What really happened in the Garden of Eden?

Zevit (American Jewish Univ., Los Angeles) asks how Israelites in the First Temple period understood the garden story. His conclusions, based on detailed analysis of biblical Hebrew, challenge numerous popular views, e.g., that Adam was created from dust; that woman was created from a rib; that Eve is cursed; and that reproduction occurred only after the expulsion from Eden. Uncovering subtleties in the Hebrew language lost as early as the Hellenistic period, Zevit finds not a story of sin, judgment, and curse impacting mythical figures, but an explication of life lived by real people in the care of a compassionate deity. Citations include Paul, Augustine, Rashi, Calvin, Mark Twain, and Proust. Appeals to Sumerian, Akkadian, Hurrian, Hittite, Ugaritic, Egyptian, Arabic, Ethiopic, and rabbinic texts, paleobotany, and human anatomy secure many of the arguments. However, whether ancient Israelites would have had the polyglot facilities and grammatical knowledge Zevit adduces remains speculative. The opening summary of select feminist readings is a bit precious; the conclusions on human nature, ethical self-awareness, and acquisition of knowledge are seriously thought provoking. Zevit's captivating style makes this material not only accessible but also fascinating. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. A.-J. Levine Vanderbilt University

Using linguistic and historical analysis, -Zevit (Distinguished Professor of Biblical Literature & Northwest Semitic Languages & Literatures, American Jewish Univ.; The Religions of Ancient Israel) addresses the story of the Garden of Eden from a Jewish perspective, in contrast to the standard Christian interpretations (e.g., the "Fall") that inform popular understanding. He separates his book into three units, each addressing a question about the story. Part 1 discusses why books in the Hebrew Bible other than Genesis seem unaware of the Fall. He examines them with their original audience in mind. Part 2 examines Adam's and Eve's motivations and guilt. The last section studies the treatment of the Eden story in the Hebrew Bible's other books. Zevit's goal is to place the story in its original, pre-Christian context. His close reading indicates that the Israelites who first told and recorded the story believed it to describe historically distant but true events. Ultimately, according to Zevit's analysis, the story is not one of loss but of gain, as humanity acquires the wisdom necessary to make conscious decisions. VERDICT Zevit successfully aims his study at serious general, rather than specialized, readers. His multidisciplinary yet accessible approach to the Garden of Eden story provides insights outside of commonly known interpretations. Recommended for lay readers in ancient history or Judeo-Christian religion.-Matt Rice, Philadelphia (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.