The Literal Meaning of Genesis
teach men to speak whom He had made in such a way that they could learn this art from others in case there were others present from whom they might learn.
CHAPTER 17
Was the prohibition against eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil given to both the man and the woman?
36. With very good reason it is asked whether God gave his command to the man only or to the woman also. But the writer has not yet told how the woman was made. Can it be that she really was already made? On this supposition the writer has subsequently recapitulated what was previously done by telling how it was done.8?
The words of Scripture are: And the Lord God commanded Adam, saying.... The writer did not say, "He commanded them." Then he continues: You may eat of every tree that is in Paradise. He did not say, "You both may eat."88 Then God added: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you [plural] shall not eat. Here the verb is in the plural, presumably because God is addressing both of them; and then He concludes this command still using the plural form: Jn the day that you eat of it you shall aie."
Another explanation could be that, since God knew He was going to make the woman for the man, He thus gave His command with observance of the proper order so that the command of the Lord would come through the man to the woman. This is the rule that St. Paul urges in the church: /f they would learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home.