The Eden Creation Narrative

(Genesis 2:4 - 4:16)
This is the history of the creation of the earth and sky from the time that Jehovah the god devised them.  As yet, the plants and vegetation had not emerged from the ground, for it had not rained and there was no one to cultivate the soil.  And so Jehovah produced a welling up of water from the earth to irrigate the entire surface of the land.  Jehovah fashioned a human being from the elements of the earth, breathed into his nostrils the essence of life, and brought life to the man, Adam.  In the east Jehovah established a nature preserve, Eden, and in it placed the man he had created.  There, Jehovah planted the finest trees, ones that were fruit-bearing or ornamental, and among them were the Tree of Eternal Life and the Tree of Moral Consciousness.  The river that irrigated Eden and flowed out of the preserve was formed by the convergence of four tributaries: the first was the Pison, which came from the Arabian country of Havilah, a source of much fine gold, trees yielding bdellum resin, and onyx stone; the second, the Gihon, had its source in Elam in southeastern Iran; the third was the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria; and the fourth was the Euphrates.

Jehovah put the man in the nature preserve so that he would tend and watch over it.  But Jehovah warned Adam, “You may partake of the fruits from any of the trees in the preserve, but you must never eat from the Tree of Moral Consciousness, for if you do, you will surely die.”

Jehovah then declared, “It isn’t good for a man to be alone.  I will make an suitable companion for him.”   Out of the earth Jehovah fashioned every animal of the field and every bird of the sky.  He presented them to Adam to see how he would name them.  The names that Adam chose for each living creature would remain in use.  Adam named the livestock, the birds of the sky, and the animals of the field.  However there was not one of them that qualified as a suitable companion for him.

Thus Jehovah administered to Adam an anesthetic, and when he was fully comatose, he surgically removed some flesh from his side, afterwards suturing the wound. From the tissue sample he had taken from Adam, Jehovah was able to produce a female human.  He presented her to Adam, who said, “She is my flesh and blood, and because she is derived from me, a man, she shall be called woman." (Thus should a man leave his parents and marry a woman so that the two will become as one person.)
 
They, Adam and his wife, were unclothed, but found no shame in their nudity.

Now the reptilian being was more cunning and devious than any of the creatures Jehovah had made.  It taunted Adam's wife, "Why doesn't Jehovah let you eat the fruit of all the trees in Eden?"

She answered, "We do eat of all the trees, except for the Tree of Moral Consciousness in the center of the park.  Jehovah told us we mustn't, for if we eat from it, or even touch it, we will die."

The reptilian scoffed, "Nonsense, you won't die!  But Jehovah knows that if you eat from it your consciousness will be expanded and you will become like him, recognizing the difference between good and evil."

The woman saw that the tree was quite pretty and that it's fruit seemed good to eat.  She plucked a fruit from the tree, ate it, and then offered some of it to her husband, who also partook of it.

As a result of eating the fruit, their minds were awakened.  They suddenly became aware that they were both naked and were rightfully embarrassed.  Consequently, to cover themselves, they made aprons by fastening together leaves from a fig tree.

They heard the voice of Jehovah as he was walking through the park in the cool shade of the afternoon.  Adam and his wife concealed themselves from him amid the shrubbery.  Jehovah called out to Adam, "Where are you?"

Adam replied, "I heard your voice in the park.  I was afraid to see you because I was naked, so I hid from you."

Jehovah asked him, "Who told you that you were naked? -- unless you partook of the fruit of the tree that I forbade you to eat."

"The woman that you gave to me as a companion, she was the one who offered me the fruit from the tree and made me eat it," answered Adam.

Jehovah demanded of the woman, "What have you done?"

"The reptilian being trick me.  That’s why I ate it,” was her excuse.

Jehovah berated the reptilian, "Because of what you have done your kind will be cursed more than any of the domestic livestock or wild animals.  You will be condemned to crawl on your belly all your life and eat the dust of the earth.  There shall be an animosity between you and the woman that will remain between your offspring and her descendants.  She will step on your head and you will strive to bite her heel."

