Genesis Chapter 3, part 2: Commentary

Sunday, 13 July 2008

My Commentary of Genesis 3:

And the Serpent was more cunning than all the animals of the field which YHWH Elohim had made. And he said to the Woman, “Did Elohim really say you both shall not eat from any tree in the Garden?"

The Woman said to the Serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the Garden we may eat, but from the fruit of the Tree in the midst of the Garden, Elohim said, 'You shall not eat from it and not touch it lest you will die.'

The Serpent said to the Woman, “You will not dying die. For Elohim knows that on a day you both will eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will become as Elohim, knowing good and bad.”

Serpent - "Snake" works here just fine. Understood in Rabbinic thought as simply one of the creatures that Elohim had created. The Rabbinic assumption was that in the Garden of Eden all the animals could talk. Prior to Christian texts, there was no association of the serpent with Satan.

more cunning-I almost went with "savvy" here. The Hebrew word arum, ערום, has both negative and positive connotations. The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament has the following:

‏עָרֹם‎ is a root with positive (prudence) and negative (shrewdness) connotations. It may be contrasted with its positive synonym ‏שָׂכַל‎ “to be skillful, wise,” which is always positive. Its cognates in Arabic, Aramaic, and Syriac are negative in tone (“ill-natured, shrewd”). The Greek terms πανοῦργος and πανουργία, used in the LXX and the NT, mean “ready to do anything,” usually in the bad sense of tricky and cunning behavior (e.g. Lk 20:23; Eph 4:14). The verb ‏עָרֹם‎ is used in the Qal five times; twice positively (Prov 15:5; 19:25), and twice negatively (1 Sam 23:22). The Hiphil is used once meaning, “to act craftily,” “they lay crafty plans against thy people” (Ps 83:3 [H 4]). Some authorities have considered all but the Qal infinitive absolute in 1 Sam 23:22 to be Hiphils. KB and Lisowsky say the only true Hiphil is in Ps 83:3 [H 4].

Did Elohim really say you both shall not eat from any tree in the Garden - The beginning of this phrase has caused some difficulty in translation. I have gone with the more traditional interpretation, but the Hebrew aph ki (אף כי) literally means "indeed that . . ." and it reads as if the serpent is merely making a statement that the Woman counters (and possibly interupts). The Aramaic of Targum Onkelos has "In truth (‏בְקוּשׁטָא) did YWY say . . . " The deception begins with the Serpent misquoting the command of God to say that the Earthling and his Woman could not eat of any tree.

the Tree in the midst of the Garden -Interestingly, in Genesis 2 the Tree most clearly identified in the midst of the Garden is the Tree of Life.

and not touch it -This is not what YHWH Elohim had said to the Adam. The Rabbis saw this as having the possibility of a gezeirah, or "fence law", that Adam enacted when he shared the command with the Woman (since YHWH Elohim commanded him and not her in Genesis 3). The "fence law" was designed to keep someone from getting close to breaking the actual command, much like "Don't use YHWH's name in vain" became a law that forbade the use of God's name at all. In contrast they also saw it merely as the Woman's own modification of God's instruction which led to error. In either case in Rabbinic sources the Serpent uses the modification of the command to his advantage. One midrash has the Serpent pushing the Woman against the tree, causing her to question the whole commandment because of the modificaiton not to "touch it".

your eyes will be opened and you will become as Elohim, knowing good and bad -The interesting thing is that according to the creation account in Genesis, humanity was created in God's image. Either Genesis 3 is the tool God used to create the true independence required of humanity to be like God, or this is a serious deception on the part of the Serpent: to convince a human already in God's image that something more must take place, with the added insinuation that God is keeping something from the humans. Later in Genesis 3 God does not challenge the idea that the Serpent is presenting, but actually agrees with it by stating that the humans have now "become like Us". All of this makes if very difficult to determine what is taking place in Genesis 3. It is clearly portrayed as a sin of disobedience in both the New Testament and Rabbinic literature, but for all the later emphasis in Christianity and Judaism this story is not addressed again in the the Hebrew Scriptures. The question for me remains...did the humans become more like God through their actions in Genesis 3? If so, how?

One of my thoughts has to do with the "Knowledge of Good and Bad." Through a discussion at lunch with Kyle, Steve, and others, I wonder if the proper interpretation of this tree should not have been "the Tree of Knowledge of Goodness and Suffering." The Hebrew ra (רע) doesn't only mean "evil" as we typically think, but can also mean "bad" or "misfortune". It can refer to "evil" in the sense of immorality, but also contrasts at times with shalom (שלום), wholeness or peace. Perhaps the humans became more like God in that they now came to an intimate knowledge of suffering and pain.

The Woman saw that the Tree was good for food, that it was lustful to the eyes, and the tree was desireable for gaining understanding. She took from it’s fruit, ate, and also gave to her Man with her, and he ate. The eyes of the two of them were opened, they knew that they were a naked, and they sewed fig leaves and made for themselves loincloths. And they heard the voice of YHWH Elohim walking in the Garden in the breeze of the day. And the Earthling hid himself and his Woman from the face of YHWH Elohim in the midst of the trees of the Garden.

