Did God tell Eve not to touch the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?
Question:
I have always loved your website, but I read an article that says that God never told Eve she was not to touch the tree of knowledge, but according to Genesis 3 that's not so.
Answer:
What God said:
"And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Genesis 2:16-17).
What Eve said to the serpent:
"And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die'" (Genesis 3:2-3).
What Eve remembered regarding what God said and what He actually said are different -- not a great deal different, but different enough to allow Satan to introduce doubt. When she touched the fruit and nothing happened, she would be emboldened to actually eat the fruit.
"And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?"" (Genesis 3:11).
The only one who said not to touch the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is Eve. God never told them not to touch the fruit.