To the woman Jehovah said, "I will increase your sorrows: you will experience the pains of pregnancy and the agony of childbirth; you will be subordinated to your husband, and he will lord over you."

And to Adam he said, "Because you heeded your wife and ate from the fruit of the forbidden tree that I commanded you not to eat, your labor will henceforth be cursed and the ground you work will bring forth only thorns and thistles.  Those are the plants of the earth that will be your food.  All your life you will know nothing but hard work.  In the sweat of your brow will you eat your food until you return to the earth from whence you came.  For you are only dirt and you will go back to being dirt!"

Because she would be the mother of all living men, Adam called his wife Eve [meaning “spring of life”].

Jehovah fashioned garments of animal skins for Adam and his wife, and in them they were clothed.

Jehovah, speaking to the companions of his own race, observed, “Adam has become our equal, knowing the difference between good and evil. Now, unless we deter him, he may eat from the Tree of Eternal Life and live forever -- and then ...”  Therefore, Jehovah banished him from Eden and sent him out to till the earth from whence he came.

Expelling Adam, Jehovah posted as sentinels to the eastern entrance of Eden, Cherubim with “swords” that flashed and rotated, guarding the path to the Tree of Eternal Life.
 
Adam had sexual relations with his wife Eve, who became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.  "I have received a man from Jehovah!" she proclaimed. She then bore his brother Abel.  Abel became a shepherd, while Cain was a farmer.

After a time, Cain brought as gifts to Jehovah the fruits of his husbandry, while Abel presented choice animals of his flock and their meat.  Jehovah favored Abel and accepted his offerings, but rejected those of Cain.  Cain, consequently, became resentful and depressed.

Jehovah questioned Cain, "Why are you so disgruntled and down at the mouth?  If you had conducted yourself properly, you’d be wearing a happy face now. But you haven’t.  Jealousy is like a wild animal crouching outside your door. If you don’t tame it, it will attack and devour you.”

Cain had a talk with his brother Abel and enjoined him to go outside for a walk, but once they were in the fields, Cain attacked and murdered him.

Afterwards, Jehovah enquired of Cain, "Where’s your brother Abel?”

“How do I know?” he responded.  “Am I supposed to be my brother's keeper?”

"What have you done?" Jehovah demanded.  "I sense the blood of your brother crying out to me from beneath the earth. ---  You shall be cursed by the soil that has soaked up your brother's blood.  You will cultivate the land, but nothing will grow for you.  You will become a homeless fugitive."

Cain replied, "Your punishment is too great to bear!  You stop me from working my land  and banish me from your presence?  I will be nothing more than a wanderer upon the earth .  Anyone that comes across me will probably kill me.”

Jehovah assured him, "No, no, that won't be the case.  Anyone who kills you will be punished seven fold."  Jehovah then put a mark on Cain so that anyone who came across him would be deterred from killing him.

Cain took his leave of Jehovah and wandered about the land to the east of Eden.

Cain had sexual relations with his wife, who became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch.  Cain, who was building a city, named it after his son.

To Enoch was born a son Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael.  Mehujael fathered Methusael and he, in turn, fathered Lamech.  Lamech had two wives, the first being Adah, the other Zillah.  Adah was the mother of Jabal, the first of those who dwell in tents and raise cattle.  His brother's name was Jubal, a musician who invented the harp and the pipes.  Zillah was the mother of Tubalcain, the first smith, forged tools in brass and iron.  His sister was Naamah.

Lamech confided to his wives Adah and Zillah,  "My wives, listen to what I have to say: I have killed a man who wounded me and also a youth who beat me up.  If Cain should be punished seven times, then I should be punished seventy and seven times."

Adam had relations with his wife again and she bore him a son whom he called Seth.

"Jehovah has granted me another child to replace Abel, whom Cain killed," proclaimed his wife.

When Seth grew up he had a son called Enosh.  It was during his time that the people began to worship Jehovah as a god.

