In which an alternative view is offered regarding the exit of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, the action of women and the relationship of men and women are explored and the story of Cain and Abel is reinterpreted in light of the actions taken during the Garden of Eden Story.

In order to fully appreciate the posts in this series, it is recommended that the posts comprising the series “In God’s Image” and “Imagination and the Mind of Man” be read before reading the posts in this series.

Another Interpretation of the Garden of Eden Story

Review of the previous post.

The previous post, post number 1 of 17, introduced the topic.

Preview of this post.

This post, post number 2 of 17, is the first post in a series of posts discussing various arguments that have been proposed for the “banishment” of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden and speculates about why Adam and Eve were not given an opportunity to repent.

1. Arguments that leaving the Garden of Eden was not punishment of Adam and Eve

1. Adam and Eve were not given an opportunity to repent^[1].

The concept of repentance and the growth of human beings through repentance is a major theme and of major importance in the Bible. Entire cities are saved because they repent, such as Nineveh^[2] (a pagan city no less), were spared because of repentance; the prophets spent an enormous amount of time and energy on the subject and concept of repentance; and if one looks at it, even Pharaoh was given several opportunities to repent.  However, in the very first story about human beings and their relationship to God, Adam and Eve, God’s children, are not provided with any opportunity to repent for eating the forbidden fruit and their exit from the Garden of Eden has been viewed as punishment^[3]. If Adam and Eve were punished why were they not given an opportunity to repent before being punished? Perhaps, Adam and Eve did not need to repent because they did not transgress. Adam and Eve were not punished. In such a view, leaving the Garden of Eden was not punishment. This will be investigated further.

Adam and Eve did not request leniency

After it was clearly established that Adam and Eve had transgressed by violating the prohibition against eating fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, they did not express any regret nor did they request leniency, nor did they request a second chance. Were they acting like animals caught violating a rule, or were they simply too naïve to make such pleas? Or was something else going on?

Preview of the next post

The next post, post number 3 of 17, continues the discussion of various arguments that have been proposed for the “banishment” of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden and speculates that Adam and Eve were not, in fact, exiled from the Garden.

[1]  There is Midrash which does seem to imply that Adam and Eve were provided with an opportunity to repent: see, for example Tagum Yonatan which ties Adam’s recognition of his nakedness to a recognition and an embarrassment that he had transgressed – the first stage of repentance; there is further Midrash, Tanchuma, Tazria 9, which implies that God in his mercy did provide Adam and Eve with an opportunity to repent when He asked several open-ended questions hoping for a recognition of error and the beginning of an acceptance of responsibility but is rebuffed when Adam tries to blame Eve and Eve tries to blame the serpent rather than accepting responsibility for their actions and, therefore, God had to act and punish those who would not accept responsibility or self-punish.

^[2] However, it must be kept in mind that the city of Nineveh was ultimately destroyed and never rebuilt. It may have been that Jonah was prophesizing to Nineveh as much as 150 years before Nahum. Therefore, the story of Jonah in which the city is saved is even more meaningful as apparently, the Ninevehites returned to their evil ways. See the book of the Prophet Nahum.

^[3] In fact, the Torah does not specifically use terms such as “sin” or “punishment”. Nor does the Torah mention teshuvah or repentance.