The third chapter of Genesis continues J's story of the first humans and their life in the garden. In chapter 2 Yahweh gave the adam permission to eat of any tree in the garden except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Yahweh tells the first human that should he do so he would die. Well it turns out, Yahweh wasn't exactly telling the truth.
Why is Life Difficult and Painful?
Adam and Eve by Lucas Cranach the Elder - 16th century CE
As I mentioned in my previous post over Genesis 1 & 2, the Yahwist (J) is primarily concerned with etiological mythology. It seems to me the garden narrative's purpose is to explain the origin of many things, but primarily that of suffering and death. You're likely familiar with the story of Adam and Eve, but here's a quick run-down:
- The snake (the craftiest of the garden's creatures) tricks the woman into eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, promising that if she does she won't die, she'll be like the gods, knowing the difference between good and evil (3:1-6).
- The woman offers the fruit to the man, who also eats it (3:6).
- Their eyes are opened and they realize they are naked (3:7).
- The pair hear Yahweh walking through the garden and hide from him (3:8-10).
- Yahweh rebukes and curses them, kicking them out of the garden (3:11-22).
The Rebuke of Adam and Eve by Domenichino - 1626 CE
As illustrated in Domenichino's painting above, the adam is quick to blame his wife and shirk responsibility for disobeying Yahweh. Seriously, when questioned he immediately throws her under the bus (3:11-12). Real mature, dude.
Anyway, as I mentioned before, J is writing an etiological myth, and in doing so answers the following questions:
- Why don't snakes have legs? (3:14)
- Why do people fear snakes? (3:15)
- Why is childbirth painful? and why are men in charge (in patriarchal Hebrew society that is, heaven knows I'm not in charge)? (3:16)
- Why must men toil and work for their living? (3:17-19)
- Why do we die? (3:19)
That's a lot for one chapter of Genesis! But there are a few points of interest which I want to look at in a little more detail.
First, the snake tells the truth! Yahweh had been lying to them. Eating of the tree caused the humans to become moral agents. No longer simply animals, they in fact do take a step closer to divinity as they become responsible for their actions. The snake was right, the two have become like gods, able to decide right from wrong. Eating of the tree was not fatal, though they do wind up losing their immortality for a different reason. Perhaps the most important consequence which isn't exactly made explicit is that the humans become aware of their sexuality and ability to create more humans. Once again, they have usurped the divine role - that of creator. It is only after these events Eve receives her name, which is possibly a classic J double-entendre:
The subsequent curse of Cain plays up the adamah → adam literary theme even more. Cain's blood cries out to Yahweh from the ground (4:10). Therefore the ground will no longer yield its bounty for Cain (4:11-12). Cain laments that Yahweh has driven him from the soil, and that anyone he meets will surely kill him (4:13-14). So Yahweh somehow marks Cain and promises he will be avenged sevenfold should anyone kill him (4:15).
Wait what? Who's going to kill him? Aren't Adam, Eve, and Cain the only people on the planet? Well, maybe not. Perhaps this story is just the creation story of Yahweh's people. Or maybe the author simply didn't care if it made sense, because after all it's just a story. Genesis isn't literal history. It doesn't have to make sense. I mean seriously, just prior to this a talking snake tricked naked simpletons into eating fruit from a magic tree which helped them realize they can have sex. These are etiological stories meant to help explain the world the authors found themselves in as well as communicate their conceptions of the divine and their relationship with their god.
Anyway, the remainder of Chapter 4 is J giving a genealogy of Cain's descendants, including Lamech, who killed someone as well. For some reason that means that should he be killed he will be avenged seventy-seven times (4:23-24). I don't know how that follows, but maybe the point is that violence and revenge only beget more violence? I'm not sure what J is getting at with that one.
According to Friedman, the end of Chapter 4 is an insertion by a redactor which tells of the birth of a replacement son to Adam and Eve - Seth (4:25-26). This is important as Chapter 5 comes from a different source, known as the "Book of Records" or the "Book of Generations of Adam", which records a different genealogy from that of J's in chapter 4, descending through Seth instead of Cain. This source shares similarities with what are known as "Kings Lists" from other ANE cultures - including the exaggerated lifespans of those listed. Suspiciously, these genealogies contain some very similar and at times identical names:
This appears to be strong evidence of common traditions which had at one time diverged, but were then stitched back together in the final formation of the Torah. Whatever author(s) or communities composed the original sources knew some of the same names to be important in their national mythology, but disagreed on the details. You might notice a familiar name at the end of Seth's genealogy - that of Noah. We'll look at his story next time.
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Okay then! Noah has been introduced! Next time on Hartman's bible blog: things get wet.
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*Unlike the others in the genealogy of the Book of Records, Enoch is said to not have died, but simply "was no more, because God took him" (5:24). This special status becomes hugely important for the development of later apocalyptic traditions in Daniel, The Books of Enoch, and Christian theology.