Notes
1. Jehovah (which I have arbitrarily used instead of the Hebrew Yahweh) is not necessarily the same entity as Elohim of the first narrative, since the two narratives come from different sources, as has been well established by Biblical scholars.  Jehovah is introduced as a creator god, but the cursory story of earth's creation has many dissimilarities to that presented in the first narrative -- no mention of six days or of an itemizing of creative acts.  In the first, the earth is covered with water and land is made to appear, while in the second the earth is all dry land and water is introduced so that things could grow.  Jehovah, though assumed to be the earth’s creator, is, foremost, the creator of man, the first man, although it is not stated specifically that his creation at Eden was unique.  As the Eden and the Flood narratives unfold, Jehovah displays few attributes one would expect of God.  It is clearly stated that he created man in his physical image and Jehovah is portrayed as walking through Eden as any man would.  He possesses human senses and while his senses seem enhanced, he is not omniscient.  He must call out to Adam, because he doesn't know where he is.  He doesn't know that Adam has partaken from the Tree of Moral Consciousness, he only suspects it.  He must ask Eve her motivation in eating the fruit, he doesn't already know it.  Later, he must ask Cain where his brother is.  Yet, Jehovah senses that Abel has been murdered, suggesting possession of paranormal senses and psychic abilities that may be superhuman, but not divine.  He lies to Adam and Eve about the lethal affect of eating the forbidden fruit.  He is capable of changing his mind. Jehovah also exhibits human emotions, joy and satisfaction, displeasure, sorrow and regret, anger and vengefulness.  He exercises what seems like unfair favoritism.  He is quick to deny, to scold, to curse, and is slow to offer praise or encouragement.  He is less an understanding and sympathetic father than a stern and unforgiving slave master.

2.  I have avoided referring to Eden as the "Garden of Eden" as it is called in the King James Version (the Douay-Rheims Version calls it a "paradise of pleasure"!) since a garden, in modern terminology, is a plot of flowers or vegetables.  It was obviously more like a park or, better, a nature preserve.  Even if the terms are somewhat awkward, I have called the two "spiritual" trees in Eden, the Tree of Eternal Life and the Tree of Moral Consciousness, in accord with their actual properties. 

3.  The rivers referenced in the Eden have always been problematic, but have been used to locate Eden geographically.  Eden, being on a plain, could not possibly furnish the headwater of any river and only a huge expanse of mountainous terrain could provide the origin of four rivers.  Four rivers could not have flowed out of Eden as most translations have it.  The four rivers must have flowed into Eden and were tributaries of the unnamed river that flowed out of it.  Rather than placing Eden somewhere north of Mesopotamia, this interpretation would place Eden near the Persian Gulf where the Tigris and Euphrates join to form the Shatt al-Arab or its antediluvian ancestor.  The other two rivers, though no longer existent, very likely flowed from southwestern Iran and northeastern Arabia to join the ancient Shatt al-Arab.  Satellite imagery has confirmed that ancient river beds still exist in those areas.  Another reason for locating Eden near the Persian Gulf is that the region was the ancestral home of the Hebrews, presumably descendants of the Sumerians, who inhabited southern Mesopotamia and created what is thought to be the Middle East's earliest civilization.  Although there is disagreement on this matter, the preponderance of evidence places Eden in southern and not northern Mesopotamia.

4.  One wonders why Jehovah placed the two forbidden trees in the park of Eden in the first place, if their fruit was not intended for man.  It is more pertinent to question why the story teller did so, since the existence of forbidden fruit is necessary to illustrate the moral of the tale.  The disobedience in tasting the forbidden fruit is a necessary plot device to justify the expulsion from Eden, the fall of Man, and the doctrine of Original Sin.  The theme of mankind living in some kind of Golden Age, which was then brought to a close owing to human misconduct, is a quite common theme in mythology.  Almost all ancient peoples believed that man in the distant past lived in some near-idyllic state.

5.  In this second narrative the creation of woman is something of an afterthought.  Perhaps Jehovah's creation, Adam, was originally meant to be a singular achievement, merely an experiment.  Also interesting is the fact that a woman was created to be a companion for Adam, so he wouldn't be alone or lonely, and not for the more obvious purpose of reproduction and propagation of the human race, which would be stressed by Jehovah many times subsequently.  Also, it must be taken that a considerable period of time passes between the creation of Adam and the creation of Eve; in the Elohim Creation Narrative both man and woman are created on the sixth day.

