Adam and Eve, according to the Bible, were the first man and woman created by God. The account of Adam and Eve is told in Genesis 2-3. According to Genesis, God created two human beings, later called Adam and Eve, and placed them in the Garden of Eden (see Eden ). Adam and Eve lived in Eden, tending the garden of God. They were permitted to eat from any tree in the garden except from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But a serpent persuaded Eve to eat fruit from this tree. Eve gave some to Adam, who also ate the fruit. Thus, they became mortal and God exiled them from Eden. Outside the garden, Adam had to work hard to make a living, and Eve also had to work and to bear many children.
The story of Adam and Eve begins a long Biblical narrative of human history. Their position at the beginning of the Bible makes them seem historical. But many Biblical scholars consider them as models who reveal the essential qualities of human existence. Their names are normally not proper names in Biblical Hebrew. They are general terms for humanity and living being.
According to one interpretation, the account of Adam and Eve focuses especially on those characteristics that define human nature as opposed to the nature of God and that of animals. Adam and Eve were made in God’s image, and they gained wisdom, or knowledge of good and evil, which made them like God. But like animals, they had to die. Some people also believe the account emphasizes universal human fellowship by showing all humans as descendants of one couple.