First, the snake tells the truth! Yahweh had been lying to them. Eating of the tree caused the humans to become moral agents. No longer simply animals, they in fact do take a step closer to divinity as they become responsible for their actions. The snake was right, the two have become like gods, able to decide right from wrong. Eating of the tree was not fatal, though they do wind up losing their immortality for a different reason. Perhaps the most important consequence which isn't exactly made explicit is that the humans become aware of their sexuality and ability to create more humans. Once again, they have usurped the divine role - that of creator. It is only after these events Eve receives her name, which is possibly a classic J double-entendre:
The man named his wife Eve (hawwa), because she was the mother of all living. - Genesis 3:20The Hebrew word here, hawwa, literally means 'life' or 'to live' but shares a root with the word snake as well. Isn't that neat? But as fun as J's double or triple meanings might be, the more important thing here is where this naming occurs in the story. Before taking of the fruit the woman was not known as a mother. The knowledge of good and evil is not only that which is required to become a moral agent, but also carnal knowledge. It is explicitly for this reason that Yahweh banishes them from the garden:
Then Yahweh God said, "See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever" - Genesis 3:22Yahweh absolutely cannot allow the humans to now also eat of the tree of life now that they are aware of their sexual capabilities. The guy would have a whole race of immortal gods running around in his garden, trampling his vegetables and just making a mess of things! And so they are expelled (3:23-24). But not before Yahweh makes them some clothes (3:21). He's not so callous as to send them out into the world naked.
Speaking of that Sexual Awakening...
Humanity has lost Eden and its chance at immortality, but acquired the knowledge of how to create, stolen from the gods themselves. Eve says as much, when after giving birth to Cain she excitedly credits Yahweh with his creation (4:1). J then spends chapter 4 telling the story of the first two offspring of Adam and Eve: Cain and his younger brother Abel. From here things start going by quickly. J rapidly recounts the classic story of fratricide in which Yahweh inexplicably dicks over Cain, rejecting his sacrifice, stirring a jealous rage in his heart which drives him to murder his brother (4:2-8). This story contains two themes commonly found in the Hebrew literary tradition: The younger sibling being favored over the older, and the righteousness of the nomadic herdsmen over established agricultural society. Yahweh never really explains to Cain why he rejected his sacrifice, but instead basically says tells him he should have known better (4:6-7).
Cain and Abel by Desconocido - ivory panel from the cathedral of Salerno - ca. 1084 CE
The subsequent curse of Cain plays up the adamah → adam literary theme even more. Cain's blood cries out to Yahweh from the ground (4:10). Therefore the ground will no longer yield its bounty for Cain (4:11-12). Cain laments that Yahweh has driven him from the soil, and that anyone he meets will surely kill him (4:13-14). So Yahweh somehow marks Cain and promises he will be avenged sevenfold should anyone kill him (4:15).
Wait what? Who's going to kill him? Aren't Adam, Eve, and Cain the only people on the planet? Well, maybe not. Perhaps this story is just the creation story of Yahweh's people. Or maybe the author simply didn't care if it made sense, because after all it's just a story. Genesis isn't literal history. It doesn't have to make sense. I mean seriously, just prior to this a talking snake tricked naked simpletons into eating fruit from a magic tree which helped them realize they can have sex. These are etiological stories meant to help explain the world the authors found themselves in as well as communicate their conceptions of the divine and their relationship with their god.
Anyway, the remainder of Chapter 4 is J giving a genealogy of Cain's descendants, including Lamech, who killed someone as well. For some reason that means that should he be killed he will be avenged seventy-seven times (4:23-24). I don't know how that follows, but maybe the point is that violence and revenge only beget more violence? I'm not sure what J is getting at with that one.
According to Friedman, the end of Chapter 4 is an insertion by a redactor which tells of the birth of a replacement son to Adam and Eve - Seth (4:25-26). This is important as Chapter 5 comes from a different source, known as the "Book of Records" or the "Book of Generations of Adam", which records a different genealogy from that of J's in chapter 4, descending through Seth instead of Cain. This source shares similarities with what are known as "Kings Lists" from other ANE cultures - including the exaggerated lifespans of those listed. Suspiciously, these genealogies contain some very similar and at times identical names:
- J's Genealogy of Cain in Chapter 4:
- Cain
- Enoch
- Irad
- Mehujael
- Metheshael
- Lamech
- The Book of Records Genealogy of Seth in Chapter 5:
- Seth
- Enosh
- Kenan (~Cain)
- Mahalalel (~Mehujael)
- Jared (~Irad)
- Enoch*
- Methuselah (~Metheshael)
- Lamech
- Noah
This appears to be strong evidence of common traditions which had at one time diverged, but were then stitched back together in the final formation of the Torah. Whatever author(s) or communities composed the original sources knew some of the same names to be important in their national mythology, but disagreed on the details. You might notice a familiar name at the end of Seth's genealogy - that of Noah. We'll look at his story next time.
Psalm 13
Another psalm in which the author complains about Yahweh foresaking him. But of course he trusts that Yahweh will deliver him in the end. Of course, Yahweh didn't really help Abel out much, despite his favored status. He kind of just let him get murdered. Oh well?--
Okay then! Noah has been introduced! Next time on Hartman's bible blog: things get wet.
--
*Unlike the others in the genealogy of the Book of Records, Enoch is said to not have died, but simply "was no more, because God took him" (5:24). This special status becomes hugely important for the development of later apocalyptic traditions in Daniel, The Books of Enoch, and Christian theology.
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