6.  The introduction of the snake-tempter into the narrative is curious.  Why a talking snake all of a sudden when none of the other animals of Eden are noted to possess speech or human-like intelligence, but were, presumably, normal animals?  There is no hint in the narrative that the snake was inhabited by some satanic spirit, as might be supposed.  It must be regarded as merely a fanciful touch to the story: a tempter was needed and their were no other human or divine characters on hand to fulfill that function.  Perhaps the snake relates to the mythology, in both the East and West, of the dragon.  For the story to make any sense, the snake must be a not a snake per se, but a reptilian being, a humanoid who would have high intelligence and the power of speech.  The text claims that this is another creation of Jehovah, suggesting that perhaps not all the inhabitants of Eden were “animals.”  The reptilian might have been the result of an earlier experiment.

7.  The eating of the forbidden fruit endowed man with a moral conscience, something that must be regarded as an essential element separating man from animal.  That Jehovah did not bestow this upon man, or wish man to acquire it seems to point to the desire not to create a complete man, in a spiritual sense.  Woman and then man, with the connivance of the reptilian tempter, acquired this attribute on their own and were severely punished for it.  There is the implication that Jehovah did not wish to create a being that would be an equal or rival, yet this would be absurd if Jehovah were really an omniscient, all-powerful Creator.  Jehovah decides to curse his creations and exile the First Couple from Eden so that they may not succeed in tasting the fruit of the Tree of Eternal Life and becoming immortal like him.  One keeps asking why the two magical trees were placed in Eden in the first place.  Perhaps to test the humans' obedience and forbearance?  (It seems that Jehovah was as much a tempter as the “snake.”)

8.  A very significant verse is that of Jehovah commenting "Adam has become our equal ..."  Again  there is "we."  Jehovah is probably speaking to someone, perhaps companions or underlings who are of his own race.  Deserving of serious consideration is the theory that the Eden creation narrative is not a myth, a fanciful story made up out of whole cloth, but is based on an actual event, or at least the imperfect, incomplete, and misunderstood memories of that event.  That Jehovah was one of a group of humanoid extraterrestrials who came to earth and genetically manipulated the life here is certainly not farfetched.  Jehovah may have created the first homo sapiens from the hominid inhabitants of a primitive earth.  This may be a race memory of that event and the narratives of Genesis chronicle his, or his race’s often difficult relationship with his creations.

9.  The clothes that Adam and Eve made for themselves were probably apron-like garments of fig leaves that were probably tied together by the stems.  It is unlikely they had needle and thread.   Before booting Adam and Eve (not yet so named) out of the paradise of Eden, Jehovah outfits them in a wardrobe.  Obviously the fig leaf apparel would only take them so far, especially in the less hospitable environment outside of Eden, but all Adam and Eve are given are clothes of animal skins that Jehovah apparently made himself.  Were there no used garments or hand-me-downs available?  Did Jehovah really slaughter and skin some of his animals himself, tan the hides and sew them, or perhaps leave them furry (in accordance with accepted caveman chic)?  Didn't Jehovah have access to technology sufficient to produce textiles?  Jehovah himself could not have been naked since a newly aware Adam would have noticed it.  Therefore, he must have been wearing clothes, but of what kind?  (It's a fair bet they were not animal skins.)  Perhaps Jehovah did not wish to have the humans dress as he did, but to clothe them only in garments that they could readily make themselves.