YHWH Elohim called to the Earthling and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard Your voice in the Garden, and I was afraid because I am naked, so I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you are naked? From the tree which I commanded you not to eat...did you eat from it? The Earthling said, “The Woman which you gave me, she gave to me from the Tree and I ate.”

YHWH Elohim said to the Woman, “What is this you have done?” And the Woman said, “The Serpent tricked me, and I ate.”

good for food, that it was lustful to the eyes, and the tree was desireable for gaining understanding - The description of the trees in Genesis 2 confirm what the Woman sees...the trees were beautifu and good for foodl. One interpretation of "desrieable for gaining understanding" could be a parallel description of "it was beautiful to look at", depending on how the Hebrew word skyl (‏לְהַשְׂכִּיל) is translated.

gave to her Man with her -The implication is that the Man had been present the entire time. Some Rabbis however, developed the midrash that Adam was absent during the Serpent's conversation with the Woman. Humorously, one midrash says that the Adam and the Woman had just engaged in sexual activity, and he was now sleeping.

eyes of the two of them were opened, they knew that they were a naked -A metaphorical statement describing their new self awareness.

loincloths -"Belts" Primarily a description of coverings for their private parts.

heard the voice of YHWH Elohim -This is a play of words. In Hebrew to "hear the voice" means "to obey". This phrase in Hebrew creates quite a contrast between the reality of what Adam has done and what the idiom can mean.

walking in the Garden in the breeze of the day -Literally "the spirit (ruach, רוח) of the day". Probably an inference to the cool breeze of the evening.

hid himself and his Woman . . . in the midst of the trees of the Garden -The Adam tries to hide not only himself but the Woman, the only sense of responsibility that he shows in the entire story. "In the midst of the trees of the Garden" is a play that reminds one of "the trees in the midst of the Garden"--their hiding still seems to be in connection with the Tree.

Where are you? -The first question God ever asks in the Scripture. It's a great question that has timeless value.

I heard Your voice in the Garden, and I was afraid . . . - Again, there is a play on words "I heard Your voice..." could mean "I obeyed Your voice..." which is clearly not what has happened here.

The Woman which you gave me, she gave to me . . . - In the Hebrew this is very alliterative: ha-isha asher netateh imdiy hu netnah li (‏הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה עִמָּדִי הִוא נָתְנָה־לִּי). Of course, the Adam is blaming God and the Woman for the whole situation.

YHWH Elohim said to the Woman, “What is this you have done?” And the Woman said, “The Serpent tricked me, and I ate.” - Interestingly, the only deceptions or tricks that the Serpent used was his initial statement of "God truly said that you cannot eat from any tree of the Garden" and his insinuation that God was selfishly keeping something from the humans. His other statements are verified by their experience and by God: their eyes are opened, they are more like God, and they do not literally die the day they eat of the fruit. Nevertheless, disobedience has occurred and there will be consequences.

YHWH Elohim said to the Serpent:

    “Because you did this,
            you are cursed more than all the beasts
                       and all the animals of the field.
    Upon your belly you will go
            and dust you will eat all the days of your life.
    Enmity I will put between you and the Woman,
            and between your seed and her seed,
    He will strike you head,
            and you will strike him heel."

To the Woman He said:

    “Increasing I will increase your painful grief and your conception,
         In painful grief you will bring forth sons,
   Towards your Man is your desire,
            and He will rule you.”

To the Earthling He said:

    “Because you listened to the voice of your Woman,
              and you have eaten from the Tree wich I commanded you, to say:
                ‘You shall not eat from it’
        Cursed is the earthen soil regarding your produce,
            in painful grief you will eat all the days of your life.
    Thorn and thistle will sprout for you
            and you will eat the plant of the field.”
    In the sweat of your face you will eat bread
            until your return to the earthen soil
                    for from it you were taken
    For dust are you
            and to dust you shall return.”

you are cursed more than all the beasts and all the animals of the field - In Hebrew a play on words: Now the serpent is not more cunning (arum, ערום) than all the other creatures, but he is more cursed (arur, ערור).

Enmity I will put between you and the Woman, and between your seed and her seed, He will strike you head, and you will strike him heel -This curse has been variously interpreted and translated. I have attempted a very literal translation. It may play a simple etiological purpose by explaining "mythically" the relationship between snakes and people. However, early Christian writers saw the reference to "seed" in the singualr as the first prophetic reference to the Messiah who would deliver creation from the curses issued here due to Adam's disobedience. Aramaic Targum Onkelos has: "he will remember what you have done to him from of old, and you will bear animosity until the end" (‏הוּא יְהֵי דְכִיר מָא דַעֲבַדת לֵיה מִלְקַדמִין וְאַת תְהֵי נָטַר לֵיה לְסוֹפָא). The LXX has " he shall watch against thy head, and thou shalt watch against his heel" (αὐτός σου τηρήσει κεφαλήν καὶ σὺ τηρήσεις αὐτοῦ πτέρναν).

