Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Liz Fried" <lizfried AT umich.edu>]

This is going to be the last I have to say on this.
It's gotten to the point where I am only repeating
myself.

>
> <Liz>
> Adam and Eve were created mortal. They were always going to die.
>
> <Bill>
> This does not seem explicit to me in Genesis, nor its opposite. It almost
> seems that they were in "limbo land" since they had to eat the one tree to
> die, the other to live forever!
No. They ate the one tree for knowledge of good and evil, moral
discernment. The other tree for imortality. They were not in limbo
since they were alive!
>
> <Liz>
> They were kicked out of the garden because God was afraid they
> would eat of
> the Tree of *Life* and so live forever (3:22).
>
> <Bill>
> I wouldn't have chosen the word "afraid", but the concern was not present
> prior to the eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
OK, concern then.
Right, the concern was not present before they ate from the tree of
knowledge. It was because they ate from the tree of knowledge, that
God was concerned they would now eat from the tree of life. Because
he knew that as soon as they did eat from the tree of life they
would live forever. Then they would be gods, knowing good and
evil, and living forever. They had already become like gods in that
they knew good from evil (as the snake said). Once they stretched
out their hands and obtained eternal life, they would really be gods.

>
> <Liz>
> Had they chosen to eat from that tree they would have lived forever, but
> they didn't. God hadn't forbidden them from eating from that tree, they
> could have eaten from it but they didn't. Why didn't God want them to eat
> from the tree of life?  Because as the snake said, man has now become like
> one of us (like a god), knowing good and evil (3:22). If he ate from the
> tree of life and lived forever, he would truly be a god.
>
> <Bill>
> Adam was a creature. That gap between creator and creature could never be
> crossed. The concern was not God fearing that he would lose his uniqueness
> (because he wanted Adam to bear his image) but rather that it was Adam's
> judgment for his transgression that he should not live forever.
No. What is the point of God saying, "He has become like us!"?
The snake says three things, all of which were correct:
                 1) you will not die when you eat it (beyom)
                2) your eyes will be opened (and their eyes were opened vs. 7)
                3) you be like God (or gods) knowing good and evil.
For YHWH says (vs.22)
"See the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil."


And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of
life, and eat, and live forever, YHWH sends him out.
Then he places a flaming sword and cherubim to guard the tree of life.


Best,
Liz

>