10.  The sentinels placed to guard the entrance to Eden, the Cherubim, are assumed to be angelic beings.  Were they members of Jehovah’s race or of an inferior race or class?  It is more likely, though, that they were not beings at all but mechanical or electronic security devices that would serve to guard the entrance to Eden and inflict death if necessary.  (The Cherubim described later by the prophet Ezekiel also sound like mechanical or electronic devices and not living beings.)  The swords which they held that rotated and flashed do not sound like swords at all, but may have been part of the security device.  Ancient vocabulary would be wanting in describing a high-tech weapon -- remember that the Native Americans referred to rifles as "fire sticks."  It seems obvious that if Jehovah were a spirit being he would not have to resort to physical means to achieve his ends.  He would not need physical weapons.  Why wouldn't Jehovah, if he were an all-powerful deity, simply create a force field around Eden, or something of that nature.  Wouldn't his godly will be sufficient to make happen anything he desired?  Apparently not, for he must avail himself of physical means to prevent the First Couple from getting at that Tree of Eternal Life, whatever it may be.  It is curious that he who apparently created the universe in no more than six days, has difficulty keeping a pair of skin-clad primitives from trespassing on his sacred park.  The obvious conclusion from these observations is that Jehovah is most certainly not God, as we conceive of Him, but a physical, man-like being, a person who is above the human only in knowledge and experience, in intelligence and intuitiveness, and in the technological resources at his disposal.

11.  That these sentinels or security devices guard the entrance to Eden suggest that Eden was an enclosed environment, a nature preserve set apart from the rest of the world, perhaps a laboratory where Jehovah and his associates could experiment with earthly life forms and create new forms through genetic manipulation and advanced techniques we may only dream of.  Indeed, it seems very likely, from an accurate and literal reading of the Eden Creation Narrative, that Adam, the first Man, or, more correctly, the first homo sapiens, was created by an extraterrestrial being through scientific and not supernatural means.  Indeed, in the creation of Eve the tissue sample taken from Adam's side suggests that it was to be used in genetic engineering, a means a supernatural, spiritual creator would certainly not need to reply upon.

12.  While the Eden Creation Narrative may seem merely mythological, especially as regards the talking snake and the magical fruit, its assertion about the origin of man has only in recent centuries been challenged from a scientific perspective.  When one compares it to the creation myths of other early cultures it contains far fewer elements of obvious fantasy and, indeed holds up very well -- a plausible tale with just a few fanciful embellishments, perhaps added to make a more meaningful and dramatic story.  After all, it was taken to be literal truth for more than three thousands years!

13.  When Eve gives birth to her first child, Cain, she hails it as a gift from Jehovah.  She didn't thank her husband: perhaps, even after eating that forbidden fruit, she was still ignorant of the facts of life.

14.  There is no reason given for Jehovah's snubbing of Cain and his gifts or for Jehovah's signal preference for Abel, except that Jehovah seems less a vegetarian than a beefsteak guy -- the fruits and veggies from Cain are less to his taste than the red meat Abel offers.   In a manner that seems dismissive, he rejects Cain's grousing over his being in Jehovah's dog house.  Unsatisfyingly, the spareness of the narrative does not reveal any back story. Whether Jehovah's treatment of Cain was just or whether Cain was a victim of unfair favoritism is unrevealed, but obviously the rejection Cain suffered was sufficient to push him over the edge and make him a murderer.
15.  Being cursed and exiled was Cain's punishment for the murder of his brother.  This was apparently before the "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" period of justice, and Jehovah expressly wanted no one to avenge the crime by killing Cain.

16.  In order to prevent anyone who encounters him from killing Cain, Jehovah makes a mark upon him.  It is to known what this mark could have been, a tattoo on his forehead, or perhaps it might have been some sort of badge he would wear.  At any rate the mark of Cain is not a mark of shame, per se, but a symbol of protection.
 
17.  An extremely interesting part of the Cain story is Cain's fear that people should kill him.  Why was he worried about this?  Who were the people?   So far there is only Adam and Eve, his parents, and his brother Abel, who is now dead.  At this point, the entire population of the world should consist of only three people, if you accept that the creation of man in Eden as the single instance of creation. (Even Seth, Adam and Eve's third son, had not been born yet, for he was specifically referred to as a "replacement" for the deceased Abel.)  There can be no other man on earth, if all men are descended from Adam and Eve.  Did Adam have a slew of other wives whose sons have now populated the earth?  Even if this were true, one may imply that Cain was worried about encountering "strangers" who might, in ignorance of Jehovah's provision, slay him.  It seems unlikely he could be so seriously concerned about encountering mayhem from half-brothers or nephews who would certainly know him and be aware of Jehovah's wishes in the matter.  When Cain went into exile, he took his wife with him.  His wife!?  Where on earth did Madame Cain come from?  Was she a sister whose birth the story neglected to tell us about?  One can't escape the impression that the entire narrative assumes that there is a large population of people existent on the earth at this early point, not just Adam and his small family.  Perhaps Jehovah, in addition to Adam, created a whole race of men.  Perhaps there was already a population of people (Neanderthals?) on the planet when Adam was created.  Perhaps some of Jehovah's compatriots created their own Adams.  Many explanations are possible.
 
