The Literal Meaning of Genesis
BOOK ELEVEN THE SIN OF ADAM AND EVE AND THEIR
EXPULSION FROM PARADISE
CHAPTER 1
The text of Genesis 2.25-3.24.
1. Adam and his wife were both naked, and they were not ashamed. Now the serpent was the most subtle of all the wild creatures which the Lord God had made on the earth. And the serpent said to the woman: "Why did God say, 'You shall not eat of every tree in Paradise'?" And the woman said to the serpent: "We may eat of the fruit of trees that are in Paradise, but regarding the fruit of the tree in the middle of Paradise, God satd: 'You shall not eat of it nor shall you touch it, lest you die." And the serpent said to the woman: "You will not die the death. For God knew that on the day on which you would eat of it your eyes would be open, and you would be like gods, knowing good and evil." And the.woman, seeing that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes and a delight to behold, took of tts fruit and ate; and she gave some to her husband, and they ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they perceived that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
And they heard the voice of the Lord God as He walked in Paradise in the late afternoon, and then Adam and hts wife hid themselves from the face of the Lord God amidst the trees of Paradise. And the Lord God called Adam and said to him: "Adam, where are you?" Adam replied: "I heard Thy voice as Thou went walking in Paradise, and I was afraid because I am naked, and I hid myself." The Lord God said to him: "Who told you that you were naked but that you have eaten of the one tree whereof I had commanded you not to eat?" And Adam re-