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Reading Notes: Adam and Eve Part A


Comparing the story of Adam and Eve in the King James Version and the Ginzberg version shows a difference in presentation of the genesis story. While the King James version was more difficult to read, it did align more with the true content of the story as the Ginzberg version was written through a Jewish perspective. Although the plot is well known and it can be difficult to comment on religious stories, I think it it is interesting to analyze the characters of Adam among the two versions. The King James version is not as "hyperbolic' in the description of Adam as compared to Ginzberg. This may due to Ginzber's story being quite longer than the King James version. Nevertheless, Ginzberg presents Adam as supernatural before his downfall, having a height that reached the heavens. He is also described as having celestial clothing that prevents him from being seen as naked. Additionally, Ginzberg makes use of much personification in his stories, The moon, sun, and Earth are all depicted as having a conscious and awareness of their surrounding. As such, the moon and Earth are punished for failing to testify against Adam when witnessing his sin. Overall, it is clear that that the Ginzberg story was supposed to be presented more as a legend, as the title "The Legend of the Jews" suggests, compared to the more religious tone of Genesis. If I were to give simple nicknames to the characters, Adam would be "First Man" and Serpent as "Bringer of Sin". When it comes to the setting of the story, it can be somewhat difficult to image what the Garden of Eden would look like. Yet, Ginzberg helps with the reader's imagery by detailing the numerous trees and full of the animals that God created it. Despite these descriptions, it can be difficult to create an imagery of a "perfect" place. The King James version is even more bare in its description of the setting.

Bibliography:
King James Bible (1611): Genesis 1-2.
The Legends of the Jews by Louis Ginzberg (1909): Book 1, Chapter 2 Adam.

Wikimedia Commons: Adam and Eve tempted by the Serpent

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