“Increasing I will increase your painful grief and your conception, In painful grief you will bring forth sons - I believe this has been a greatly misunderstood passage due to the English words used. I do not believe it has to do with the actual pains of giving birth. The Hebrew yld can simply mean "to bring forth" and is used of men as well as women in the Scriptures in terms of children. The Hebrew word often translated "pain", etseb (עצב) is better understood as pain in terms of grief and the labor of hard work. It is the same word used in the curse of the soil and Adam later in terms of his labor in the adamah. For an example of how etseb can be understood, see Gen. 6:6 where it is used in terms of YHWH's grief over creating humanity: "Gen 6:6 And the LORD was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart." This translation is supported by the and the LXX, which renders etseb as lupe, which Louw and Nida describe as state of unhappiness marked by regret as a result of what has been done". In the agrarian culture of the ANE, this curse had very real implications. First, without contraceptives the possibility of pregnancy continued until menopause. While pregnant the women also had to continue to labor at their work, the "toil" continued. Not only that, but many pregnancies ended in either death of the child at birth or later, as well as the risk of death to the mother. In terms of the Genesis story, we must remember also that one of Eve's first two sons kills the other. There is certainly pain or grief in Eve's motherhood very literally, and it should be noted that Abel's name in Hebrew is Hebel, or "emptiness". For her bringing children into the world meant suffering.

Towards your Man is your desire, and He will rule you -"Desire"here is a strong desire, like "lust". In line with the curse regaring pregnancy and bringing forth children, the Woman is still drawn to her Man despite the risks and pain. As a part of the curse, Man is given rule over the Woman. Unlike the Genesis 2 passage where she is ezer knegdo, a "helper/sustainer" parrallel to hiim.

Because you listened to the voice of your Woman -Again, the Hebrew idiom for "obey". Adam obeyed his Woman in regards to the fruit. Perhaps this plays a part in the "Man will rule over you" curse of the Woman.

Cursed is the earthen soil regarding your produce, in painful grief you will eat all the days of your life -Cursed is the adamah for the Adam. The very thing he was made of becomes a curse and source of suffering for him, much like the source of the woman becomes a source of suffering for her. The "painful grief" is the same Hebrew term used for the woman in her conceptions and "bringing forth" of sons.

until your return to the earthen soil for from it you were taken, For dust are you and to dust you shall return - In conjuction with "all the days of your life" the reference to dust hints back at the curse regarding the serpent who will "east dust all the days" of his life. The implication here may be that Adam had expected to live forever prior to this, but there is not evidence in the story itself that death (for man or animal) had not come into the world. Similarly, there is no evidence that death did exist in the world prior to this.

And Adam called the name of his Woman Eve, "Life", because she was the Mother of all the Living.

And YHWH Elohim made to Earthling and his Woman garments of skin and clothed them. And YHWH Elohim said, “See, the Earthling has become like one of us, knowing good and bad; and now he might stretch out his hand, take also from the Tree of Life and eat, and live forever.” And YHWH Elohim sent him from the Garden of Eden, to serve the earthen soil from where he was taken. He drove out the Earthling and placed east of the Garden of Eden cherubim and the flame of the turning sword to guard the path to the Tree of Life.

Eve, "Life" - In Hebrew Eve, Chawah, means "life". It could also be play on words due to the similarities between her Hebrew name and the Aramaic term for "snake", chiywa.

garments of skin and clothed them - Without vowel markings this could be "garments of light", which has led to much mystical speculation within certain portions of Judaism. From a Platonic perspective, one ancient interpretation was that up until this point the Man and Woman had "spirit-bodies" rather than physical bodies, and that God clothed humanity with skin at this point. Generally, however, the idea was that God out of his mercy provided clothing for the Man and Woman from the skin of animals. Which would mean, of course, that God killed the first animals and a Christian interpretation is that God provided the first sacrifice to cover mankind at this point.

Earthling has become like one of us, knowing good and bad - Again, God confirms that the disbodedience has actually somehow made the humans more like Him or Divine Beings. This has been the source of much discussion since ancient times to the present.

now he might stretch out his hand, take also from the Tree of Life and eat, and live forever - The implication is that God does not now want humanity to partake from this tree.

And YHWH Elohim sent him from the Garden of Eden, to serve the earthen soil from where he was taken. He drove out the Earthling and placed east of the Garden of Eden cherubim and the flame of the turning sword to guard the path to the Tree of Life. -God drives the Adam from the Garden. Cherubim were common carved guardians of sacred sites, palaces, and Temples in the ANE. These were typically seen as terrifying divine man-beasts, not to be confused with the "little baby angels" of Christian art.