# What was the purpose of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-purpose-of-the-tree-of-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil/980405>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 26, 2023, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-purpose-of-the-tree-of-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil/980405 "2023-02-26T19:56:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 66

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**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-purpose-of-the-tree-of-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil/980405/66 "2023-02-27T22:42:17Z")

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> [@Max\_S](#):
>
> May want to check that one, I’m pretty sure Adam is formed before the tree is planted. I quoted the tree’s planting in Genesis 2:9 above, I believe Adam was formed just before that.

> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#):
>
> The timeline is confusing, but it looks to me like Adam and the Garden of Eden were created separately and then Adam was put into Eden “to work it and take care of it.”

Exactly, 2:15 was when Adam was put there. I guess Adam was around before the tree, who knows where, just kind of playing in the dirt I guess. But God put Adam in the garden after the tree was already there.

The timeline _is_ confusing. In Genesis 1:27, it says, “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” But then the scripture says in 2:18, “Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.’” And He creates Eve in 2:22. So I don’t know if Chapter 1 is foreshadowing what is going to come later, or there was a retcon, or maybe there were other men and women aside from Adam and Eve outside of the Garden of Eden…?

> [@Max\_S](#):
>
> In all the interpretations I’ve read, or had read to me, the second narrative of Genesis is a more detailed recounting of the first narrative. Meaning they are one and the same between Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

That is probably the easiest way to reconcile it, yeah.

> [@Hijack of Tree of Knowledge thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hijack-of-tree-of-knowledge-thread/980497/3):
>
> The Bible says God says to Adam they should not eat of it. Eve is the one in the Bible who states God Stated they should not even touch it. It is uncertain that God said this, or if Adam told Eve God said this, or Eve added that to the instructions as an extra precaution for herself. The Bible does also indicate that Eve was deceived. Thus we don’t know if God also disallowed touching of the fruit.

Good point, that’s hearsay on Eve’s part. That might not have been an actual commandment.

(Just FYI, for simplicity I was using the version of the Bible that the Vatican is hosting, all of Genesis on one page [here](https://www.vatican.va/archive/bible/genesis/documents/bible_genesis_en.html).)

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