The Discovery of Genesis (44 page)

“But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ And he said, T heard the sound of Thee in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself’” (Genesis 3:9, 10). At this point, they came forth from among the trees. The word
to come
shows this exactly. The
tree
radical
has been stretched out a bit to accomodate
two persons
. At the base of the
tree
is also a hook, or foot
, which gives the word action,
to come
(from behind a tree).

Having presented themselves before the Lord, Adam and Eve were filled with remorse as they awaited God’s next words: “Who told you that you were naked ? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” (Genesis 3:11). As a verdict was reached and the consequences specified, God said to the woman, “I will greatly multiply your
pain
[
sorrow
, KJV] in childbearing; in
pain
you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you” (Genesis 3:16).

Sorrow, distress, or pain
is written with two characters,
. Note first the second of these
which again depicts the two trees. The lower portion of figure denotes
a piece
, and in this case might refer to the forbidden
piece
of fruit which Eve took from the tree, thereby bringing sorrow upon the first couple and in turn upon the whole human race. Depicted in this figure is a single
person
:
indicates the legs;
shows the body with the right arm; and at the top of the representation
is the left arm with hand in hooked position, as if taking something. Does this picture Eve in the very act of stealing the forbidden
piece
of fruit
?