Adam & Eve (Genesis 1:26–28; Genesis 2:7; Genesis 2:15–25; Genesis 3:1–7; Genesis 3:8–13; Genesis 3:14–19; Genesis 3:20–24; Genesis 4:1–2; Genesis 4:25–26; Genesis 5:1–5; 1 Chronicles 1:1; Luke 3:38; Romans 5:12–14; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 1 Corinthians 15:45; 2 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Timothy 2:13–14; Jude 1:14)

The First Man and the Mother of All Living

The man formed of the dust of the ground and the woman made from his rib, put in the garden of Eden under one command; the woman ate and gave to her husband, who ate; they hid, were questioned, and were sent out, and Eve bore Cain, Abel and Seth.

Genesis says that “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27). “Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7), and put him in the garden of Eden. The woman is made from his rib, and Genesis adds, “they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Through much of Genesis 2-3 the ASV calls them simply “the man” (Genesis 3:20) and “the woman” (Genesis 3:1); the name Adam first stands in the text at Genesis 3:17, and “the man called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living” (Genesis 3:20).

The serpent asks the woman about God's command, and when “the woman saw that the tree was good for food … she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat” (Genesis 3:6). They hide from the LORD God; the man answers, “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat” (Genesis 3:12), and the woman answers, “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat” (Genesis 3:13). God speaks to the serpent, the woman and Adam, makes them coats of skins, and drives the man out of the garden (Genesis 3:14-24).

Eve bears Cain and Abel, and later bears Seth, saying, “God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel; for Cain slew him” (Genesis 4:25). Genesis records of Adam: “all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died” (Genesis 5:5); it does not record Eve's death. The New Testament names them again: Adam is “the son of God” (Luke 3:38) in the genealogy of Luke (Luke 3:38); “as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22); and “as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness” (2 Corinthians 11:3).

Strengths

• Gave names to every living creature (Adam)
• Received his wife as “bone of my bones” (Adam)
• Owned the LORD's help at Cain's birth (Eve)
• Saw Seth as God's appointed seed (Eve)

Weaknesses

• Beguiled by the serpent (Eve)
• Took of the fruit and ate (Eve)
• Hearkened to his wife and ate (Adam)
• Blamed the woman God gave him (Adam)
• Hid from the presence of God (both)

Themes

• Made in God's image
• The one command
• The serpent's question
• Hiding and blaming
• Dust and return
• Seed and descendants

Made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26–28)

God creates man in his own image, male and female, blesses them, and gives them dominion.

Formed of dust and placed in the garden (Genesis 2:7–9; Genesis 2:15–17)

The LORD God forms man of the dust, puts him in the garden of Eden to dress and keep it, and commands him not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The woman made from the man's rib (Genesis 2:18–25)

No help meet is found among the creatures the man names; the LORD God makes a woman from his rib, and the man receives her as bone of his bones.

The woman made from the man's rib

“It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him” (Genesis 2:18). God brought every beast and bird “unto the man to see what he would call them: and whatsoever the man called every living creature, that was the name thereof” (Genesis 2:19). “But for man there was not found a help meet for him” (Genesis 2:20).

“And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs … and the rib, which Jehovah God had taken from the man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man” (Genesis 2:21-22).

“And the man said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Genesis 2:23). “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed” (Genesis 2:25).

The serpent, the woman and the fruit (Genesis 3:1–7)

The serpent asks the woman about God's command and tells her they shall not surely die; she takes of the fruit and eats, gives to her husband with her, and he eats.

The serpent, the woman and the fruit

“Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1). The woman answers that of the trees they may eat, “but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die” (Genesis 3:3).

The serpent replies, “Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5).

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked” (Genesis 3:6-7).

Hiding and the questions of God (Genesis 3:8–13)

The man and his wife hide from the LORD God; he calls to the man, who blames the woman, and then asks the woman, who blames the serpent.

Hiding and the questions of God

“And they heard the voice of Jehovah God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Jehovah God amongst the trees of the garden. And Jehovah God called unto the man, and said unto him, Where art thou?” (Genesis 3:8-9).

He answered, “I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10). God asks, “Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?” (Genesis 3:11).

“The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat” (Genesis 3:12). Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat” (Genesis 3:13).

The words to the serpent, the woman and Adam (Genesis 3:14–19)

God curses the serpent, speaks of pain in childbearing to the woman, and tells Adam the ground is cursed for his sake and that he will return to dust.

The words to the serpent, the woman and Adam

To the serpent: “cursed art thou above all cattle … and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:14-15).

To the woman: “I will greatly multiply thy pain and thy conception; in pain thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee” (Genesis 3:16).

“And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life … in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Genesis 3:17-19).

Eve named, coats of skins, sent out (Genesis 3:20–24)

The man calls his wife Eve; the LORD God makes coats of skins for them and sends the man out of the garden, with Cherubim to keep the way of the tree of life.

Eve named, coats of skins, sent out

“And the man called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. And Jehovah God made for Adam and for his wife coats of skins, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:20-21).

God said, “Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever—” (Genesis 3:22). So “Jehovah God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (Genesis 3:23-24).

Cain and Abel born (Genesis 4:1–2)

The man knew Eve his wife; she bears Cain, saying she has gotten a man with the help of the LORD, and again bears Abel, a keeper of sheep.

Seth born instead of Abel (Genesis 4:25–26)

Adam knew his wife again; she bears Seth, saying God has appointed her another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

The generations of Adam (Genesis 5:1–5)

God called their name Adam in the day they were created; Adam begat Seth in his own likeness, and sons and daughters, and lived nine hundred and thirty years, and died.

The LORD God (Genesis 2:7; Genesis 2:16–17; Genesis 3:9–24)

Formed the man, commanded him, questioned them both, made them coats of skins, and sent the man out of the garden.

The serpent (Genesis 3:1–5; Genesis 3:14–15; 2 Corinthians 11:3)

Spoke to the woman, saying “Ye shall not surely die” (Genesis 3:4); the LORD God cursed it and put enmity between it and the woman.

Cain (Genesis 4:1; Genesis 4:25)

The first son Eve bore, saying she had gotten a man with the help of the LORD; Eve later speaks of Abel as one whom Cain slew.

Abel (Genesis 4:2; Genesis 4:25)

Cain's brother, a keeper of sheep, for whom Eve says God appointed Seth instead.

Seth (Genesis 4:25–26; Genesis 5:3)

Born to Adam and Eve after Abel; Adam begat him in his own likeness, after his image.

Major sections

• Genesis 1:26–2:25
• Genesis 3
• Genesis 4:1–2
• Genesis 4:25–5:5
• Romans 5:12–21
• 1 Corinthians 15:21–49
• 1 Timothy 2:11–15

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