashamed renders the reflexive form of the Hebrew verb “to have shame”; and this form suggests a reciprocal action, that is, “they did not feel ashamed of each other” or “they were not ashamed of each other.” Bible en français courant says “but without feeling any embarrassment with each other,” and New English Bible “they had no feeling of shame towards one another.” Shame is the painful consciousness of having done or thought something that is recognized as wrong or unacceptable; it is generally most intense in the presence of other people. Many languages express this feeling in figurative terms; for example, “to have burning cheeks,” “to lower the head,” or “to have a dry tongue.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .