Read Genesis 3.14-24. In verses 14-15: The serpent is directly cursed by God. The curse provides an ancient explanation for why the snake has no legs and why humans often have a negative reaction to snakes. In verses 16-17: Neither the woman nor the man are directly cursed as was the serpent. But negative consequences flow from the disobedient act. For the woman, the pain of childbirth will increase, and the man shall rule over you. This inequality contrasts with God's original will for mutuality and independence between the man and the woman in 2.18-22. In verses 17-19: Like the woman and unlike the serpent, the man is not directly cursed. However, God declares, cursed is the ground because of you. The man will struggle in hard toil and sweat to produce foo from the ground. The earlier story of human creation in 2.7 had already recounted the man's origin from the dust of the ground. Now, for the first time, human death is explicitly mentioned: to dust you shall return (3.19). However, the original prohibition in 2.17 had decreed death on that very day that the forbidden fruit would be eaten. God does not enforce this death sentence immediately. God mercifully allows the humans to continue to live for some time and produce children for future generations. In verse 21: God graciously replaces the prickly fig leaf clothing (2.7) with softer garments of skins. In verses 22-24: God seals the entrance to the garden to make sure the humans do not take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever. The cherubim are winged creatures who are half human and half beast. They guard holy areas. For example, cherubim guard the holiest sections of the Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 8.6-7). Comments or Questions..
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