NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible CBSB_Digital Sampler | Page 14
12 | Genesis 3:6
GENESIS 3:1
I
The Serpent
n the Gilgamesh Epic, after Gilgamesh acquires the magical plant that will reju-
venate him, it is stolen by a snake. In the Story of Adapa, one of the guardians of
Anu’s palace, where Adapa is offered the food of life, is serpent-shaped or accom-
panied by horned serpents, and he is the guardian of the demons who live in the
netherworld. In Egypt, the serpent was associated with both death and wisdom. The
Genesis account draws on both aspects in the wisdom dialogue between the serpent
and Eve and with the introduction of death after the expulsion from Eden.
Many Egyptian gods, especially the primeval gods, were represented in serpent
form. Wadjit, a lower Egyptian deity, was considered the protector of the pharaoh and
is represented by the uraeus serpent on his crown. The earth-god Geb had a serpent’s
head. The snake-god Apophis was considered the enemy of order. In addition, the idea
that animals in general, and serpents in particular, could communicate with humans
is common in Egyptian literature. Serpents in Egypt are also connected with occult
wisdom. The ureaus is sometimes invoked as a magician.
Because of the NT and the development of Christian theology, it is most common
for people today immediately to think of Satan as the serpent in Ge 3, but the Israel-
ites never made that connection. We cannot recover what Adam and Eve would have
thought about the serpent, but the ancient Near Eastern literature gives us an idea of
some of the images that came to mind for the Israelites living in their time and culture.
Foremost is the association of the serpent with life and death. Likewise the serpent
is wise, is connected with disorder, and can be the enemy of God — perspectives that
are meaningful in this context. ◆
6 When the wom
an saw that the f ruit of
the tree was good for food and pleasing to
the eye, and also desirable e for gaining wis
dom, she took some and ate it. She also
gave some to her husband, who was with
her