18. The children of Cain and those of Seth would have been only half Adamite, unless Jehovah created their wives as he had done Eve.  Otherwise, they would have to have been women from the existing population.  That population would have to have been of the same genus as Adam, though, to have mated with his sons.  But Adam seems to have been a unique creature, favoring the view that Jehovah and his companions created a whole race of men and not just one couple to populate the earth -- which makes sense.  Having Adam’s children mix and mate with the aboriginal “men” would seem counterproductive to Jehovah’s ends.
 
19. When Cain goes into exile he wanders to the east of Eden.  Many translations have him settling in the land of Nod.  Nod pretty much means wandering, so two interpretations of the text are possible.  A great deal is made of Cain being a homeless wanderer and Jehovah says that’s what he will be.  If Cain simply picked up stakes and moved to a neighboring land to settle, Nod, he would not have been a homeless wanderer.  Therefore, the translation suggesting that he wandered in the land to the east of Eden rather than settling in the land of Nod to the east of Eden is the more likely one and the one more consistent with the narrative.
 
20.  Cain manages to found a city -- another indication that there is a considerable population of people then living.  A city’s population would not consist of merely Cain, his wife, and whatever sons he would father besides the mentioned Enoch, after whom the city was named. Also, the founding of the city points out that Cain, despite Jehovah's curse, did quite well for himself in his exile.  Unfortunately, nothing is known of the city of Enoch save that is was likely located somewhere east of Eden.  It must be remembered that Enoch, the son of Cain, is a different person from Enoch, the descendant of Seth, mentioned later.
 
21.  The confession of Lamech, Cain's great, great grandson, seems something of a non-sequitur, although other sources have concocted stories to justify its inclusion, to wit, that he was the killer of Cain --  but that is clearly not what the biblical text says.  Also, worthy of mention is the fact that Lamech had two wives, both alive at the same time, since he addresses them collectively in his murder confession.  Is he to be honored as mankind's first bigamist?
 
22.  Something that could be taken as an anachronism is the reference that Tubalcain was an ironsmith.  Unless the secret was known in antediluvian times and then lost for a few thousand years, civilized man hadn't acquired the knock of working in iron until about 2000 BC, although the Iron Age didn't begin in the Middle East until 1200 BC.  (Of course, Genesis was written during the Iron Age.)
 
23. It was’t until the time of Enosh that the descendants of Adam began to worship Jehovah as a god.  Why did they wait so long?  Didn’t Adam think Jehovah was God?  Did the earliest men not feel the need to worship the divine?  One would expect that Seth’s people would be worshipers of Jehovah, while the descendants of Cain, on bad terms with Jehovah, would not.  It is also implied that before that time Jehovah, an exalted, superhuman, but physical being, was viewed only as man's creator and master, not as God or a god.  He was probably thenceforth identified with Elohim and the functions of a universal deity and creator were attributed to him.  As mentioned in an earlier note, there is a current body of opinion, controversial, speculative, but well-reasoned, that Jehovah was one of many extraterrestrial beings who visited earth in ancient, perhaps prehistoric times and conducted genetic experiments here, specifically, creating from primitive hominids human beings whose genetic makeup would be compatible with that of Jehovah's race.  The scenario is not only worthy of serious examination, but is fairly credible, if, with an open mind, one discards the biases of theology and the dubious certainties of the pseudo-science that passes for established doctrine.  Moreover, it makes the narratives of Genesis something more than faith-inspired fables, but simplified if somewhat muddled accounts of true events, memories from the remotest antiquity that, if demystified, furnish intriguing clues to the true origin of man.